A reading from the book of Genesis.

Now, Sarai, Abram's wife, had born him no children.

She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hegar.

And Sarai said to Abram,

Behold now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children.

Go in to my servant. It may be that I shall

obtain children by her. And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. So after Abram had lived

ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, and gave her to Abram,

her husband, as a wife. And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she

had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress. And Sarai said to Abram,

May the wrong done to me be on you. I gave my servant to your embrace. And when she saw that

she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the Lord judge between you and me.

But Abram said to Sarai,

Behold your servant is in your power, due to her as you please.

Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her.

The angel of the Lord found her

by a spring of water in the wilderness,

the spring on the way to shore.

And he said, Hagar, servant of Sarai,

where have you come from, and where are you going?

She said, I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai.

The angel of the Lord said to her, return to your mistress and submit to her.

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