As an African American and a woman, without a doubt, the story of Sarai and Hagar rings particularly loud in my heart, mind and soul. That I am a relatively young woman, no, I have not personally felt the sting of a slave master's quirt or whip on my back, nor have I endured the pain of watching my children sold away from me, my husband beaten for trying to protect my honor or having my womanness taken against my will by the slave master. No, I have not endured first hand, the effects of chattel slavery. But I have experienced the byproduct of it. Yes, every time I had to greet Mama at the door after she returned from a long day cooking and cleaning for a white woman and her household. I have had to go to bed without the comfort of Mama's arms tenderly wrapped around me, as she did the children of white women - I'm sure humming some old Negro spiritual that lulled them to sleep. I have washed and caressed Mama's feet to relieve some of the aches and pains caused by standing too long serving guest at her white woman's house during a dinner party. And finally, I have had to stand by and feel my body swell with rage, watching and hearing white men, women and young white boys and young white girls call my Mama - the mother of 7 - "girl" or "gal."
So, no, I don't need the Pastor or some theologian to do amazing feats of hermeneutic gymnastics or exegetical analysis with or around the sacred text to find myself understanding the relational dynamics at play between Sarai and Hagar. The story of Sarai and Hagar is an all too familiar one. It is the story of two women in a struggle for security and power. It is the story of two different women belonging to the same man. It is the story of two mothers -- who give birth to two different babies, resulting in two separate nations. It is the story of two women, used, manipulated and abused within a male dominated society - God do we ever know that story!
Let's begin first with Sarai. She is the wife of Abram (the great Patriarch). She is a woman, without any rights or privileges and well into her twilight years. She is certainly past the time of childbearing for a woman, and, she has not even borne one male child. Back in chapter 15, when God said to Abram, "Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them... So shall your descendants be," Sarai undoubtedly hears of it. Impatient, she decides to take matters into her own hands (Genesis 15:5b). She knows well and understands that a woman without a husband or a male child is nothing. Funny thing, that seems to be the prevailing sentiment of many women today - hmph - but I digress. Anyway, she knows that she is incredibly vulnerable should anything happen to Abram and she is left alone, a widow and childless. Therefore, in chapter 16, she reasons that maybe God's promise to Abram will be fulfilled through her "slave-girl," Hagar! Sounds reasonable enough, right? I mean after all, Sarai appears to have acquired Hagar as a part of the "dowry" Pharaoh paid to Abram when he was deceived by the clever couple in chapter 12. Remember that? Sarai was instructed by Abram, to um, "give up some @$S to get some ass(es)..." Please refer to, "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp." So, now Sarai has Hagar, the "slave-girl," and thus, her property. Thereby making any child conceived by Hagar the property of Sarai. Hence, God's promise to Abram fulfilled. "Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive."
Let's go now to Hagar, the Egyptian woman, given into servitude - to another woman! Good Lord! Whew... I cannot even begin to fathom the thought of that! But there she is, removed from her place of origin, her people, protection, her culture, and traditions. Her care and treatment is at the whim and mercy of another woman. Consequently, her body (which does not belong to her) is used and exploited for the benefit and gain of someone else - Sarai, her Mistress. Sound familiar? Of course! So, when you hear the adage, "Hurt people hurt people," believe it. Because now, Sarai does to Hagar what was done to her. She is now in a position of power and as such, she betrays the sanctity of sisterhood by "pimping" out her "slave-girl" to her husband urging him to, "Go in to my slave-girl; it may be that I shall obtain children through her." Quite naturally, Abram "listened to the voice of Sarai..." and "went in to Hagar, and she conceived" (16:1-4a). Umph! My, my, my... Do I dare continue? No... Yes! I must, I really and truly must. I feel like singing... "I will go, I shall go... [let's] see what the end is g'on be."
Ahhh, alas, "I's pregnant now!" Hagar, has suddenly experienced a rise in her stock. She, understandably, starts smelling herself to the dismay of Sarai. Consequently, Sarai reacts and upon receiving instruction from Abram to "do to her as you please," Sarai did just that and Hagar ran away from her... Here we go.... An angel of the Lord finds Hagar by a spring and inquires where she is coming from and where she is going. Hagar tells the angel all that has happened to her. The angel, knowing Hagar is with child, instructs her to return to her Mistress and to submit to her - but first, a promise. The angel of the Lord says to Hagar, "I will so greatly multiply your offspring that they cannot be counted for multitude" (vv. 5-10). She is then told she will bear a son, "and you shall call him Ishmael, for the Lord has given heed to your affliction" (v. 11).
Okay, I believe I have enticed you enough to go read the rest of the story for yourself. So, very quickly, let me wrap this up. In chapter 21:1-21, God has changed both Sarai and Abram's names to Sarah and Abraham respectively. As promised, God also blesses Sarah and she too conceives a son - Isaac! But one day, Sarah observes Ishmael playing with her son, Isaac. She gets angry and says to Abraham, "Cast out this slave woman with her son; for the son of this slave woman shall not inherit along with my son Isaac" (vv. 9, 10). I'm sorry, but I can't help but hear her saying that in this way, "Get your whore and that bastard child outta my house!" Now, I'm sure there was a better way to put that, but sometimes, some words take on an entirely deeper and stronger meaning when said just the right way, with just the right inflection! So forgive me if I stepped out of bounds. I'll bet you got the picture though... And, I know you know Abraham did what Sarah told him to do. Sure, of course he was grieved, but God told him to do as Sarah had instructed him to do. And, to ease Abraham's anguish, God lets him in on a little secret S/HE promised to Hagar, "As for the son of the slave woman, I will make a nation of him also, because he is your offspring" (v. 13).
Ohhh wee... Lawd Hammercy! Umph, umph, umph... What's that I hear off in the distance? Butterfly McQueen, shouting from the heavens, "I don't know nuff'n bout birth'n no baby Miss Scarlett!" I hear ya loud and clear. Rest Mama - Rest easy.
© Dorinda G. Henry, 2010
© Dorinda G. Henry, 2010
THEOLOGIA HABITUS EST!
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