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Hagar

Biblical
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Egyptian handmaiden of Sarah and mother of Ishmael, whose story in Genesis explores themes of exile, promise, and divine care.

Detailed Definition
Hagar, given to Abraham by Sarah, bore Ishmael and was twice driven into the wilderness, yet received divine promises (Genesis 16, 21). In poetry, she embodies exile, maternal anguish, and God’s care for the marginalized—often symbolizing the “other” within the covenant and the dignity of the displaced.
Example
Example in poetry:
In John Milton’s "Paradise Lost," Hagar’s expulsion (Genesis 16, 21) illustrates human schemes and divine care; In Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s "The Drama of Exile," Hagar symbolizes the outcast under God’s eye; In George Herbert’s "The Church-porch," Hagar’s well in the wilderness models divine provision; In John Keble’s "Lyra Innocentium," Hagar represents the mother of the disinherited; In Christina Rossetti’s "Goblin Market," Hagar’s flight prefigures the journey of the marginalized; In T.S. Eliot’s "Four Quartets," Hagar’s desert becomes a site of unexpected encounter.
Additional Notes
Hagar: Egyptian maidservant of Sarah, mother of Ishmael (Genesis 16, 21); twice encounters God, who names her (“God sees”). In poetry, Hagar symbolizes the marginalized, divine attention to the outcast, and the pain of displacement. Her wilderness experiences (Gen 16:7; 21:17) model divine provision—ideal for poems on exile, maternal grief, or the God who sees the unseen. Islamic tradition venerates her—useful in interfaith poetic reflection.
Also Known As
Hagar mother of Ishmael Hagar the Egyptian
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