Hagar becomes pregnant and no longer considers herself dependent on Sarah. This creates difficulties, as now, Sarah cannot be that surrogate mother to Hagar’s child.
Sarah blames Hagar’s behavior on Avraham. He must have made her feel too elevated.
Avraham tells Sarah that if so, she should do what is necessary to reestablish that relationship with Hagar. Sarah humbled Hagar and Hagar fled.
– According to RSRH’s commentary on verse 11, the humbling of Hagar was not physical, rather it was verbal. She reminded Hagar that she was still in the previous relationship and that Hagar was still dependent on Sarah. Hagar had already tasted the elevated feeling of being married to Avraham. She now craved freedom and being dependent on Sarah was too much to bear. She needed to flee.
Beraishis 16: 4-6
pages 371-372
