Who's Wife Is It Anyway?

After Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Abram's wife Sarai took Hagar the Egyptian, her maid, and gave her to her husband Abram as his wife. (Genesis 16:3 NASB)

One of the most difficult things to factor into interpretation of the Bible is ancient near eastern culture.  In this verse there at least three, and an argument can be made to include more.  Abram and Sarai are from southern Mesopotamia, live in Canaan, and Sarai has an Egyptian maid.  If the variety of cultures represented in Canaan are included, the number increases by at least double.

I bring this up because this verse says that Sarai gave Hagar to Abram as his wife.  From the context, it doesn't seem that this meant that Hagar had the status that Sarai had with Abram, as understood by either Mesopotamian; unless this is the reason Sarai complains to Abram rather than just runs Hagar off.  On the other hand, Hagar the Egyptian seems to think her status equals or exceeds Sarai.  When God weighs in on the subject, He comes down on the side of Abram and Sarai.  We're never told what the Canaanites thought. 

What if Sarai wasn't quite sure what to think of Hagar's status nor hers before Abram?  Abram's response to her demonstrates that he still sees Hagar as his wife's maid, not another wife of the same status as Sarai.  What if Abram's not sure either which might be why he didn't step in earlier on Sarai's side.  On the other hand what male would do that?  That's just asking for trouble, because we never really know if we truly understand the problem, ever.

I pose this conundrum because I often run the risk of two dangers, both of which are deadly to understanding the inspired Scriptures and my Master who inspired them.  The first danger is interpreting too quickly without asking about the cultural influences, and trying to minimize my own.  This makes Abram and Sarai living and acting in America of the Twenty-first Century, which is obviously ridiculous.

The second is falling in love with my interpretation once I reach one.  When such cultural influences from several millennia cloud my understanding (and anyone else's) I have to accept the possible variety of understandings.  What I risk by loving my own is missing the view of my Master gained from the perspective of others.  He is far too magnificent to fit into a single mind, especially one clouded by self-love.  It's early, and my head is already fuzzy; the coffee is gone, and another is needed.  What I need to do is let those be the only clouds of my mind.  So, I suppose I need more practice.