Wife of Abraham; mother of Isaac
Sarah
Named in 48 verses across 5 books, first in Genesis 11:29.
שָׂרָהSarah
שָׂרַיSarai
ΣάρραSarah
Also called Sarai.
The name means “lady; princess; princess of the multitude.” Hitchcock's Bible Names, 1869
About Sarah Written by AI
Sarah, initially named Sarai, was the wife of Abraham and the mother of Isaac. She was born in Ur of the Chaldeans and married Abraham (then known as Abram) while they lived in Haran (Genesis 11:29 to 31). Sarah accompanied Abraham when God called him to leave Haran and go to the land of Canaan (Genesis 12:5). Despite God's promise that Abraham would have numerous descendants, Sarah was barren (Genesis 11:30). In her impatience, she gave her Egyptian maidservant, Hagar, to Abraham as a wife to bear a child on her behalf (Genesis 16:1 to 4). This resulted in the birth of Ishmael (Genesis 16:15 to 16). When Abraham was 99 years old, God reaffirmed His covenant with him, changed his name from Abram to Abraham, and changed Sarai's name to Sarah (Genesis 17:5). God promised that Sarah would bear a son, Isaac, through whom the covenant would be established (Genesis 17:19). Sarah initially laughed at this idea due to her advanced age (Genesis 18:12 to 15). However, as God had promised, Sarah conceived and gave birth to Isaac when she was 90 years old (Genesis 21:1 to 7). Sarah's faith is commended in Hebrews 11:11, which states that she received the ability to conceive because she considered God faithful to His promise. Sarah died at the age of 127 in Kirjath-arba (Hebron), and Abraham purchased the cave of Machpelah as a burial site for her (Genesis 23:1 to 20). Her life story demonstrates the importance of faith, patience, and trust in God's promises, even in the face of seemingly impossible circumstances.
Drafted by an AI model for STEPBible's TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Check it against the verses below.
Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897
Princess, the wife and at the same time the half-sister of Abraham (Gen. 11:29; 20:12). This name was given to her at the time that it was announced to Abraham that she should be the mother of the promised child. Her story is from her marriage identified with that of the patriarch till the time of her death. Her death, at the age of one hundred and twenty-seven years (the only instance in Scripture where the age of a woman is recorded), was the occasion of Abraham’s purchasing the cave of Machpelah as a family burying-place.
In the allegory of Gal. 4:22-31 she is the type of the “Jerusalem which is above.” She is also mentioned as Sara in Heb. 11:11 among the Old Testament worthies, who “all died in faith.” (See ABRAHAM.)
M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary, third edition (1897), public domain, from CrossWire. Shown as written; its Scripture quotes are from older translations.
Where the Bible names her
- Genesis 11:29
And Abram and Nahor took wives for themselves. Abram’s wife was named Sarai, and Nahor’s wife was named Milcah; she was the daughter of Haran, who was the father of both Milcah and Iscah.
- Genesis 11:30
But Sarai was barren; she had no children.
- Genesis 11:31
And Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai the wife of Abram, and they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans for the land of Canaan. But when they arrived in Haran, they settled there.
- Genesis 12:5
And Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all the possessions and people they had acquired in Haran, and set out for the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan,
- Genesis 12:11
As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “Look, I know that you are a beautiful woman,
- Genesis 12:17
The LORD, however, afflicted Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues because of Abram’s wife Sarai.
- Genesis 16:1
Now Abram’s wife Sarai had borne him no children, but she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar.
- Genesis 16:2
So Sarai said to Abram, “Look now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Please go to my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
- Genesis 16:3
So after he had lived in Canaan for ten years, his wife Sarai took her Egyptian maidservant Hagar and gave her to Abram to be his wife.
- Genesis 16:5
Then Sarai said to Abram, “May the wrong done to me be upon you! I delivered my servant into your arms, and ever since she saw that she was pregnant, she has treated me with contempt. May the LORD judge between you and me.”
- Genesis 16:6
“Here,” said Abram, “your servant is in your hands. Do whatever you want with her.” Then Sarai treated Hagar so harshly that she fled from her.
- Genesis 16:8
“Hagar, servant of Sarai,” he said, “where have you come from, and where are you going?” “I am running away from my mistress Sarai,” she replied.
- Genesis 17:15
Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, do not call her Sarai, for her name is to be Sarah.
- Genesis 17:17
Abraham fell facedown. Then he laughed and said to himself, “Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah give birth at the age of ninety?”
- Genesis 17:19
But God replied, “Your wife Sarah will indeed bear you a son, and you are to name him Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.
- Genesis 17:21
But I will establish My covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this time next year.”
- Genesis 18:6
So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick! Prepare three seahs of fine flour, knead it, and bake some bread.”
- Genesis 18:9
“Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked. “There, in the tent,” he replied.
- Genesis 18:10
Then the LORD said, “I will surely return to you at this time next year, and your wife Sarah will have a son!” Now Sarah was behind him, listening at the entrance to the tent.
- Genesis 18:11
And Abraham and Sarah were already old and well along in years; Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
- Genesis 18:12
So she laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?”
- Genesis 18:13
And the LORD asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Can I really bear a child when I am old?’
- Genesis 18:14
Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you—in about a year—and Sarah will have a son.”
- Genesis 18:15
But Sarah was afraid, so she denied it and said, “I did not laugh.” “No,” replied the LORD, “but you did laugh.”
- Genesis 20:2
Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar had Sarah brought to him.
- Genesis 20:14
So Abimelech brought sheep and cattle, menservants and maidservants, and he gave them to Abraham and restored his wife Sarah to him.
- Genesis 20:16
And he said to Sarah, “See, I am giving your brother a thousand pieces of silver. It is your vindication before all who are with you; you are completely cleared.”
- Genesis 20:18
for on account of Abraham’s wife Sarah, the LORD had completely closed all the wombs in Abimelech’s household.
- Genesis 21:1
Now the LORD attended to Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what He had promised.
- Genesis 21:2
So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised.
- Genesis 21:3
And Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore to him.
- Genesis 21:6
Then Sarah said, “God has made me laugh, and everyone who hears of this will laugh with me.”
- Genesis 21:7
She added, “Who would have told Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”
- Genesis 21:9
But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking her son,
- Genesis 21:12
But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to everything that Sarah tells you, for through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.
- Genesis 23:1
Now Sarah lived to be 127 years old.
- Genesis 23:2
She died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went out to mourn and to weep for her.
- Genesis 23:19
After this, Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave of the field at Machpelah near Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan.
- Genesis 24:36
My master’s wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age, and my master has given him everything he owns.
- Genesis 24:67
And Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah and took Rebekah as his wife. And Isaac loved her and was comforted after his mother’s death.
From STEPBible's TIPNR, Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0): names, family, references and the AI written article. Verse text is the BSB.