Genesis 16:13
“And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?”
King James Version (KJV)
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This verse comes as Hagar, fleeing from Sarai's harsh treatment, meets the angel of the LORD by a fountain in the wilderness and is told to return.
What Does Genesis 16:13 Mean?
Genesis 16:13 means that Hagar, a mistreated and runaway servant, encountered God in the wilderness and came to know Him as the God who sees her. Having fled from harsh treatment, alone and pregnant in the desert, she is met by God, who speaks to her with attention and care. Out of that encounter she gives God a name born from her own experience.
"Thou God seest me" is a remarkable confession from one of the most overlooked figures in the story -- a foreign servant woman. In her distress, she discovered that she was not invisible to God; He had sought her out, heard her affliction, and spoken to her by name. Her wondering question, "Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?", expresses amazement that she has encountered and survived the gaze of God Himself. This verse is a tender reminder that no one is beneath God's notice. The lonely, the mistreated, and the forgotten are all seen by Him. Hagar's testimony assures every reader who feels unseen that there is a God who looks upon them with knowing care.
In the Original Language
The Hebrew name "El Roi" (the God who sees me, or God of seeing) captures Hagar's discovery, built on the verb "ra'ah" (to see).
Cross References
“And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.”
- Genesis 16:11
“Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?”
- Psalm 139:7
“The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”
- Psalm 34:18
Application
When you feel overlooked or forgotten, take comfort that God sees you fully, knows your affliction, and never loses sight of you in your distress.