When we are introduced to her in Genesis, she is the servant of Abram’s wife. Every modern writer will tell you servitude
is the worst of all possible fates, so it must be so. Then Hagar’s mistress,
too old to conceive, comes up with the bright idea of using Hagar as a means of
perpetuating her own family line.
Despite his years of
experience, Abram goes along with Sarai’s plan. After all, he’s a guy, and
he’s just been given permission — by his own wife, yet — to have guilt-free
sex with a younger woman.
What could possibly go
wrong?