Genesis 16:14

Gen 16:14 Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; behold, [it is] between Kadesh and Bered.

Ver. 14. Beer-lahai-roi,] i.e., "The well of him that liveth and seeth me," that is, of the living God, who hath seen to my safety. So rich men are "charged" to "trust not in uncertain riches, but in God," who both "liveth" and "giveth". {1Ti 6:17}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Gen 16:14. The well was called Beer-lahai-roi — The well of him that lives and sees me. It is likely Hagar put this name upon it, and it was retained long after. This was the place where the God of glory manifested the special care he took of a poor woman in distress. Those that are graciously admitted into communion with God, and receive seasonable comforts from him, should tell others what he has done for their souls, that they also may be encouraged to seek him and trust in him.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

16:14-15 The names Beer-lahai-roi, which means “well of the Living One who sees me,” and Ishmael (see 16:11) were a message and a rebuke for Abram and Sarai. God sees affliction and hears the cries of those in need. Sarai and Abram should have prayed rather than taking the fulfillment of the promise into their own hands by following social custom (cp. 25:21). Giving children to the barren woman is God’s work (Ps 113:9; cp. 1 Sam 1:1-28; Luke 1:1-25); impossible difficulties cannot be resolved by human intervention. The Lord hears the afflicted, sees them in their need, and will miraculously provide for them.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Or, the well of the living, and seeing me.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 14. Wherefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi] It appears, from Ge 16:7, that Hagar had sat down by a fountain or well of water in the wilderness of Shur, at which the Angel of the Lord found her; and, to commemorate the wonderful discovery which God had made of himself, she called the name of the well אר לחי ראי beer-lachai-roi, "A well to the Living One who seeth me." Two things seem implied here:

1. A dedication of the well to Him who had appeared to her; and,

2. Faith in the promise: for he who is the Living One, existing in all generations, must have it ever in his power to accomplish promises which are to be fulfilled through the whole lapse of time.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

14. Wherefore the well was called I subscribe to the opinion of those who take the word יקרא (yekra,) indefinitely, which is usual enough in the Hebrew language. In order that the sense may be the clearer it is capable of being resolved into the passive voice, that ‘the well was called.’ Yet I think this common appellation originated with Hagar, who, not content with one simple confession, wished that the mercy of God should be attested in time to come; and therefore she transmitted her testimony, as from hand to hand. Hence we infer how useful it is, that they who do not freely humble themselves, should be subdued by stripes. Hagar, who had always been wild and rebellious, and who had, at length, entirely shaken off the yoke; now, when the hardness of her heart was broken by afflictions, appears altogether another person. She was not, however, reduced to order by stripes only; but a celestial vision was also added, which thoroughly arrested her. And the same thing is necessary for us; namely, that God, while chastising us with his hand, should also bring us into a state of submissive meekness by his Spirit. Some among the Hebrews say that the name of the well was given to it, as being a testimony of a twofold favor, because Ishmael was revived from death, and God had respect to Hagar, his mother. But they foolishly mutilate things joined together: for Hagar wished to testify that she had been favourably regarded by Him who was the Living God, or the Author of life.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(14) Beer-lahai-roi.—That is, Well of the living-seeing (of God), the well where God has been seen, and the beholder still lives. It became afterwards a favourite dwelling-place of Isaac (Gen_25:11), and was probably, therefore, surrounded by pastures, but its site has not been identified. For Kadesh see Gen_14:7. Bered is absolutely unknown.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

14. Beer-lahai-roi] The R.V. marg. the well of the living one who seeth me is an impossible translation of the text. Another rendering is, “Well of the Seeing alive,” i.e. “Where one sees God and remains alive.” The popular belief was, that he who saw God would die. See previous note.

Probably the name Beer-lahai-roi was explained by a popular etymology which connected its pronunciation with the sound of the Hebrew words ḥai = “living” and roi = “vision.” A well, or spring, in a desert was generally deemed by the early nomad peoples to be frequented by a Divine presence.

between Kadesh and Bered] For Kadesh, see note on Gen_14:7. Bered has not been identified. Hagar’s well is commonly supposed to be the same as Ain Muweileh, a spot where there are springs, S. of Beersheba, and on the caravan road to Egypt.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi,.... That is, the fountain where the angel found her, Gen 16:7; this, from the appearance of God to her at it, was afterwards called by her and others by this name, which signifies "the well of him that liveth and seeth me"; that is, of the living and all seeing God, and who had taken a special care of her, and favoured her with a peculiar discovery of his love to her: or this may have respect to herself, and be rendered, "the well of her that liveth and seeth"; that had had a sight of God, and yet was alive; lived though she had seen him, and after she had seen him, and was still indulged with a sight of him. Aben Ezra says, the name of this well, at the time he lived, was called Zemum, he doubtless means Zemzem, a well near Mecca, which the Arabs say (z) is the well by which Hagar sat down with Ishmael, and where she was comforted by the angel, Gen 21:19,

behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered; Kadesh is the same with Kadesh Barnea in the wilderness, Num 13:3. The Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan call it Rekam, the same with Petra, the chief city of Arabia Petraea, inhabited in later times by the Nabathaeans, the posterity of Ishmael: and Bered is nowhere else mentioned, it is called by Onkelos Chagra or Hagra, by which he interprets Shur, Gen 16:7; and by the Targum of Jonathan it is called Chaluza, a noted town in Idumea, the same with Chelus, mentioned with Kades in the Apocrypha;"And to all that were in Samaria and the cities thereof, and beyond Jordan unto Jerusalem, and Betane, and Chelus, and Kades, and the river of Egypt, and Taphnes, and Ramesse, and all the land of Gesem,'' (Judith 1:9)and so Jerom (a) speaks of a place called Elusa, near the wilderness of Kadesh, which in his times was inhabited by Saracens, the descendants of Ishmael; and this bids fair to the Bered here spoken of, and seems to be its Greek name, and both are of the same signification; for Bered signifies hail, as does Chalaza in Greek, which the Targumists here make Chaluza; between Kadesh and Barath, as Jerom (b) calls it, Hagar's well was shown in his days.

(z) See Pitts's Account of the Mahometans, c. 7. p. 103. (a) In Vita Hilarionis, fol. 84. 1. (b) De loc. Heb. fol. 89. E.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

This name may have respect, either,

1. To God, The well of him that liveth (i.e. of the true and living God) and seeth me, i.e. taketh care of me. Or,

2. To Hagar, The well of her that liveth, i.e. who though she gave up herself for dead and lost, yet now is likely to live, both in her person and in her posterity, and seeth, or did see, namely, God present with her.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

14. Beer-lahai-roi — באר לחי ראי, well of life of sight, or, well of living vision; that is: well where one saw God and remained alive after the vision. This well is mentioned again in Gen_24:62; Gen_25:11. Its location, between Kadesh and Bered, is now unknown. On the identification of Kadesh with Ain Qadees, see note on Gen_14:7. The spring el Muweileh, far to the south of Beer-sheba, has been suggested as Hagar’s well, but this suggestion has not been sufficiently confirmed.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Wherefore the well was called in all likelihood first by HagarBeer-lahai-roi, or the well of him that liveth and seeth me (A.V); but either

(1) the well of the living one of vision, i.e. of God, who appeared there (Onkeles, Rosenm Lange) or

(2) the well of the life of vision, i.e. where after seeing God life was preserved (Gesenius, Keil, Kalisch, Murphy), or where in consequence of seeing God a new life was imparted (Inglis). Behold, it is between Kadesh (vide Gen_14:7) and Bered. Of uncertain situation; but the well has probably been discovered in Ain Kades (called by the Arabs Moilahi Hagar), to the south of Beersheba, and about twelve miles from Kadesh (cf. Keil in lees).

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The well was called Beer-lahai-roi - The well of him that lives and sees me. 'Tis likely Hagar put this name upon it, and it was retained long after. This was the place where the God of glory manifested the special care he took of a poor woman in distress. Those that are graciously admitted into communion with God, and receive seasonable comforts from him, should tell others what he has done for their souls, that they also may be encouraged to seek him and trust in him.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Beerlahairoi

i.e. The well of him that liveth and seeth me. Gen 24:62; Gen 25:11.

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

באר לחי ראי As the Targum takes it: the well at which the living angel had appeared to her.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

על כן קרא לבאר, this is why anyone who encounters the well where the angel had appeared to Hagar at the time the "באר לחי רואי". Seeing that an angel lives eternally, the word לחי "to the living one," is an apt description for such a creature. The fountain mentioned in this verse is the same as the one that had been described previously in verse 7.

הנה בין קדש ובין ברד, The Torah gives an indication of where this fountain can be seen, so that when a person encounters it he will acknowledge G'd's greatness in revealing Himself by dispatching an angel even to the errant maid-servant of Sarai. The matter is all the more remarkable seeing that Hagar was not in the act of performing a mission on G'd's behalf at the time. Bared is the same as the previously mentioned Shur. The location had been known by two names. This is why the Torah mentioned both of these names. Ths is also why Onkelos translates both Shur and Bared as חגרא.

Radak on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash” (CC BY 4.0); “Rabbi Mike Feuer, Jerusalem Anthology” (CC BY 4.0); and “R. David Kimhi on the first book of Psalms, Translated by R.G. Finch, London, 1919” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.