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Expulsion of Ishmael and His Mother.png
Expulsion of Ishmael and His Mother, by Gustave Doré
Children Ishmael

Hagar (/hˈɡɑːr/ hay-GAR; Hebrew: הָגָר, Modern Hagar, Tiberian Hāgār, of uncertain origin[1] Arabic: هاجر‎‎ Hājar; Latin: Agar) is a biblical person in the Book of Genesis. She was an Egyptian handmaid of Sarai (Sarah),[2] who gave her to Abraham "to wife" to bear a child. (The prefix "to", as in "took to wife", may indicate that the wife is a concubine or inferior wife.[3]) The product of the union was Abraham's firstborn, Ishmael, the progenitor of the Ishmaelites.

The name Hagar originates from the Book of Genesis, and is only alluded to in the Quran. She is considered Abraham's second wife in the Islamic faith and acknowledged in all Abrahamic religions. In mainstream Christianity, she is considered a concubine to Abraham.[2]

Hagar in Genesis[edit]

This is a summary of the account of Hagar from Genesis 16,21

Hagar and Abraham[edit]

Hagar was the Egyptian handmaiden of Sarai, Abraham's wife. Sarai had been barren for a long time and sought a way to fulfill the LORD's promise, especially since they were getting older, so she offered Hagar to Abraham "to wife". (Genesis 16:1-3)

When Hagar realized that she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. Sarai sensed her slave's attitude, which caused her to suffer greatly. Sarai then consulted her husband about the matter; he gave her permission to do with Hagar as she saw fit. Sarai dealt with her harshly, which resulted in Hagar fleeing from Abraham’s settlement.(Genesis 16:4-6)

Hagar fled into the desert on her way to Shur. En route, an angel of the LORD appeared to Hagar at the well of a spring. He instructed her to return to Sarai, so that she may bear a child who "shall be a wild ass of a man: his hand shall be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the face of all his brethren".Genesis 16:12 Then she was told to call her son Ishmael. Afterward, Hagar referred to God as "El Roi".[4] She then did as she was instructed by returning to Abraham in order to have her child. When Abraham was eighty-six years of age, Hagar gave birth to his firstborn son, Ishmael. (Genesis 16:7-16)

Hagar cast out[edit]

Hagar and the Angel in the Wilderness, by Francesco Cozza

Later, Sarah gave birth to Isaac, and the relationship between Hagar and her mistress came to a climax. At a celebration after Isaac was weaned, Sarah found the teenage Ishmael mocking her son. She was so upset by it that she demanded from her husband, who was now referred to as Abraham, to send Hagar and her son away. She declared that Ishmael would not share in Isaac's inheritance. Abraham was greatly distressed by his wife's words and God told Abraham not to be distressed but to do as his wife commanded because not only would Isaac carry the Abrahamic line, but a nation would come from the line of Ishmael as well. (Genesis 21:9-13)


The angel of God opened Hagar's eyes and she saw a well of water. This well is known today as the Zamzam Well.[6] He also told Hagar that God "will make a great nation" of Ishmael.[5] Hagar and Ishmael were saved.

Hagar found her son a wife from Egypt and they settled in the Desert of Paran. (Genesis 21:14-21)

Religious views[edit]

Baha'i traditions[edit]

According to the Baha'i Faith, the Báb was a descendant of Abraham and Hagar,[7] and that God made a promise to spread Abraham's seed. The Baha'i Publishing House released a text on the wives and concubines of Abraham and traces their lineage to five different religions.[8]


Hagar in the Wilderness by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo.





Main article: Hagar in Islam

Hājar (Arabic: هاجر), is the Arabic name used to identify the wife of Ibrāhīm (Abraham) and the mother of Ismā'īl (Ishmael). Although not mentioned by name in the Qur'an, she is referenced and alluded to via the story of her husband. She is a revered woman in the Islamic faith.

According to Muslim belief, she was the Egyptian handmaiden of Ibrāhīm's first wife Sara (Sarah). She eventually settled in the Desert of Paran with her son Ismā'īl. Hājar is honoured as an especially important matriarch of monotheism, as it was through Ismā'īl that Muhammad would come.




