The text of the Book of Genesis continues – with a grammatical structure rich with meaning.
“And she called the Name of the Lord Who spoke to her, ‘You are the God Who envisions [for] me,’ [“El Roi”, אל ראי] for she said, ‘Could I envision an addition to [lit. welding to] that which He envisions [for] me?’ [אתה אל ראי כי אמרה הגם הלם ראיתי אחרי ראי]”(Genesis 16:13)
The word “roi”, ראי, might be translated, alternatively, in present verb tense with first person possessive suffix: as in ‘He sees me’ or ‘He envisions on my behalf.’ Alternatively, the same word might be translated in command form without the possessive, as in ‘Look!’ or ‘Envision [tell the future]!’
On one hand, if an angel of the Lord has already fortold the future regarding Hagar, her son, and his Ishmaelite legacy, then there might appear to be no need for an empassioned plea as such in command form. Rather, the word “roi”, ראי, might appear to be intended to be understood in present tense with first person possessive suffix: ‘the God Who envisions [for] me.’ Additionally, the next phrase, ‘after He envisions’, אחרי ראי, would appear to be meaningless if the word “roi”, ראי, were understood in command form. Thus, it might be concluded that the literal meaning of the Divine Name El Roi, אל רואי, must be ‘God Who envisions for me.’ For the Lord has indeed envisioned a great future for Hagar.
Alternatively, having just received a prophecy regarding Ishmael, Hagar might use the exclamatory command form of this expression so as to affirm the prophecy that she has only now received.
“And an angel of the Lord said to her, ‘I will greatly increase your offspring, and they will not be counted for abundance.’ And an angel of the Lord said to her, ‘Behold, you will conceive, and give birth to a son….”
“And she [Hagar] called the Name of the Lord Who spoke to her, ‘God, Envision!’” [Spoken in the spirit of ‘Amen!’]
From the above it can be seen that either or both interpretations for ‘El Roi’ might apply. The expression ‘El Roi’, אל ראי, might be intended descriptively with first person possessive suffix – and so, too, ‘El Roi’, אל ראי might be intended as an exclamatory command resembling ‘Amen!’
The critical import of the verse, ‘Could I envision an addition to that which He envisions [for] me?’ is that Hagar is not a false prophet. The prophecy is what it is: and no man [or woman] may graft additional false meaning to it.
“Therefore the well was called Be’er LeHai Roi [באר לחי ראי, lit. trans.: ‘The Well of [for] Life that envisions for me.’]” (Genesis 16:14)
In the verse, above, the place name Be’er LeHai Roi may be translated as ‘The Well of [for] Life that envisions for me.’ Although the literal translation is an awkward one, it conveys the critical point that God is an all-seeing, all-envisioning Well of [for] Life. In the phrase ‘envisions for me’, the first person possessive suffix serves to remind the adherent that this message is intended to be understood as deeply personal. There is no hiding or forgetting: for the Lord sees and knows the future of every man. The Lord sees me and envisions for me.
So, too, the place name Be’er LeHai Roi may be translated as ‘Well[spring] of [for] Life: Envision!’ In this latter case, the well’s name suggests the type of supplication that an adherent might have on approaching this holy place.
In the present work, the phrase ‘Be’er LeHai’, באר לחי, is translated as ‘The Well of [for] Life.’ Although ‘Well of Life’ might appear to be grander than ‘Well for Life’ in its description – as if the ‘Well for Life’ were a Fountain of Youth – in fact, the phrase Well for Life is the grander of the two expressions. ‘Well of Life’ suggests a limitless source of life, as if that were the essence of the entity. In fact, the Lord is infinitely greater than Creation or anything within or surrounding Creation, including life, as is known. Thus, the expression ‘Well for Life’ conveys the meaning that – while the Lord may provide life limitlessly – in fact, He is infinitely greater than that. Accordingly, the Hebrew expressing “Be’er LeHai’, באר לחי, uses the conjunction ל, meaning ‘for’.