Early Converts: Hagar Posted by Ruhammah on November 17 2008 Add Comments Hagar was the daughter of Pharoah. When Abraham and Sarah went to Egypt, their teachings about G-d and His Laws made such an impact on the people that Pharoah said, "It is better for Hagar that she be a servant in this house than a mistress of her own!" Hagar was taken in by Sarah, which is a testimony to her great piety and holiness, as another princess, Timnah, who said the same thing, was turned away because of her character deficiencies. Sarah loved Hagar very much and treated her as her own daughter.
Abraham and Sarah had no children. Abraham, because he loved Sarah, refused to take another wife even after Sarah went through menopause. Sarah convinced Abraham to marry Hagar so that the family of Abraham could be built up through Hagar. Hagar bore Abraham a son, Ishmael, whom Abraham loved very much. Abraham prayed for Ishmael and G-d blessed him. However, Ishmael was wild as a youth. Therefore he and his mother were exiled for several years while Abraham lived in the land of the Philistines. Ishmael and Hagar were tended by angels (another testimont of their great holiness). Ishmael repented and came back to his father sometime before the Binding of Isaac (akiedah). After the akiedah, Sarah died. Then Isaac went and sought out Hagar, who had never remarried, and brought her back to his father. She was renamed Keturah (Incense: because her deeds had become as pleasing as keturot) and lived the rest of her life piously. She bore Abraham six more sons. Both Keturah and Ismael died righteous. http://www.torahjudaism.org/?p=15 Facebook: Radityo Djadjoeri
