In brief
Sarah, first called Sarai, is the wife of Abraham and the mother of Isaac. She leaves Haran with him at God’s call, lives childless for a long time, then looks for a human solution by giving her servant Hagar to her husband. God promises her a son in her old age. She first laughs in disbelief, then gives birth to Isaac, the son of the promise. She is remembered as a woman who knew doubt and weakness, but whose promise God kept.
What does the name Sarah mean?
The name Sarah is generally linked to the Hebrew word for “princess.” She was first called Sarai, and Genesis 17:15 says that God names her Sarah. Her son is named Isaac, a name the Bible connects with laughter: “God has made me laugh” (Genesis 21:6).
The story of Sarah
Leaving With Abram
Genesis 12:1-5Yahweh tells Abram to leave his country and promises to make him a great nation. Abram goes at seventy-five, as God told him. He takes with him Sarai, his wife, and Lot, his brother’s son, with all their possessions. Sarai leaves her country at his side and sets out for an unknown land, on God’s word alone.
Sarai in Egypt
Genesis 12:10-20A famine drives Abram down to Egypt. Sarai is very beautiful, and she is taken into Pharaoh’s house. Yahweh strikes Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of her. Pharaoh summons Abram, reproaches him for not saying she was his wife, then gives her back to him and sends them away with everything they had.
Hagar Given to Abram
Genesis 16:1-4Sarai bears no children to Abram. She says that Yahweh has kept her from bearing and suggests that her husband go in to her Egyptian servant, Hagar, so that she may have children through her. Abram listens to Sarai’s voice. Hagar conceives, and the relationship between the two women quickly grows tense. This story shows the cost of a human solution in place of the promise.
Laughter at the Tent Door
Genesis 18:9-15Three visitors are received by Abraham. One of them announces that at this time next year Sarah will have a son. Sarah listens at the tent door and laughs to herself, because she is old. Yahweh asks why she laughed and adds, “Is anything too hard for Yahweh?” Out of fear she denies laughing, and he answers that she did.
The Birth of Isaac
Genesis 21:1-10Isaac is born when Abraham is a hundred years old, as God had promised. Sarah says that God has made her laugh. Later, seeing Hagar’s son mocking, she asks Abraham to send away the servant and her son. Abraham is distressed, but God tells him to listen to Sarah: his offspring will come through Isaac, and God will also make a nation of Hagar’s son.
What Sarah teaches us
- God keeps his promises, even when human circumstances seem to make them impossible.
- Trying to help God with our own means, as Sarai did with Hagar, creates wounds that we must then walk through.
- God knows our doubts, he questions us with kindness, and he does not withdraw his promise.
- The God of the Bible also sees those on the margins: Hagar is heard by him, and he promises to make a nation of her son as well.
Key verses
“Is anything too hard for Yahweh?” God answers Sarah’s doubtful laughter by reminding her that nothing is too difficult for him. The promise rests on his power, not on our abilities.
“God has made me laugh. Everyone who hears will laugh with me.” Laughter of doubt becomes laughter of joy: Sarah recognizes that the birth of Isaac is a gift from God.
The New Testament lists Sarah among the witnesses of faith: she considered him faithful who had promised. Her journey shows that faith does not rule out weakness.
Sermons about Sarah
Frequently asked questions
Why did Sarah laugh when God announced the birth of Isaac?
Sarah and Abraham were old, and she could no longer hope to have a child (Genesis 18:11-12). She laughed to herself in disbelief. God answered that nothing is too hard for him. At the birth of Isaac, her laughter became laughter of joy (Genesis 21:6).
What does the name Sarah mean?
Her name is generally linked to the Hebrew word for “princess.” She was first called Sarai, and Genesis 17:15 says that God names her Sarah. The name of her son Isaac is tied to laughter: the Bible connects this event to Sarah’s joy in Genesis 21:6.
Where can I find Sarah’s story in the Bible?
Her story is read in Genesis, mainly in chapters 12, 16, 17, 18 and 21, then at her death in chapter 23. She is also mentioned in the New Testament, notably in Hebrews 11:11 and 1 Peter 3:6, as an example of faith and of respect toward her husband.