Isa 54,1 in Gal 4,24b–27: Reading Genesis in Light of Isaiah

This article will address the function of Isa 54,1 in Gal 4,21–5,11, the socalled ‘Hagar/Sarah allegory’. The quotation of Isa 54,1 appears in Gal 4,27 as follows: ## add figure 'zntw.96.3-4.188_01.gif'### For it is written, Rejoice, barren woman who does not bear children, break forth and shout, one who cannot suffer birth pains, because the children of the abandoned one are many more compared with the children of the one who has a husband. For most commentators Paul’s use of Isa 54,1 remains an enigma, while the consensus reading of the passage, for quite obvious reasons, views the citation as secondary and supplemental to the Abraham narrative from Genesis.