Sarah
Abraham’s wife, childless until old age, who bears Isaac, the son of the promise. She dies at Hebron and is buried in the cave of Machpelah.
Sarai is the wife of Abram and is childless when the family leaves Ur (Genesis 11:29–31). After ten years in Canaan she gives her Egyptian servant Hagar to Abram, and Ishmael is born (Genesis 16:1–4) (Genesis 16:15). When God renames her Sarah and promises her a son, Abraham laughs; she laughs in turn when she overhears the promise at Mamre (Genesis 17:15–17) (Genesis 18:10–12). She bears Isaac (Genesis 21:1–7) and has Hagar and Ishmael sent away (Genesis 21:9–14). She dies at 127 at Hebron, where Abraham buys the cave of Machpelah for her tomb (Genesis 23:1–2) (Genesis 23:19–20).
The book of Isaiah tells Israel to look “to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who bore you” (Isaiah 51:2). Hebrews counts her among those who lived by faith (Hebrews 11:11), and Paul makes her and Hagar figures of two covenants (Galatians 4:22–31). Her dates follow from Abraham’s: she is ten years younger than he is (Genesis 17:17).
In the timeline
- about 2091 BC, traditional dateThe Call of Abraham
Genesis tells how God calls Abram to leave his country and his father’s house for a land he will be shown, promising to make him a great nation through whom all the families of the earth will be blessed. Abram leaves Haran for Canaan.
- about 2080 BC to 2067 BC, traditional dateGod’s Covenant with Abraham
In Genesis God binds himself by covenant to give Abraham descendants and the land of Canaan. Abraham believes, and it is counted to him as righteousness. Years later God renames him and gives circumcision as the sign of the covenant.