Introduction:

The biblical account of the banishment of Hagar and Ishmael is morally perplexing. At first blush it would seem that Sarah's merciless demand to turn out Hagar and Ishmael is grounded in her own complex web of feelings toward the maidservant and her son. Sarah has waited for 90 years to bear Abraham his heir. No one will now impinge on his status, or on hers. In theory, Abraham could have simply reassured Sarah that both sons would assume their rightful positions, as God does in the continuation of the story. Why are such harsh measures proposed by Sarah, confirmed by God, and carried out by the patriarch? The question can be answered on several levels.