Now {a} Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.

(a) It seems that she had respect for God's promise, which could not be accomplished without issue.

Wesley's Notes

16:1 We have here the marriage of Abram to Hagar, who was his secondary wife. Herein, though he may be excused, he cannot be justified; for from the beginning it was not so: and when it was so, it seems to have proceeded from an irregular desire to build up their families, for the speedier peopling of the world. But now we must not do so? Christ has reduced this matter to the first institution, and makes the marriage union to be between one man and one woman only.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

CHAPTER 16

Ge 16:1-16. Bestowment of Hagar.

1. Now, Sarai . had a handmaid-a female slave-one of those obtained in Egypt.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

16:1-3 Sarai, no longer expecting to have children herself, proposed to Abram to take another wife, whose children she might; her slave, whose children would be her property. This was done without asking counsel of the Lord. Unbelief worked, God's almighty power was forgotten. It was a bad example, and a source of manifold uneasiness. In every relation and situation in life there is some cross for us to bear: much of the exercise of faith consists in patiently submitting, in waiting the Lord's time, and using only those means which he appoints for the removal of the cross. Foul temptations may have very fair pretences, and be coloured with that which is very plausible. Fleshly wisdom puts us out of God's way. This would not be the case, if we would ask counsel of God by his word and by prayer, before we attempt that which is doubtful.