I am pleased that Young's Literal Translation translates the word usually translated as "angel", with the word "messenger", because so much art and therefore people's understanding is that an angel is a being looking human but having wings. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that an angel has wings. The cherubim have wings which cover the ark of God in the tabernacle, and Isaiah sees in a vision seraphims above the throne of God who have six wings, but the angels sent by God to bring a message from God to a particular individual human being may have extraordinary brightness or beauty but they do not have wings. Hagar replies to the angel messenger as one would speak to another human being. She is not overcome by fear or awe or guilt in the messenger's presence. She listens and obeys.

The conversation between God and Abram is also marvellousl ...