Genesis 16 in the early church

76 passages quote, allude to, or echo Genesis 16, grouped by verse; passages on the same verse are in date order. Verse text from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain). References use the Protestant English Bible's numbering, with a writer's own numbering in brackets where it differs.

Verses: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10 · 11 · 12 · 13 · 15

Genesis 16:1

Now Abram’s wife Sarai had borne him no children, but she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
Gen 16:1Miscellanies 1.5.30 · Clement of Alexandriaallusion, high confidenceca. 198–203
Gen 16:1–4On First Principles 4.2.2 · Origenallusion, high confidenceca. 220–230 (Rufinus's translation 398)
Gen 16:1–4Commentary on John 20.67 · Origenallusion, high confidenceca. 230–248
Gen 16:1–4Homily on 1 Samuel 1.5 · Origenallusion, high confidenceca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Gen 16:1–4Commentary on Galatians 4:21–22 · Ambrosiasterallusion, high confidenceca. 366–384
Gen 16:1On Cain and Abel 1.23 · Ambroseallusion, medium confidenceca. 375-378
Gen 16:1–4The Lord's Sermon on the Mount 1.16 · Augustine of Hippoallusion, medium confidenceca. 393–396
Gen 16:1Against Faustus the Manichaean 22.5 · Augustine of Hippoallusion, high confidenceca. 398–400
Gen 16:1–4On Baptism, against the Donatists 1.23 · Augustine of Hippoallusion, medium confidenceca. 400–401
Gen 16:1–11Genesis, lines 549–574 · Cyprianus Gallusallusion, high confidenceearly 5th cent.
Gen 16:1–4City of God 15.3 · Augustine of Hippoallusion, high confidence413–426
Gen 16:1–5City of God 16.25 · Augustine of Hippoallusion, high confidence413–426
Gen 16:1–12Book 3, lines 556–579 · Claudius Marius Victorallusion, high confidenceca. 425-430

Genesis 16:2

So Sarai said to Abram, “Look now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Please go to my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
Gen 16:2–3Against Heresies 1.18.3 · Irenaeus of Lyonsallusion, high confidenceca. 180–190
Gen 16:2Miscellanies 1.5.30 · Clement of Alexandriaallusion, high confidenceca. 198–203
Gen 16:2Sermon 51.28 · Augustine of Hippoallusion, high confidenceca. 391-430
Gen 16:2–6Homily 20.5 on Ephesians · John Chrysostomallusion, high confidenceca. 392-397
Gen 16:2Against Faustus the Manichaean 3.3 · Augustine of Hippoallusion, high confidenceca. 398–400
Gen 16:2Against Faustus the Manichaean 22.30 · Augustine of Hippoallusion, high confidenceca. 398–400
Gen 16:2Against Faustus the Manichaean 22.31 · Augustine of Hippoallusion, high confidenceca. 398–400
Gen 16:2Against Faustus the Manichaean 23.6 · Augustine of Hippoallusion, high confidenceca. 398–400
Gen 16:2On the Good of Marriage 17 · Augustine of Hippoallusion, high confidence401
Gen 16:2Tractates on the Gospel of John 12.4 · Augustine of Hippoallusion, high confidenceca. 406–420

Genesis 16:3

So after he had lived in Canaan for ten years, his wife Sarai took her Egyptian maidservant Hagar and gave her to Abram to be his wife.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
Gen 16:3On Monogamy 6 · Tertullianallusion, high confidenceca. 210–217
Gen 16:3Fragment on 1 Corinthians (Jenkins § 35, part 1) · Origenallusion, medium confidenceca. 226-254
Gen 16:3Panarion (Adversus Haereses), Haer. 1-64 34.16.8 · Epiphanius of Salamisallusion, high confidence374-377
Gen 16:3Commentary on Titus 1:6 · Jeromeallusion, medium confidenceca. 387
Gen 16:3City of God 16.34 · Augustine of Hippoquotation, high confidence413–426

Genesis 16:4

And he slept with Hagar, and she conceived. But when Hagar realized that she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
Gen 16:4Fragments on Genesis, column 115 · Origenquotation, high confidenceca. 220-254
Gen 16:4On Paradise 65 · Ambroseallusion, high confidenceca. 375-378
Gen 16:4Against Faustus the Manichaean 22.25 · Augustine of Hippoallusion, high confidenceca. 398–400

Genesis 16:5

Then Sarai said to Abram, “May the wrong done to me be upon you! I delivered my servant into your arms, and ever since she saw that she was pregnant, she has treated me with contempt. May the LORD judge between you and me.”

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
Gen 16:5Tractates on the Gospel of John 11.13 · Augustine of Hippoallusion, high confidenceca. 406–420

Genesis 16:6

“Here,” said Abram, “your servant is in your hands. Do whatever you want with her.” Then Sarai treated Hagar so harshly that she fled from her.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
Gen 16:6Miscellanies 1.5.32 · Clement of Alexandriaquotation, high confidenceca. 198–203
Gen 16:6Prophetic Extracts 1.4 · Eusebius of Caesareaquotation, high confidencebefore 325 (probably ca. 310–320)
Gen 16:6Letter 140.19 · Jeromeallusion, high confidenceca. 370–419
Gen 16:6Letter 93.6 · Augustine of Hippoallusion, high confidenceca. 386–430
Gen 16:6Letter 185.9 · Augustine of Hippoallusion, high confidenceca. 386–430
Gen 16:6Sermon 3.1 · Augustine of Hippoallusion, high confidenceca. 391-430
Gen 16:6Tractates on the Gospel of John 11.13 · Augustine of Hippoquotation, high confidenceca. 406–420
Gen 16:6–9Homilies on the First Epistle of John 10.10 · Augustine of Hippoallusion, high confidenceca. 407
Gen 16:6City of God 16.25 · Augustine of Hippoquotation, high confidence413–426

