Hagar and the angel of the LORD

[TonyChanYT]

Hagar ran away from Sarai in Genesis 16:

7 The angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur.

Most versions translate malak Yahweh here as "the angel of the LORD". Brenton Septuagint Translation translated it as "an angel of the Lord".

8 And he said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai.” 9 The angel of the LORD said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her.” 10 The angel of the LORD also said to her, “I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude.”

At this point, the angel spoke in first person authoritatively as if he was the LORD. The wording was similar to what the LORD said to Abram in Genesis 13:

16 I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted.

The angel continued:

11 And the angel of the LORD said to her, “Behold, you are pregnant and shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the LORD has listened to your affliction.

Here, the language was not in the first person. Still, the angel seemed to be a member of the divine Godhead. Similar language is found in Exodus 24:

1 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel. You are to worship at a distance, 2a but Moses alone is to approach the Lord.

Hagar thought the angel was the LORD:

13 So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.” 14 Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; it lies between Kadesh and Bered.

The angel of the LORD here seems to differ from the LORD-Yahweh but he also seems to be a divine person/witness. They seem to be two distinct witnesses in the Godhead/Divinity.

Isaiah 63:

9 In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them;

of His Presence
פָּנָיו֙ (pā·nāw)
Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6440: The face

See also Did Gideon meet the angel of the LORD or the LORD?.

 

[Randy Kluth]

Hagar ran away from Sarai in Genesis 16:


Most versions translate malak Yahweh here as "the angel of the LORD". Brenton Septuagint Translation translated it as "an angel of the Lord".


At this point, the angel spoke in first person authoritatively as if he was the LORD. The wording was similar to what the LORD said to Abram in Genesis 13:


The angel continued:


Here, the language was not in the first person. Still, the angel seemed to be a member of the divine Godhead. Similar language is found in Exodus 24:


Hagar thought the angel was the LORD:


The angel of the LORD here seems to differ from the LORD-Yahweh but he also seems to be a divine person/witness. They seem to be two distinct witnesses in the Godhead/Divinity.

Isaiah 63:


of His Presence
פָּנָיו֙ (pā·nāw)
Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6440: The face

See also Did Gideon meet the angel of the LORD or the LORD?.

I also find it interesting, Tony, how the Lord appears to take the form of either angels or men. This is not an area I can speak of with any authority. Angels are sometimes compared to men in the Scriptures, though I believe angels are superior in some ways, and in other ways, men are able to judge angels.

The fact they are similar in appearance at times causes me to wonder how they are distinguished as angels when they appear in the form of men? Any help would be appreciated....

 

[TonyChanYT]

The fact they are similar in appearance at times causes me to wonder how they are distinguished as angels when they appear in the form of men?

Good question. In general, I don't think you can.
Hebrews 13:2
Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.