Genesis 14-16 gives us a closer look at Abram. In chapter 14, we see how he was able to respond to a large-scale war involving nine kings: four against five. In chapter 15, God promises Abram that he will have a biological son. This seemed impossible to Abram because his wife Sarai was well beyond her childbearing years. This sets us up to understand Sarai’s impatience or frustration in Genesis 16. After waiting her entire married life, she falls into the temptation to fix the problem on her own. She uses her Egyptian maidservant as a surrogate, according to accepted cultural practice of the time. This moves Abram into a time of crisis. Abram follows through on Sarai’s suggestion of Hagar as surrogate, despite God having given him the specifics of Sarai being his future son’s mother. This mistake has difficult consequences that reveal even more of God’s mercies. And still, the original plan of God marches on.

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