Genesis 16:7

Now the angel of the LORD found Hagar by a spring of water in the desert—the spring along the road to Shur.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
Gen 16:7On the Trinity 18 · Novatianallusion, high confidenceca. 240–250
Gen 16:7Prophetic Extracts 1.3 · Eusebius of Caesareaallusion, medium confidencebefore 325 (probably ca. 310–320)
Gen 16:7Prophetic Extracts 1.4 · Eusebius of Caesareaquotation, high confidencebefore 325 (probably ca. 310–320)
Gen 16:7–13On the Trinity 5.11 · Hilary of Poitiersallusion, high confidenceca. 356–360
Gen 16:7On the Trinity 12.46 · Hilary of Poitiersallusion, high confidenceca. 356–360

Genesis 16:8

“Hagar, servant of Sarai,” he said, “where have you come from, and where are you going?” “I am running away from my mistress Sarai,” she replied.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
Gen 16:8Tractates on the Gospel of John 11.13 · Augustine of Hippoquotation, high confidenceca. 406–420

Genesis 16:9

So the angel of the LORD told her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her authority.”

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
Gen 16:9Prophetic Extracts 1.4 · Eusebius of Caesareaquotation, high confidencebefore 325 (probably ca. 310–320)
Gen 16:9–10On the Trinity 4.23 · Hilary of Poitiersquotation, high confidenceca. 356–360
Gen 16:9Sermon 3.1 · Augustine of Hippoquotation, high confidenceca. 391-430
Gen 16:9Tractates on the Gospel of John 11.13 · Augustine of Hippoquotation, high confidenceca. 406–420
Gen 16:9Tractates on the Gospel of John 11.15 · Augustine of Hippoallusion, high confidenceca. 406–420

Genesis 16:10

Then the angel added, “I will greatly multiply your offspring so that they will be too numerous to count.”

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
Gen 16:10On the Trinity 18 · Novatianallusion, high confidenceca. 240–250
Gen 16:10Prophetic Extracts 1.4 · Eusebius of Caesareaquotation, high confidencebefore 325 (probably ca. 310–320)
Gen 16:10–13On the Trinity 4.26 · Hilary of Poitiersallusion, high confidenceca. 356–360
Gen 16:10On the Trinity 5.13 · Hilary of Poitiersallusion, high confidenceca. 356–360

Genesis 16:11

The angel of the LORD proceeded: “Behold, you have conceived and will bear a son. And you shall name him Ishmael, for the LORD has heard your cry of affliction.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
Gen 16:11Prophetic Extracts 1.4 · Eusebius of Caesareaquotation, high confidencebefore 325 (probably ca. 310–320)

Genesis 16:12

He will be a wild donkey of a man, and his hand will be against everyone, and everyone’s hand against him; he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.”

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
Gen 16:12Demonstration 11.9 · Aphrahatquotation, high confidence337-345
Gen 16:12Demonstration 11.10 · Aphrahatallusion, high confidence337-345
Gen 16:12Letter 126.2 · Jeromequotation, high confidenceca. 370–419
Gen 16:12Letter 129.4 · Jeromequotation, high confidenceca. 370–419
Gen 16:12Letter 165.2 · Augustine of Hippoquotation, high confidenceca. 386–430

Genesis 16:13

So Hagar gave this name to the LORD who had spoken to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “Here I have seen the One who sees me!”

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
Gen 16:13On the Trinity 18 · Novatianallusion, medium confidenceca. 240–250
Gen 16:13Prophetic Extracts 1.4 · Eusebius of Caesareaquotation, high confidencebefore 325 (probably ca. 310–320)
Gen 16:13On the Trinity 4.23 · Hilary of Poitiersquotation, high confidenceca. 356–360
Gen 16:13On the Trinity 12.46 · Hilary of Poitiersallusion, high confidenceca. 356–360
Gen 16:13–14Genesis, lines 575–599 · Cyprianus Gallusallusion, high confidenceearly 5th cent.

Genesis 16:15

And Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave the name Ishmael to the son she had borne.

BSB
ReferencePassageKindDate
Gen 16:15Homilies 2.16 · Anonymousallusion, medium confidence4th century (reworking earlier material)
Gen 16:15Recognitions 1.33 · Anonymousallusion, medium confidenceGreek original 3rd–4th century; Rufinus's Latin translation before 407
Gen 16:15Commentary on Galatians 4.22 · Marius Victorinusallusion, high confidenceca. 360–363
Gen 16:15Commentary on Galatians 4:21–22 · Ambrosiasterallusion, high confidenceca. 366–384
Gen 16:15Letter 60.8 · Jeromeallusion, medium confidenceca. 370–419
Gen 16:15Panarion (Adversus Haereses), Haer. 1-64 4.1.6 · Epiphanius of Salamisallusion, high confidence374-377
Gen 16:15Tractates on the Gospel of John 11.10 · Augustine of Hippoallusion, medium confidenceca. 406–420
Gen 16:15City of God 16.26 · Augustine of Hippoallusion, high confidence413–426
Gen 16:15–16Book 3, lines 580–605 · Claudius Marius Victorallusion, high confidenceca. 425-430