The painting depicts Hagar, the female Egyptian servant of Abraham's wife Sarah, who at Sarah's command had conceived a child by Abraham and who had then fled from the rebuke of Sarah. The story is related in the 'Book of Genesis', chapter 16, and Lauder's painting illustrates the scene where the Angel of the Lord comforts Hagar 'And the angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness… And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai. And the Angel of the Lord said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.' Hagar returned to Abraham and Sarah and she gave birth to a son whom she named Ishmael. When Sarah herself bore a son, Isaac, she cast Hagar and Ishmael out into the desert where they were once more comforted by the Lord.