Hagar and Her Child in the Wilderness

Artwork by Sister Marie Claire , SMMI (1937–2018) from Bengaluru, India.

For more information about images by Sister Marie Claire and ways to purchase them as lithographs, see here . For other images of Sister Marie Claire paintings in TIPs, see here.

The following is an artwork by Frank Wesley (1923-2002):

“Frank Wesley is a fifth generation Indian Christian born in 1923 in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, India. He comes from a long line of artists. Wesley studied art in Lucknow where his Hindu professor inspired him not only in his art but also in an appreciation of Jesus Christ and his teaching.

Hagar was painted in water colour on paper and is in a private collection in Bangalore, India. The color washes have been manipulated with a palette knife on rough paper to emphasize the hard rocks which symbolize Hagar’s life as a bond-maid.

“Abraham and Sarah are honored as the founders of the nation of Israel. Abraham’s trust in God to lead him out of Babylon and his willingness to sacrifice his own son are quoted as signs of his great faith. But because Abraham and Sarah were people of wealth and privilege most Asian Christians have difficulty identifying with them. In recent years, many Asians have rediscovered Hagar as a person with whom they can have genuine empathy. Frank Wesley’s moving painting shows Hagar alone in the wilderness. She is prepared to die when the angel meets her. In the midst of hopelessness, God reveals to her that her son Ishmael will be the father of a great nation.” (Source for this and the image: The Bible Through Asian Eyes by Masao Takenaka and Ron O’Grady 1991)

complete verse (Genesis 21:15)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 21:15:

  • Kankanaey: “When the water that was their provision-for-the-trail was used-up, she left-behind the child at the base of a small tree.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “After the water in the container was finished, Hagar left [her] son in a bush,” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “When their water was- now -consumed/finished, she left- her child -behind under the bushes” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “After they had drunk all the water in the container, she put her son under one of the bushes there.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 21:15

There is no indication of how long Hagar and her son wandered about in the desert. It may be important for discourse considerations to make clear that they had been there long enough to use up their water; for example, “After some time,” “Some time later.” Some translations repeat the verb of the previous verse: “They wandered around until….”

When the water in the skin was gone may need to be expressed as “when they had drunk all the water in the skin,” “when there was no more water left in the skin,” “when the water skin had become empty,” or as some translations say, “when their water was finished.”

She cast the child under one of the bushes: cast translates a form of the verb meaning “to throw,” but with a human object the sense is “abandon,” “leave,” “put.” Child translates the same word used in Gen 21.8. According to Driver the verb translated cast “clearly indicates that Ishmael was being carried by his mother.” Speiser, however, comments that the meaning of the verb is “not necessarily ‘cast away’ ”; and translates “left the child.” Bushes translates a word also used in Job 30.4. Although some interpreters attempt to make precise what the bush or shrub may have been, it is probably best not to try to name it. It is important that the bush or small tree be large enough to provide shade for the child. It may be better in many cases to translate “under a small tree” or “in the shade of a bush.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .