Sarah

the mother of Isaac

Who was Sarah?

She was Abraham’s wife, and for years she could not have children. Genesis 11:29-30
She laughed when she heard that, already old, she would have a son. Genesis 18:10-12
God kept his promise, and Sarah gave birth to Isaac. Genesis 21:1-3

The name: Sarai and Sarah are two forms of the same name, which means “princess.” Genesis 17:15; NABRE note on Gn 17, 15
Also called: Sarai Genesis 11:29; Genesis 17:15
From: Ur of the Chaldeans, which she left with the family of Terah Genesis 11:31

What the Bible says

Genesis 11:29-30

²⁹And Abram and Nachor married wives: the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai: and the name of Nachor’s wife, Melcha, the daughter of Aran, father of Melcha, and father of Jescha. ³⁰And Sarai was barren, and had no children.

Genesis 18:10-12

¹⁰And he said to him: I will return and come to thee at this time, life accompanying and Sara thy wife shall have a son. Which when Sara heard, she laughed behind the door of the tent. ¹¹Now they were both old, and far advanced in years, and it had ceased to be with Sara after the manner of women. ¹²And she laughed secretly, saying: After I am grown old and my lord is an old man, shall I give myself to pleasure?

Genesis 21:1-3

¹And the Lord visited Sara, as he had promised: and fulfilled what he had spoken. ²And she conceived and bore a son in her old age, at the time that God had foretold her. ³And Abraham called the name of his son, whom Sara bore him, Isaac.

Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner revision), public domain.

The path of Sarah

Before Jesus. She was Abraham’s wife. For many years she could not have children. Genesis 11:29-30; Genesis 16:1
Before Jesus. She left Ur with the family of Terah, and later went with Abraham to Canaan. Genesis 11:31; Genesis 12:5
Before Jesus. In Egypt, Abraham said she was his sister, and Pharaoh took her into his palace. Later Pharaoh gave her back. Genesis 12:13, 15, 19
Before Jesus. Since she had no children, she gave Abraham her Egyptian slave, Hagar, so she could have children through her. Genesis 16:1-3
Before Jesus. God changed her name from Sarai to Sarah, and promised to bless her and give her a son. Genesis 17:15-16
Before Jesus. At Mamre she heard that she would have a son, and she laughed. At the appointed time Isaac was born. Genesis 18:10-12; Genesis 21:1-3
Before Jesus. She died in Hebron at one hundred and twenty-seven. Abraham wept for her and buried her in the cave of Machpelah. Genesis 23:1-2, 19
Afterward. Saint Peter holds her up as an example of the holy women who hoped in God. 1 Peter 3:5-6

Words of Sarah

“After I am grown old and my lord is an old man, shall I give myself to pleasure?” Genesis 18:12

When she heard, behind the door of the tent, that she would have a son. She said it to herself.

“I did not laugh.” Genesis 18:15

When the Lord asked why she had laughed. The Bible says she was afraid.

“God hath made a laughter for me: whosoever shall hear of it will laugh with me.” Genesis 21:6

When her son Isaac was born.

“Who would believe that Abraham should hear that Sara gave suck to a son, whom she bore to him in his old age.” Genesis 21:7

After Isaac was born.

What they were like

She traveled with Abraham from Ur to Haran, and from there to Canaan and to Egypt. Genesis 11:31; Genesis 12:5, 10-11
She was very beautiful: the Egyptians noticed it when they saw her. Genesis 12:11, 14
When she was afraid, she denied that she had laughed. Genesis 18:15

The greatest thing they did

In her old age, she became the mother of Isaac, the son of the promise. Genesis 21:1-2

Not to be confused with

In the Book of Tobit there is another Sarah, the daughter of Raguel, who married the young Tobiah. Abraham’s wife lived long before. Tobit 3:7; Tobit 7:12-13

In the Church today

In art, recognized by: At the entrance of the tent, while the visitors announce that she will have a son From Gn 18, 10; this is how Christian art shows her

What people ask

Why did Sarah laugh?

Because she and Abraham were already very old. She wondered how she could have a child at her age. The Lord answered by asking whether anything is too hard for God. Genesis 18:11-14

What does the name Isaac mean?

In Hebrew, “Isaac” sounds like “he laughed.” The Bible links that name with the laughter of Abraham and Sarah. Genesis 17:17; Genesis 21:6; NABRE note on Gn 17, 17

How old was Sarah when Isaac was born?

The Bible does not give the exact number. A year earlier, Abraham said that Sarah was ninety years old. Genesis 17:17, 21

Who was Hagar?

Sarah’s Egyptian slave. She was the mother of Ishmael, Abraham’s first son. Genesis 16:1, 15

Where is she buried?

In the cave of Machpelah, facing Mamre, at Hebron. Abraham was buried there too. Genesis 23:19; Genesis 25:9-10

Daily life She lived in tents. When the visitors arrived, Abraham asked her to knead flour and make bread. Genesis 18:6 She had an Egyptian slave named Hagar. Genesis 16:1…

The rest of this page (daily life, failings, little-known facts, for you…) is part of the subscription.

See the map

Who Sarah is connected to

Abraham · husband and wife
Isaac · mother and son
Mary · nothing is impossible for God
Hagar · her mistress · two covenants

More people

All the people of the Bible · The Twelve Apostles · Women of the Bible

See Sarah on the map