Hājar soon ran out of water, and Ismā'īl, an infant by that time, began to cry from hunger/thirst. Hājar panicked and ran between two nearby hills, Al-Safa and Al-Marwah, repeatedly in search for water. After her seventh run, an angel appeared over the location of the Zamzam and then hit the ground with his heel(or his wing) and caused a miraculous well to spring out of the ground. This is called the Zamzam Well and is located a few metres from the Kaaba in Mecca.[16]

The incident[18] of her running between the Al-Safa and Al-Marwah hills is remembered by Muslims when they perform their pilgrimage (Hajj) at Mecca. Part of the pilgrimage is to run seven times between the hills, in commemoration of Hājar's courage and faith in God as she searched for water in the desert (which is believed to have then miraculously appeared from the Zamzam Well), and to symbolize the celebration of motherhood in Islam as well as the leadership of women. To complete the task, some Muslims also drink from the Zamzam Well and take some of the water back home from pilgrimage in memory of Hājar.[19]

Many Muslims believe Hagar and her son, Ishmael, are buried beside the Kaaba, in a semi-enclosed area which Muslims circumambulate around as they circle the Kaaba during Hajj.[20]

Rabbinical commentary[edit]


Some Jewish commentators identify Hagar with Keturah, the woman Abraham married after the death of Sarah, stating that Abraham sought her out after Sarah's death. It is suggested that Keturah was Hagar's personal name, and that "Hagar" was a descriptive label meaning "stranger".[22][23][24] This interpretation is discussed in the Midrash[25] and is supported by Rashi, Gur Aryeh, Keli Yakar, and Obadiah of Bertinoro. Rashi argues that "Keturah" was a name given to Hagar because her deeds were as beautiful as incense (hence: ketores), and/or that she remained chaste from the time she was separated from Abraham—keturah [ קְטוּרָה Q'turah ] derives from Aramaic word for restrained. The contrary view (that Keturah was someone other than Hagar) is advocated by Rashbam, Abraham ibn Ezra, Radak, and Ramban. They were listed as two different people in the genealogies in 1 Chronicles 1:29–33.

Arts and literature[edit]




Hagar and the Angel, by Cecco Bravo

In the nineteenth century a more sympathetic portrayal became prominent, especially in America. Edmonia Lewis, the early African American and Native American sculptor, made Hagar the subject of one of her most well-known works. She said it was inspired by "strong sympathy for all women who have struggled and suffered".[26] In novels and poems Hagar herself, or characters named Hagar, were depicted as unjustly suffering exiles. These include the long dramatic poem Hagar by Eliza Jane Poitevent Nicholson (pen name Pearl Rivers), president of the Women's National Press Association; Hagar in the Wilderness by Nathaniel Parker Willis, the highest-paid magazine writer of his day; and Hagar's Farewell by Augusta Moore.[11] In 1913 this was joined by the overtly feminist novel Hagar,[27] by the American Southern socialist and suffragist Mary Johnston's.[28] Hall Caine gave the name A Son of Hagar to 1885 book set in contemporary England and dealing with the theme of illegitimacy.


Contemporary influence[edit]





Assisted reproduction[edit]


Family tree[edit]

Sarah[32] Abraham Hagar Haran
Ishmael Milcah Lot Iscah
Ishmaelites 7 sons[33] Bethuel 1st daughter 2nd daughter
Isaac Rebecca Laban Moabites Ammonites
Esau Jacob Rachel
Edomites Zilpah
1. Reuben
2. Simeon
3. Levi
4. Judah
9. Issachar
10. Zebulun
11. Dinah
7. Gad
8. Asher
5. Dan
6. Naphtali
12. Joseph
13. Benjamin

See also[edit]


  1. ^ Strong's Concordance.
  2. ^ a b Douglas, J. D. (editor); Merrill C. Tenney ; revised by Moisés Silva. Zondervan illustrated Bible dictionary ([Rev. ed.] ed.). Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan. p. 560. ISBN 0310229839.  Cite uses deprecated parameter |coauthors= (help)
  3. ^ Women, similar to wives from vadimcherny.org
  4. ^ 13 And she called the name of the LORD that spoke unto her, Thou art a God of seeing; for she said: 'Have I even here seen Him that seeth Me?' Genesis 16:13
  5. ^ a b "Genesis 21:17". biblehub.com. Retrieved September 2014. 
  6. ^ "Zamzam Studies and Research Centre". Saudi Geological Survey. Archived from the original on June 19, 2013. Retrieved June 2, 2014. 
  20. ^ Ali Shariati. "The Ka'aba – Hajj (The Pilgrimage)". al-islam.org. Retrieved 2015-10-16. 
  24. ^ "Parshat Chayei Sarah", Torah Insights, Orthodox Union, 2002.
  25. ^ Bereshit Rabbah 61:4.
  29. ^ Oren Yiftachel, Launching Hagar: Marginality, Beer-Sheva, Critique Retrieved 2015-10-16
  32. ^ Geness 20:12: Sarah was the half–sister of Abraham