Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name [was] Hagar.
Ver. 1. Now Sarai, Abram's wife, bare him no children.] God had foretold him of his children's affliction, and yet gave him no child, but holds him still in suspense. He knows how to commend his favours to us by withholding them, Cito data cito vilescunt; we account it scarce worth taking, that is not twice worth asking.
A handmaid, an Egyptian.] One of those maids, belike, that were given her in Egypt. Gen 12:16