Sarah

Sarah

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(שָׂרָה "Princess", Standard Hebrew Sara, Tiberian Hebrew Śārāh, Arabic: سارة) is a biblical matriarch and the wife of Abraham, the patriarch of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. Her story is told in the Book of Genesis.

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For most of her life she was childless (Gen. xi. 29-30). She accompanied her husband from Haran to Canaan (ib. xii. 5). Driven by famine to take refuge in Egypt, and fearing that her beauty would put his life in danger if their true relations became known, Abraham proposed that she pass as his sister. As he had apprehended, she was actually taken by Pharaoh, to whom her personal charms had been highly praised (ib. xii. 10 et seq.), while Abraham was richly dowered by the monarch on her account. But, visited by troubles, Pharaoh began to suspect the truth; and, censuring Abraham, he bade him take his wife and depart.

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Being childless, Sarai (שָׂרַי / שָׂרָי "My princess", Standard Hebrew Saray, Tiberian Hebrew Śāray / Śārāy), as she had been known by her original name, induced her husband to take her Egyptian handmaid Hagar for a concubine, that through her she might be "built up." Hagar, feeling herself quick with child, despised her mistress, whereupon Sarai bitterly upbraided her husband. Wishing not to be involved in the quarrel, Abraham told her to do with her handmaid as she deemed best, and Hagar was soon compelled to flee by the harsh treatment accorded her; but an angel, announcing that her seed would be numerous, urged her to return to Sarah (ib. xvi.). After Hagar had borne Ishmael, God told Abraham, whose name hitherto had been Abram, to change Sarai's name to "Sarah," announcing that she would bear him a son. Incredulous on account of Sarah's age (she was ninety), Abraham burst into laughter, wherefore the son was to be called Isaac (ib. xvii.). Sarah overheard that she was to give birth to a son when, at a subsequent visit of the three messengers on their way to Sodom, the promise was renewed; she, too, was incredulous, and laughed inwardly, but when interrogated denied that she had laughed (ib. xviii.).

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Abraham next moved to Gerar, where Sarah had an experience with Abimelech similar to the one she had had in Egypt. Abimelech, however, was warned in a dream. Reproved for the wrong done, Abraham justified his and Sarah's statement by the explanation that Sarah was the daughter of his father but not of his mother (ib. xx. 1-12). After this, Sarah bore a son, Isaac, which aroused her to say, "God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me" (ib. xxi. 1-7). The fact that now she had a son of her own augmented her displeasure with Hagar and Ishmael; and Abraham, at her solicitation, sent both away after God had quieted his scruples (ib. xxi. 10 et seq.). Sarah's death is very briefly recorded as having taken place in Kirjath-arba, or Hebron, when she had attained the age of 127 years. She was buried by Abraham in the Cave of Machpelah (ib. xxiii., xxv. 10, xlix. 31). No other reference to Sarah is found in the Hebrew canon, except in Isa. Ii. 2, where the prophet appeals to his hearers to "look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you." E. G. H.

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Named Iscah.

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In the New Testament, Sarah and the Jerusalem above are called "free woman".(Ga 4:22-5:1)

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Standard Hebrew: REDIRECT Hebrew language...

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Sarah related Images and Photos (experimental)

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