SARAH
“princess”.
She was Abraham’s wife, about ten years younger than him; They had married in Ur of the Chaldeans (Gen. 11:29-31; 17:17). She was Abraham’s half-sister, daughter of the same father, but not of Abraham’s mother (Gen. 20:1).
Her first name was Sarai. When she left Haran to go with Abraham to Canaan she was 65 years old (Gen. 12:4). Continuing toward Egypt, Abraham feared that he would be killed because of her wife’s beauty and passed her off as his sister (Gen. 12:10-20).
Many years later, Abraham would use this resource again in the country of Abimelech, king of Gerar (Gen. 20:1-8).
Sarai was barren, so she persuaded her husband to take her slave Hagar as his second wife (Ishmael was born of this union, Gen. 16:1-16; see NUZU for an archaeological illustration of this habit).
Already 89 years old, Sarai received the promise that she herself would have a son (cf. Heb. 11:11, 12; Rom. 4:17-22), which happened through a true miracle at the announced time.
It was then that her name was changed from Sarai to Sarah, princess (Gen. 17: 15-22; 18: 9-15; 21: 1-5). During the feast to celebrate Isaac’s weaning, Sarah saw Ishmael mocking Isaac, so she urged Abraham to expel Hagar and Ishmael (Gen. 21:9-21).
Sarah died in Kiriath-arba (Hebron), at the age of 127 (see HEBRON) and was buried in the cave of Machpelah