followHIM Genesis 18-23 Part 1 • Dr. Carli Anderson • Feb. 23 - Mar. 1 • Come, Follow Me
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Feb 18, 2026 Dr. Carli Anderson, an assistant professor specializing in biblical women and ancient Near Eastern context, reframes Sarah, Hagar, and Abraham through ancient legal, linguistic, and cultural lenses. She explores Hebrew wordplay, Sarah’s royal stature, Hagar’s complex status, covenant name changes, and the dramatic scenes around promises, laughter, and justice. Short, vivid takes on layered meanings and ancient power dynamics.
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Read The Text In Its Ancient Context
- Read these Genesis stories with ancient linguistic and cultural lenses to uncover layered meanings.
- Look for wordplay, repetitions, and legal-cultural contexts rather than only modern English readings.
Surrogacy Had Legal Structures In Antiquity
- Ancient Near Eastern law codes frame surrogacy so the child legally belongs to the wife, not the surrogate.
- Carli argues Sarah's arrangement with Hagar follows those legal norms and sets expectations about status and rights.
Conflict Was About Power, Not Pregnancy
- The conflict arises when Hagar's pregnancy shifts household power and 'despises' Sarah, not merely from conceiving.
- That social breach triggers legal-family remedies and Sarah's oath invoking divine judgment.
