Terach, my father-in-law, made idols and had an idol shop.
My husband, Abraham, discovered God; transcendent, without substance, or gender. While working at his father’s idol shop he decided to smash the idols to show how powerless they were.
When famine forced us from our new home down to Egypt, Abraham suddenly took note of my beauty and fearing that the Egyptians would murder him to take me, he demanded that I pose as his sister. He tried to hide me in a box, but I was discovered. Then I was abducted by Pharaoh himself. He tried to rape me.
I cried all night for God to save me from that man.
Abraham tried the exact same ruse later when we entered the kingdom of Avimelech.
I tried for ten years to have Abraham’s child, to no avail. I was barren. So I gave him my maidservant, the Egyptian Hagar, to provide Abraham with an heir.
Just like that, Abraham went and had sex with her and she conceived a male child, Ishmael.
After Abraham circumcised himself as God had ordered, three strangers arrived. My husband ordered me, as if I didn’t know what to do, to make fine cakes for the new guests.
Then these strangers told my husband that I, ninety years old, would give birth to a son next year. I laughed. Was my strategy for Hagar to give Abraham an heir a mistake?
The minute Hagar got pregnant she mocked me like I was nothing in her eyes. I wanted her out of my sight.
When her son Ishmael was born I could see he was as much of a problem as his uppity mother, Hagar. I saw him mocking my son Isaac and I was afraid he might hurt him. I had to protect my family.
I only found out much later that God spoke to Abraham that night while we were sleeping. He told him to take my only son, Isaac, and sacrifice him on the mountain.
I woke up and Abraham had gone early in the morning. And my son Isaac was missing.
I worried about my missing son and husband. Then Isaac returned, shaken. He told me Abraham almost slaughtered him on an altar to God. I cried out.
After I died Abraham mourned me.
After Abraham buried me, he sent to his family in Haran for a child-bride for Isaac.
Men have needs…so again Abraham took a wife and her name was Keturah. This was Hagar. They had six children. When he died he was buried next to me in the cave of Machpelah.