Galatians 4:25

For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to the Jerusalem that exists now, for she is in bondage with her children.

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Other translations

WEBBE

For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to the Jerusalem that exists now, for she is in bondage with her children.

BSB

Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present-day Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children.

KJV

For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

ASV

Now this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth to the Jerusalem that now is: for she is in bondage with her children.

BBE

Now this Hagar is the mountain Sinai in Arabia, and is the image of the Jerusalem which now is: which is a servant with her children.

Original Greek

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τὸ to (the) G3588 δὲ de Now G1161 Ἁγὰρ Hagar Hagar G28 Σινᾶ Sina Sinai G4614 ὄρος oros Mount G3735 ἐστὶν estin is G1510 ἐν en in G1722 τῇ tēa (the) G3588 Ἀραβίᾳ Arabia Arabia G688 συστοιχεῖ sustoichei she corresponds G4960 δὲ de now G1161 τῇ tēa to the G3588 νῦν nun present G3568 Ἰερουσαλήμ Ierousalēm Jerusalem G2419 δουλεύει douleuei she is in slavery G1398 γὰρ gar for G1063 μετὰ meta with G3326 τῶν tōn the G3588 τέκνων teknōn children G5043 αὐτῆς autēs of her G846

The early church

The bond-woman was called Hagar, and "Hagar" is the word for Mount Sinai in the language of that country. So that it is necessary that all who are born of the Old Covenant should be bondmen, for that mountain where the Old Covenant was delivered hath a name in common with the bondwoman. And it includes Jerusalem, for this is the meaning of, "And answereth to Jerusalem that now is." That is, it borders on, and is contiguous to it. "For she is in bondage with her children." What follows from hence? Not only that she was in bondage and brought forth bondmen, but that this Covenant is so too, whereof the bondwoman was a type. For Jerusalem is adjacent to the mountain of the same name with the bondwoman, and in this mountain the Covenant was delivered. Now where is the type of Sarah?
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on Galatians

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 21–27

The difference between believers who rested in Christ only, and those who trusted in the law, is explained by the histories of Isaac and Ishmael. These things are an allegory, wherein, beside the literal and historical sense of the words, the Spirit of God points out something further. Hagar and Sarah were apt emblems of the two different dispensations of the covenant. The heavenly Jerusalem, the true church from above, represented by Sarah, is in a state of freedom, and is the mother of all believers, who are born of the Holy Spirit. They were by regeneration and true faith, made a part of the true seed of Abraham, according to the promise made to him.

Read Matthew Henry on Galatians 4 →

Cross-references

10

People & places

Hagar JerusalemMount SinaiArabia

Topics

SinaiHagar

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.