Abraham had marked the result of the intermarriage of those who feared God and those who feared Him not, from the days of 174 Cain to his own time. The consequences of his own marriage with Hagar, and of the marriage connections of Ishmael and Lot, were before him. The lack of faith on the part of Abraham and Sarah had resulted in the birth of Ishmael, the mingling of the righteous seed with the ungodly. The father's influence upon his son was counteracted by that of the mother's idolatrous kindred and by Ishmael's connection with heathen wives. The jealousy of Hagar, and of the wives whom she chose for Ishmael, surrounded his family with a barrier that Abraham endeavored in vain to overcome.

Manden havde bedt om nattely i hendes faders hus, og i sin takkebøn omtalte han sin forbindelse med Abraham. Da pigen kom hjem, fortalte hun, hvad hun havde oplevet, og hendes broder Laban skyndte sig straks ud for at hente den fremmede og hans ledsagere, så de kunne nyde hjemmets gæstfrihed.