But Abram said to Sarai: although the Hebrew begins with the narrative connective, English But signals a contrast that is not appropriate here, and modern English versions do not use it. In some languages a suitable transition would mark the fact that Abram is speaking again; for example, “Then Abram answered…” or “… replied” (Revised English Bible).
Behold, your maid is in your power: for Behold see 1.31. In this context it is rendered idiomatically in English by Good News Translation and New Jerusalem Bible, “Very well, ….” In your power is literally “in your hand.” By giving Sarai the authority to do as she pleases with Hagar, Abram allows the mistress-slave-woman relation to be established again. Good News Translation expresses this thought well: “Very well, she is your slave and under your control.” In some languages the idea of a person being in the power or control of another is expressed as “You make her do as you wish,” “You can make her obey whatever you say to her,” or “You can make her your slave again.” Do to her as you please is literally “do to her what is good in your eyes.” In this way Abram gives Sarai the right to take any action she wishes, and thus places Hagar again in her former status.
In the translation of Abram’s response to Sarai’s angry accusation, it is again important to understand and express his feelings as well as the content of what he says. Many translations pick up a feeling of righteous indignation in the Hebrew exclamation Behold, which opens Abram’s words; for example, “Listen! Hagar is your working girl. You are her boss, and you can make her do whatever you like.” Another example is “What’s wrong? Hagar’s your slave girl, isn’t she? Well, you can do anything you like with her.”
As a consequence Sarai dealt harshly with her. Dealt harshly translates a form of the verb that means to “afflict,” “mistreat,” “act badly toward.” It is used in 15.13 and also in 31.50, in the Mizpah treaty between Jacob and Laban, in which Laban says “if you mistreat my daughters…” (Good News Translation). See also Exo 22.22, 23 (“afflict”); Judges 16.19 (“torment”). Most probably Sarai made Hagar work without rest and abused her verbally. Driver gives the meaning of the verb as “imposing heavy work”; Speiser, however, takes it as including physical abuse: “Literally, applied force to her, treated her with violence.” The language is quite general, but in some languages it will be necessary to fill out the meaning by saying, for example, “Sarai was cruel and treated her badly,” “Sarai made her work like a slave,” or negatively “Sarai was unkind and did nothing good for her.” One translation that expresses this well says “Sarai handled that slave girl in a really rough way.”
And she fled from her is literally “fled from her face.” That is, “Hagar ran away from Sarai.” And must often be represented as a consequence of the mistreatment; for example, “so she fled” or “as a result Hagar ran away.” It may be necessary in translation to make clear that Hagar is not simply avoiding Sarai but is running away from Abram’s camp.
Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .