Sarai suggested that Abram sleep with her servant Hagar to obtain children, since Sarai was unable to conceive. Abram agreed to this plan. Hagar became pregnant and gave birth to a son, whom they named Ishmael. Ishmael's name means "God hears" because God had heard Hagar's affliction during her pregnancy. However, this resulted in conflict between Sarai and Hagar, and between Abram and Sarai, as well as the heartache of their family breakup. God later intervened to help Hagar and Ishmael.