(1) From Sarai's perspective, "Who is God?"
16 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not given birth to any children...
2 So Sarai said to Abram, “Since the LORD has prevented me from having children, please sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have a family by her.”
In Sarai's mind, when things had not happened before it would not happen.
Either she thought that God was not powerful enough to change her body or
she thought that God would not keep His promise, or
God was not consistent in His word (He would give Abram a son through illegitimate marriage).
5b May the LORD judge between you and me!”
In Sarai's mind, God should take care of the mess she created.
Reflection: Who is God to me? In my mind, is God able to carry out His plan? Will He carry out His plan according to His standard/His Word?
Am I God and order things around me according to my want?
(2) From the author's perspective, "How the negative outcomes become like so?"
2b Abram did what Sarai told him.
(NET) This expression was first used in Gen 3:17 of Adam’s obeying his wife. In both cases the text highlights weak faith and how it jeopardized the plan of God.
(EBC) His overall disapproval is suggested by the observation made above that the author has recounted the story in a way that associates Sarai’s action with that of Eve in Genesis 3, showing her plan, like Eve’s scheme to be like God, to be an attempt to circumvent God’s plan of blessing in favor of gaining a blessing on her own.
3 So after Abram had lived in Canaan for ten years, Sarai, Abram’s wife, gave Hagar, her Egyptian servant, to her husband to be his wife.
(NET) To be his wife. Hagar became a slave wife, not on equal standing with Sarai. However, if Hagar produced the heir, she would be the primary wife in the eyes of society. When this eventually happened, Hagar become insolent, prompting Sarai’s anger.
5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “You have brought this wrong on me! I gave my servant into your embrace, but when she realized that she was pregnant, she despised me. May the LORD judge between you and me!”
(NET) Sarai blamed Abram for Hagar’s attitude, not the pregnancy. Here she expects to be vindicated by the LORD who will prove Abram responsible. A colloquial rendering might be, “God will get you for this.” It may mean that she thought Abram had encouraged the servant girl in her elevated status.
Conclusion: Sarai had set up a trap for herself. She followed the custom of the society and now she was despised because of the custom. However, she did not take responsibility, but she held her husband to be responsible and event she wanted God to vindicate her.
Reflection: Am I foolish like Sarai and set up trap for myself? Am I too concern about custom? Am I responsible of my own fault or I want to have other people including God to bear my consequences?
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