Reference: Sarah
Hastings
1. 'Sarai' is the form used previous to Ge 17:15, and 'Sarah' afterwards, in harmony with the change of name there narrated (by Priestly Narrative). It is probable that there is no real significance in the change, -ai being an old feminine ending found in Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic, while -ah is the common feminine ending. Sarah means 'princess.' The occurrence of the name Sa-ra-a-a in an Assyrian letter (K 1274) adds no definite information. Sarah was the wife of Abraham, and also his half-sister (Ge 12:13; 20:12); her parentage is not given further. She was taken as wife by the king of Egypt and also by Abimelech king of Gerar, and afterwards restored to Abraham (Ge 12:10-20,20). The former incident is in Jahwist, the latter in E; they may be different versions of the same story. The statement that she was at least 65 years old at this time (Ge 12:4; cf. Ge 17:17) seems inconsistent with these incidents, and especially with the statement concerning her beauty (Ge 12:11). It is to be remembered, however, that the dates belong to P. Sarah was long barren, but finally Isaac was born after supernatural intervention, when she was 90 years old (Ge 21:1-7 Priestly Narrative). Through jealousy Sarah illtreated Hagar, her handmaid, the concubine of Abraham, and finally drove her away with her son Ishmael (Ge 16; 21:8-21). The incident is in harmony with the regulations of the Babylonian Code of Hammurabi (
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So Abram went as the Lord had said to him, and Lot went with him: Abram was seventy-five years old when he went away from Haran.
And because there was little food to be had in that land, he went down into Egypt. Now when he came near to Egypt, he said to Sarai, his wife, Truly, you are a fair woman and beautiful to the eye;
Now when he came near to Egypt, he said to Sarai, his wife, Truly, you are a fair woman and beautiful to the eye; And I am certain that when the men of Egypt see you, they will say, This is his wife: and they will put me to death and keep you. read more. Say, then, that you are my sister, and so it will be well with me because of you, and my life will be kept safe on your account.
Say, then, that you are my sister, and so it will be well with me because of you, and my life will be kept safe on your account. And so it was that when Abram came into Egypt, the men of Egypt, looking on the woman, saw that she was fair. read more. And Pharaoh's great men, having seen her, said words in praise of her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into Pharaoh's house. And because of her, he was good to Abram, and he had sheep and oxen and asses, and men-servants and women-servants, and camels. And the Lord sent great troubles on Pharaoh's house because of Sarai, Abram's wife. Then Pharaoh sent for Abram, and said, What have you done to me? why did you not say that she was your wife? Why did you say that she was your sister? so that I took her for my wife: now, take your wife and go on your way. And Pharaoh gave orders to his men, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and all he had.
And Pharaoh gave orders to his men, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and all he had.
And God said, As for Sarai, your wife, from now her name will be not Sarai, but Sarah.
Then Abraham went down on his face, and laughing, said in his heart, May a man a hundred years old have a child? will Sarah, at ninety years old, give birth?
And, in fact, she is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife:
And the Lord came to Sarah as he had said and did to her as he had undertaken. And Sarah became with child, and gave Abraham a son when he was old, at the time named by God. read more. And Abraham gave to his son, to whom Sarah had given birth, the name Isaac. And when his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham made him undergo circumcision, as God had said to him. Now Abraham was a hundred years old when the birth of Isaac took place. And Sarah said, God has given me cause for laughing, and everyone who has news of it will be laughing with me. And she said, Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would have a child at her breast? for see, I have given him a son now when he is old.
And not being feeble in faith though his body seemed to him little better than dead (he being about a hundred years old) and Sarah was no longer able to have children:
For this is the word of God's undertaking, At this time will I come, and Sarah will have a son.
Christ has truly made us free: then keep your free condition and let no man put a yoke on you again.
And by faith Sarah herself had power to give birth, when she was very old, because she had faith in him who gave his word;