Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi: Therefore signals a concluding explanation. The form is similar to the explanation of the term “Babel” in 11.9. We may need to say something like “That is why” or “That is the reason.” The well refers to what was called a “spring” in Gen 16.7. Was called does not necessarily mean that Hagar gave the well this name. If the passive is not suitable, it may be acceptable to use an impersonal pronoun; for example, “they call the well,” “people say this well’s name is,” “people know this well by the name.” One example of the way this part of the verse may be rendered is “That is why, up to this very day, people call that spring….”

Beer-lahai-roi: Revised Standard Version transliterates the Hebrew for this word and supplies a translation in the footnote. On the other hand Good News Translation gives a translation only. As noted in connection with the previous verse, some translations retain the Hebrew for “a God of seeing” in the form of El Roi, in order to associate the name Hagar gave to the LORD and the name of the well given here. For example, in verse 13 Bible en français courant says “You are El-Roi, the God who sees me,” and in verse 14 “That is why the well is called the well of Lahai-Roi, or well of the Living One who sees me.” Translators who find little evident connection between the name Hagar gave the LORD in verse 13 and the name of the well in verse 14 are advised to follow Good News Translation. See “Names in Genesis” in “Translating Genesis,” page 8.

It lies between Kadesh and Bered: this sentence is placed before the name of the well in Good News Translation. For the location of Kadesh see 14.7. The location of Bered is not known, and the name is mentioned only here.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .