Steenburgh 1

Kathryn Steenburgh

Ms. Akers

Honors English 9

20 October 2017

When most people think of the bible, they think of the men: the patriarchs, the heroes, the saviors.

It makes sense. Most prominent biblical figures are male. From Abraham to Jesus, the bible is full of men

who endured harsh trials and completed difficult tasks so that they could earn Gods approval. Even when

there are women featured in the bible, they are usually minor characters, such as wives or servants.

Though the common view of the bible is very androcentric, its important to remember that there are

women in the bible who are just as relevant as the fabled men. Take, for example, the character Hagar, a

female slave. In addition to being enslaved, Hagar is forced to have a child with Abram,the husband of

her owner, Sarai, and is, as a result, mistreated by her mistress. Hagar bears this mistreatment by request

of God, and is rewarded with a blessed child, Ishmael. Hagars struggle shows us that those who obey

God are rewarded for their piety.

Evidently, Hagars life is far from easy. Through these difficulties, though, she shows how much

she is willing to endure in compliance with Gods will. When Hagar is first mistreated by her mistress,

Sarai, she tries to run away. While she is running, though, an angel finds her and asks what she is doing.

She tells him that she is running away, and the angel responds, Go back to your mistress, and submit to

her harsh treatment. (73). The angel also tells Hagar that her child is to be blessed if she returns to

slavery. Though Hagar had set out to run away, she goes back to Sarai and bears Abrams child. This is a

demonstration of Hagars piety. Hagar could have made the choice to run away despite Gods wishes and

save herself from Sarais wrath, but she instead chose to obey. This compliance shows that Hagar is the

type of character that the bible rewards. Though she is not regarded as a hero, she is eventually rewarded

for her compliance with a blessed son.

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The concept that Hagars story is based on, which is that those who obey the lord will be

rewarded, is a common motif in the bible. The stories of Moses and Joshua are also examples of these

motifs. Moses obeys God and leads the Hebrews from Egypt, and Joshua obeys God and takes the city of

Jericho. They are both rewarded with leadership and respect. Hagar, though, is in a slightly different

situation from these men. Her story is not about glory or power, or requests from God to accomplish

extraordinary feats. She is far more average. Her tasks dont gain the Hebrews a city or a great leader, but

they do end up benefiting her. This is important because it is an example of a less prolific figure earning

the favor of the lord. If someone only read the stories of the patriarchs and warriors of the bible, they

might think that only the greatest of men are rewarded by God. This, though, is proven untrue as the story

of Hagar is examined. Hagar is nothing but a lowly servant of the wife of a great man. Though her

suffering could have been overlooked, it was not, and this proves that even if you arent important, God

will still reward you when you follow him.

Hagars story is also different from that of many biblical men in that she doesnt see the benefits

of her piety very quickly. She does bear a blessed child, one who will someday be very important, but she

still has to endure Sarais mistreatment for more time while she raises that child. In fact, raising the child

is no small feat. For a while, though she is resentful, Sarai allows Hagar to live with her and Abram. After

all, Hagars child is also Abrams. Eventually, though, Sarai miraculously becomes pregnant with

Abrams second child, and when Sarai bears Abrams legitimate son, she forces Hagar to leave. Though

Abram, to his credit, does give Hagar some bread and water before she leaves, it is not enough to last her

and her son long, and once their provisions eventually run out. She sets her son under a bush and turns

away, unable watch him die. Suddenly, an angel appears, telling Hagar, Fear not, for God has heeded the

cry of the boy where he is. (75) God gives Hagar a well, and she and her son live happily in the

wilderness of Paran. This is another one of Gods rewards for Hagar. Since she did her best to deal with

Sarai and birthed God a blessed child, she and her child are saved. This second example of Gods favor

shows us that God will not abandon those who follow his will. While he could have simply let Hagar die,

God saves her and her son because of Hagars faith.

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Hagars story ends happily, her son Ishmael growing to be the leader of a great nation. Ishmael is

now considered the descendant of Abraham who is connected to the religion of Islam as well as a

powerful leader, and his success can be drawn back to his mother and her sacrifices. Hagar doesnt get

enough credit for her exemplary faith and sacrifice, but she is inarguably a strong example of a biblical

character who follows Gods path through difficulties and is rewarded with Gods favor.