Daily Scripture Reading Genesis 15:17 - 16:16
There are many couples who are unable to have children. One of the options they may resort to is some form of surrogacy. Modern reproductive technology includes IVF and artificial insemination, which allows surrogacy without requiring a sexual act outside the bonds of marriage. Many people think this is a great solution. It is a solution; however, there is also a great risk of huge emotional costs.
Today’s passage from Genesis illustrates that surrogacy has always included risk of emotional damage. Anyone who is considering surrogacy needs to consider the emotional complications that may come along with it.
Yahweh promised that Abram would have numerous descendants and possess the land of Canaan. However, since the sin of the Amorite was not yet complete, Abram’s descendants would first be enslaved in a foreign land for 400 years. Then they would be released and come back to take over the land.
Gen. 15:17 ¶ Now it happened that the sun had set, and it was very dark, and behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a flaming torch which passed between these pieces.
The words “these pieces” refers to the 5 animals Abram brought to Yahweh (see Genesis 15:9).
Gen. 15:18 On that day Yahweh cut a covenant with Abram, saying,
“To your seed I have given this land,
From the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates:
Notice the parameters of the land that was promised to Abram’s descendant.
The Euphrates River is in the Mesopotamian Valley. The River of Egypt may be the Nile River. There is also a river in the Sinai peninsula known as the River of Egypt. Either way, the land promised to Abram was much bigger than the area normally associated with Israel.
Gen. 15:19 the Kenite and the Kenizzite and the Kadmonite
The Kenites lived near Sinai/Negev (see 1Sam 15:6 and 27:10).
Gen. 15:20 and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Rephaim
The Hittites and Perizzites lived in the land of Canaan. The Rephaim lived east of the Jordan River (see Deut 3:11).
Gen. 15:21 and the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Girgashite and the Jebusite.”
The four people groups listed in this verse lived in the land of Canaan.
Gen. 16:1 ¶ Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children, and she had an Egyptian servant-woman whose name was Hagar.
Yahweh had made several promises to Abram that involved the descendants of Abram, but Abram and Sarai were childless.
Gen. 16:2 So Sarai said to Abram, “Now behold, Yahweh has shut my womb from bearing children. Please go in to my servant-woman; perhaps I will obtain children through her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
This was a form of surrogacy. Sarai could not have children, so she desired to have another woman bear a child for her.
Surrogacy happens today for the same reason. Some people who desire children are unable to have children themselves, so one of the options they resort to is some form of surrogacy.
Gen. 16:3 And after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Abram’s wife Sarai took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant-woman, and gave her to her husband Abram as his wife.
Gen. 16:4 So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. Then she saw that she had conceived, so her mistress became contemptible in her sight.
Look at the words “he went in to Hagar”. Modern technology, such as IVF or artificial insemination, enables people in the 21st century to practice surrogacy without requiring sex outside of marriage. That was not the case with Abram, Sarai, and Hagar.
Notice the word “contemptible”. Hagar had contempt for Sarai. Abram and Sarai did this because it seemed like an easy solution to their childlessness. However, there was a huge emotional toll.
Today, some couples who cannot bear children use a third person to carry their baby. The third person is artificially inseminated or an embryo is planted inside her womb. It sounds like a great solution, but there are emotional ramifications. The female who carries the baby in her womb has all the normal emotional reactions to being pregnant, including having an emotional attachment to the baby when it is born.
Gen. 16:5 And Sarai said to Abram, “May the violence done to me be upon you. I gave my servant-woman into your embrace, but she saw that she had conceived, so I became contemptible in her sight. May Yahweh judge between you and me.”
At this point there was not an easy solution to this problem. It was not possible to undo the emotional trauma. Even if they had had a form of abortion, that would not have eliminated the contempt.
Gen. 16:6 But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your servant-woman is in your hand; do to her what is good in your sight.” So Sarai afflicted her, and she fled from her presence.
Gen. 16:7 ¶ Now the angel of Yahweh found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur.
Shur was located between Canaan and Egypt. Hagar was an Egyptian, so it made sense she was on her way back to Egypt.
Gen. 16:8 And he said, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant-woman, where have you come from and where are you going?” And she said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.”
Gen. 16:9 Then the angel of Yahweh said to her, “Return to your mistress and humble yourself under her hands.”
Take note of the words “humble yourself”. On the one hand, Hagar was a pawn in this situation. It was not her choice to carry Abram’s child. Abram and Sarai made that decision. On the other hand, Hagar was responsible for having contempt for Sarai. Even if the contempt was an emotional result of being pregnant, Hagar was still responsible for her choices and actions.
Gen. 16:10 Moreover, the angel of Yahweh said to her, “I will greatly multiply your seed so that they will be too many to be counted.”
Gen. 16:11 And the angel of Yahweh said to her further,
“Behold, you are with child,
And you will bear a son;
And you shall call his name Ishmael,
Because Yahweh has heard your affliction.
Gen. 16:12 And he will be a wild donkey of a man,
His hand will be against everyone,
And everyone’s hand will be against him;
And he will dwell in the face of all his brothers.”
Don’t miss the word “against”. Ishmael would be in conflict with other people.
Don’t miss the word “brothers”. This verse foreshadows that Ishmael would have brothers.
Gen. 16:13 Then she called the name of Yahweh who spoke to her, “You are a God who sees”; for she said, “Have I even remained alive here after seeing Him?”
Gen. 16:14 Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.
Gen. 16:15 ¶ So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.
Gen. 16:16 Now Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to him.
Today, some couples who cannot bear children use a third person to carry their baby. The third person is artificially inseminated or an embryo is planted inside her womb. Since surrogacy can happen without requiring sex outside of marriage, this sounds like a great solution to childlessness.
It may be a solution, and it may be a good solution, but there are still emotional ramifications. The female who carries the baby in her womb has all the normal emotional reactions to being pregnant, including having an emotional attachment to the baby when it is born. Couples who are thinking about surrogacy should not approach it as if there are no emotional ramifications. The risk of emotional complications is very high.
Do you know anyone who has used a form of surrogacy?
Does the ability to practice surrogacy without requiring sex to take place outside of marriage make surrogacy Biblical?
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”