Ἄγαρ
Ágar
G28 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper noun: Hagar. The personal name of the Egyptian woman who, according to Israelite tradition, became the servant or handmaid of Sarah and mother of Abraham's son Ishmael. Used exclusively as a personal name in Greek texts, with no expanded metaphorical or common-noun sense. In Hellenistic and early Roman-period literature, the name may reference her story or status as an outsider within the ancestral narratives.
Semantic Range
personal name Hagar, used exclusively for the Egyptian servant of Sarah and mother of Ishmael; figurative or typological application to servitude (in Pauline allegory only)
Root / Etymology
From Hebrew הָגָר (Hagar); borrowed directly into Greek as a personal name. Root etymology in Hebrew is uncertain; some suggest connection to the root גּוּר ('to sojourn, dwell') or the possible Arabic root 'flight, fleeing,' but this remains speculative.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Septuagint and New Testament, Ἄγαρ designates the singular historical figure known from Genesis as the Egyptian servant of Sarah and mother of Ishmael. The name does not carry ethnic, geographic, or religious connotations beyond identification as an Egyptian by origin. In Hellenistic-Jewish interpretation, Hagar could sometimes function as a literary symbol for 'outsider' or 'bondwoman', as seen in allegorical readings like those found in Galatians 4:24-25, where Paul uses Ἄγαρ as a type or allegory for Mount Sinai and 'servitude to the law', contrasting this with Sarah as a type of 'freedom.' However, the primary referent remains the individual named Hagar. English translations traditionally render Ἄγαρ as 'Hagar.' The Greek form remains phonetically very close to the Hebrew original, suggesting deliberate preservation of the name.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Hebrew origin (הָגָר); Hagar, the concubine of Abraham:--Hagar.
Root Family
Ἄγαρ (Agar) — Hagar (proper name)
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G28-01 |
Ἁγάρ | agar | N NOM F SG |
Hagar | Hagar | Agar | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G28-01 |
Galatians 4:24 | Ἁγάρ | agar | N NOM F SG |
Hagar | Hagar | Agar |
G28-01 |
Galatians 4:25 | Ἁγὰρ | agar | N NOM F SG |
Hagar | Hagar | Agar |