What did Sarai say to Abram about having a child through Hagar?
Sarai said the Lord had restrained her from bearing, so she urged Abram to go in unto her maid, Hagar, and said it might be that she could obtain children by her. Abram hearkened to Sarai's voice, and the text presents this as a fleshly plan.
Les explains that Sarai was the one who gave up first in this account. She said the Lord had restrained her from bearing, then asked Abram to go in unto her maid, Hagar, saying it might be that she could obtain children by her. Abram hearkened to Sarai's voice. Les emphasizes that God is totally lacking in this conversation—God had not said a word. All God had said was that He would make a nation out of Abram, which had to start with a son. Les teaches that this Hagar and Ishmael scenario is called “after the flesh” in Galatians, while Isaac would be the son of the promise. God was not involved in this plan, though sovereignly He was controlling the flow of events, and the text gives no word from God about having a child by the slave woman.
And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
How did Sarai plan to have children when she was barren?
Sarai planned to obtain children through her Egyptian handmaid Hagar. Since she said the Lord had restrained her from bearing, she asked Abram to go in unto her maid, explaining that she might obtain children by her. This was surrogate motherhood, a custom prevalent in the ancient Orient.
Does God's sovereignty mean He approved of Abram having a child by the slave woman?
No. Although God sovereignly controls the flow of events, the biblical text shows God had nothing to say about Abram having a child by the slave woman. That plan came from Sarai and Abram, not from God, and Scripture calls it after the flesh, while Isaac is the son of promise.
More Questions
Who is missing from the conversation between Sarai and Abram about having a child?
God is totally lacking from the conversation between Sarai and Abram — God has not said a word in that exchange.
Why did Sarai tell Abram to have a child with Hagar?
Sarai acknowledged that the Lord had restrained her from bearing, and she then initiated surrogate motherhood by asking Abram to go in to her maid Hagar to obtain children by her.
Who is completely absent from the conversation where Sarai tells Abram to have a child with her maid?
God is the one who is totally lacking from the conversation in which Sarai proposes that Abram have a child by her maid — God hasn't said a word yet.