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Abstract
The goal of this dissertation is to explore the intertextuality and ideology of the Hagar narratives (Gen. 16 and 21:8–21). By comparing Hagar's text to three other biblical stories: Abraham's ordeal on Mt. Moriah (the Aqedah), Hannah's story, and Joseph's expulsion from Potiphar's house, this investigation demonstrates how the linguistic, literary, and even redactional links between these texts point to a rationale for the prominence of Hagar and Ishmael as literary figures, despite their role as the antagonists of Sarah and Isaac.
The divine decree that Sarah herself give birth to an heir made the birth of Ishmael an event that was contrary to the divine plan (17:15–21). Yet Ishmael's descendants were still blessed (“I will make him a great nation” 17:20) and the plight of Hagar occupies nearly two chapters in Genesis (chs. 16 and 21). The argument of this study is that the intertextuality of the characters, i.e., the intersection of motifs and literary elements with other stories, played a major role in this development.
