Sarah was one of the most important women in the Bible. She was the wife of Abraham and the mother of Isaac. God promised Abraham and Sarah that they would have a son even though Sarah was barren. Sarah’s story is told in Genesis chapters 11-25.
Sarah was originally named Sarai. She was born in Ur of the Chaldeans (modern day Iraq) to her father Terah (Genesis 11:29-31). Terah took his family, including his son Abram (later named Abraham), his daughter-in-law Sarai, and his grandson Lot, and set out from Ur to go to the land of Canaan. But they settled in a place called Haran instead (Genesis 11:31).
God later called Abram to go to Canaan, and he obeyed and brought Sarai with him (Genesis 12:1-5). Due to a famine, Abram and Sarai went down to Egypt. Since Sarai was beautiful, Abram was afraid the Egyptians would kill him to take her, so he claimed she was his sister (Genesis 12:10-20). The pharaoh took Sarai into his palace, but God afflicted his household. When the pharaoh learned she was Abram’s wife, he sent them away.
Abram and Lot eventually parted ways because their flocks had become too large. After Lot left, God reiterated his promise to give Abram many descendants and all the land of Canaan (Genesis 13:14-17). However, Sarai was still without child. She suggested Abram have a child with her Egyptian servant Hagar (Genesis 16:1-6). Abram agreed, and when Hagar conceived she began to despise Sarai. Sarai blamed Abram, and he told Sarai to do as she wished with Hagar. Sarai treated her harshly, and Hagar fled. An angel met Hagar and told her to return and submit to Sarai. She did and gave birth to Ishmael.
When Abram was 99 years old, God appeared to him again and gave him and Sarai new names. Abram became Abraham and Sarai became Sarah (Genesis 17:1-22). God also announced that he would bless Sarah with a son. Abraham laughed with disbelief that a 100-year-old woman could bear a child. God affirmed again that Sarah would have a son, and Abraham should name him Isaac.
Three men visited Abraham and told him Sarah would have a son within a year (Genesis 18:1-15). Sarah laughed to herself at the news because she was past childbearing age. But the men asked “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Genesis 18:14).
Abraham and Sarah moved to Gerar where once again Abraham claimed Sarah was his sister out of fear, and King Abimelech took her (Genesis 20:1-18). But God warned Abimelech in a dream that Sarah was married. Abimelech protested his innocence and God acknowledged he had acted with integrity. Abraham prayed and God healed Abimelech’s household. Abraham admitted Sarah was his wife, and Abimelech compensated them.
When Sarah was 90 years old, she miraculously conceived and bore a son, just as God had promised (Genesis 21:1-7). On the day Isaac was weaned, Abraham held a feast. Sarah saw Ishmael mocking Isaac and asked Abraham to send Hagar and Ishmael away (Genesis 21:8-21). This greatly distressed Abraham, but God encouraged him to listen to Sarah because Isaac was the son of the promise. So Abraham sent Hagar and Ishmael into the desert with provisions. Their water ran out and Ishmael began to die, but God heard his cry and provided a well. Ishmael survived and became an archer.
Sometime later, God tested Abraham by commanding him to sacrifice Isaac (Genesis 22:1-19). As Abraham prepared to kill Isaac, an angel stopped him and commended him for not withholding his only son. Abraham sacrificed a ram caught in a thicket instead. The angel reiterated God’s promise to bless Abraham.
Sarah died at age 127 in Hebron in the land of Canaan (Genesis 23:1-2). Abraham mourned and wept for her. He purchased the cave of Machpelah to bury her, thus securing the first piece of the Promised Land.
Several key things stand out about Sarah in the Bible:
- God chose her to be the mother of the chosen people.
- She was barren for most of her life yet God miraculously enabled her to bear Isaac when she was far past childbearing age.
- She helped initiate God’s promise to Abraham by giving him Hagar to produce an heir.
- At times she doubted God’s promise and laughed, yet God accomplished it anyway.
- She protected her son Isaac by having Hagar and Ishmael sent away.
- Her beauty caused Abraham to fear other men killing him to get her twice.
- She was the first woman buried in the Promised Land.
Sarah was not a perfect woman, yet God used her mightily. Though barren and old, she gave birth to the promised heir Isaac. She helped initiate God’s formation of the chosen people of Israel. Sarah is commended for her faith in Hebrews 11:11 – “By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised.” Like Abraham, Sarah was not without fault, but God honored his promise to her.
Other biblical facts about Sarah:
- She was the half-sister and wife of Abraham (Genesis 20:12).
- She was originally named Sarai but God changed it to Sarah when establishing his covenant with Abraham (Genesis 17:15).
- She was very beautiful even into old age (Genesis 12:11, Genesis 24:16).
- She was sterile; her barrenness was deemed incurable (Genesis 11:30, Genesis 16:1).
- She persuaded Abraham to take Hagar as his concubine (Genesis 16:2-3).
- She dealt harshly with Hagar when Hagar conceived (Genesis 16:4-6).
- She gave birth to Isaac when she was around 90 years old (Genesis 17:17).
- She died at age 127 in Hebron and Abraham mourned and wept for her (Genesis 23:1-2).
- She was buried in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre (Genesis 23:19).
In the New Testament, Sarah is held up as an example of faith and holy living:
- Hebrews 11:11 – By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised.
- 1 Peter 3:5-6 – For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.
Sarah was far from perfect, yet God used her life to initiate his plan of redemption and growth of the nation of Israel. Though she laughed at God’s promise in unbelief at first, God brought about his word powerfully through this barren, aging woman. Sarah is a model of how God uses faithful yet flawed people for his sovereign purposes.
Key lessons from Sarah’s life include:
- God keeps his promises in his timing even when we waver in unbelief.
- Nothing is too hard for the Lord, no one is too old or incapable for him.
- God is more concerned with our heart’s response than our perfect behavior.
- What God speaks will come to pass though it may seem impossible.
- God’s plans supersede our plans.
- Barrenness in the Bible often paves the way for God’s miraculous intervention.
- God patiently works through our mistakes and failures.
Sarah lived a long full life as the wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac. Though far from perfect, she accepted God’s promise with eventual faith. Her legacy lives on today through the Jewish people as well as all believers who trust in the same God that Sarah did. Though she laughed at first, Sarah came to exemplify godly reverence and wifely submission. She serves as an example of God using the most unlikely people in the most unlikely circumstances.
Sarah had many ups and downs, failures and successes. But ultimately her life models that God fulfills his word in his way and time, not ours. When we receive God’s promises with faith like Sarah did, we can participate in God’s miraculous plans just as she did. Sarah’s story illustrates that no one is too ordinary, too old, or too insignificant for God to use powerfully. We may laugh in disbelief like Sarah, but God who brought forth Isaac from a barren womb can certainly overcome any obstacle to gloriously accomplish his purposes through our surrendered lives as well.