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 departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.
And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was severe in the land. And it came to pass, when he came near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that you are a fair woman to look upon:
And it came to pass, when he came near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that you are a fair woman to look upon: Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see you, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save you alive. read more. Say, I pray you, that you are my sister: that it may be well with me for your sake; and my soul shall live because of you.
Say, I pray you, that you are my sister: that it may be well with me for your sake; and my soul shall live because of you. And it came to pass, that, when Abram came into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair. read more. The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house. And he treated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and male donkeys, and menservants, and maidservants, and female donkeys, and camels. And the LORD afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife. And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that you have done unto me? why did you not tell me that she was your wife? Why did you say, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me as a wife: now therefore behold your wife, take her, and go your way. And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had.
And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had.
And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.
Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is a hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?
And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken. For Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. read more. And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him. And Abraham was a hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him. And Sarah said, God has made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me. And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have nursed children? for I have borne him a son in his old age.
And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body as now dead, when he was about a hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb:
For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.
Stand fast therefore in the liberty with which Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.