Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadJames Hastings Dictionary of the Bible: Sarah
Subjects in this Topic:
SARAH or SARAI.—1. ‘Sarai’ is the form used previous to Gen_17:15, and ‘Sarah’ afterwards, in harmony with the change of name there narrated (by P [Note: 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 (Gen_12:13; Gen_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 (Gen_12:10-20; Gen_12:20). The former incident is in J [Note: 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 (Gen_12:4; cf. Gen_17:17) seems inconsistent with these incidents, and especially with the statement concerning her beauty (Gen_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 (Gen_21:1-7 [P [Note: Priestly Narrative.] ]). Through jealousy Sarah illtreated Hagar, her handmaid, the concubine of Abraham, and finally drove her away with her son Ishmael (Gen_16:1-16, Gen_21:8-21). The incident is in harmony with the regulations of the Babylonian Code of Hammurabi (§§ 144–147). Sarah died at the age of 127 (P [Note: Priestly Narrative.] ), and was buried in the cave of Machpelah (Gen_23:1-20). In the NT she is mentioned in Rom_4:19; Rom_9:9, Heb_11:11, 1Pe_3:6, Gal_4:21 to Gal_5:1.
2. Sarah, daughter of Raguel and wife of Tobias (Tob_3:7; Tob_3:17 and elsewhere).
George R. Berry.