Dictionary Article

1. Wife of Abraham whose name was originally Sarai (Gn 11:29). Her name was changed to Sarah (“princess”) when she was promised that she would bear a son and become the mother of nations and kings (17:15-16). Sarah was both the wife and the half sister of Abraham (20:12).

Show passage in OET: GEN 11:29

OET-RV GEN 11:29

29 Meanwhile Avram married Saray (Sarai) and Nahor married Milkah. (Milkah and her sister Yiskah were the daughters of Nahor’s brother Haran.)

OET-LV GEN 11:29

29 And_ ʼAⱱrām and_Nāḩōr _he/it _took to/for_them wives the _name _of the _wife _of ʼAⱱrām was_Sarai and_name _of the _wife _of Nāḩōr was_Milkāh the _daughter _of Ḩārān the _father _of Milkāh and_father _of Iscah.

Show passage in OET: GEN 17:15–16

OET-RV GEN 17:15

15 God also told Avraham, “As for your wife Saray (Sarai), don’t call her Saray anymore, because from now on her name will be ‘Sarah’

OET-RV GEN 17:16

16 and I will bless her, and I’ll also give you a son from her. Yes, I’ll bless her and she’ll become the mother of nations—kings of peoples will come from her.”

OET-LV GEN 17:15

15 And_ god _he/it _said to ʼAⱱrāhām Sarai wife _of_your not you _will _call DOM his/its_name Sarai if/because is_Sārāh his/its_name.

OET-LV GEN 17:16

16 And_I _will _bless DOM_her/it and_also I _will _give from_her/it to/for_yourself(m) a _son and_I_will _bless _her and_she _will _become (into)_nations kings _of peoples from_her/it they _will _be.

Show passage in OET: GEN 20:12

OET-RV GEN 20:12

12 Besides that, Sarah actually is my half-sister. We have the same father, but different mothers, and then it was her that I took as a wife.

OET-LV GEN 20:12

12 And_also truly sister _of_is_my the _daughter _of my _father _of_my she only not the _daughter _of my _mother _of_my and_it _became to_me to/for_(a)_woman.

Jump to OET GEN 11:29 section.

Jump to OET GEN 17:15–16 section.

Jump to OET GEN 20:12 section.

Sarah accompanied Abraham in his journey from Ur of the Chaldees to Haran and eventually into the land of Canaan (Gn 11:31; 12:5). She remained barren for much of her marriage. When God promised Abraham that he would make of him a great nation (12:2) and that the land of Canaan would be given to his seed (v 7), Sarah was still barren.

Show passage in OET: GEN 11:31

OET-RV GEN 11:31

31 Then one day, Terah gathered his son Avram and his grandson Lot (who was Haran’s son), and his daughter-in-law Saray (who was Avram’s wife), and they all left from the city of Ur (where the Kasdim lived), to travel to the region of Kena’an (Canaan), but when they arrived at the city of Haran, they decided to live there.

OET-LV GEN 11:31

31 And_ Teraḩ _he/it _took DOM ʼAⱱrām his/its_son and_DOM Lōţ the _son _of Ḩārān the _son _of his/its_son and_DOM Sarai his/its_daughter-in-law the _wife _of ʼAⱱrām his/its_son and_they _went _out with_them from_ʼŪr of_the_ones_from _Kasdiy to_go towards_land of _Kənaˊan/(Canaan) and_they _came to Ḩārān and_they _lived there.

Show passage in OET: GEN 12:5

OET-RV GEN 12:5

5 He took his wife Saray (Sarai) and his nephew Lot and all their possessions that they had accumulated and the people who they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Kena’an (Canaan).
¶ When they arrived in the Kena’an region,

OET-LV GEN 12:5

5 And_ ʼAⱱrām _he/it _took DOM Sarai his/its_wife/woman and_DOM Lōţ the _son _of his/its_brother and_DOM all _of their_property which they _had _accumulated and_DOM the_people whom they _had _acquired in_Ḩārān and_they _went _out to_go towards_land of _Kənaˊan/(Canaan) and_they _came towards_land of _Kənaˊan/(Canaan).

Show passage in OET: GEN 12:2

OET-RV GEN 12:2

2 I’ll bless you and make you into a great nation. I’ll make you famous and you’ll be a blessing to others.

OET-LV GEN 12:2

2 And_I _will _make_you(ms) to_(a)_nation great and_I _will _bless_you(ms) and_I _will _make _big/great your(ms)_name and_be a _blessing.

Show passage in OET: GEN 12:7

OET-RV GEN 12:7

7 Then Yahweh came to Avram and told him, “I’ll give this land to your descendants.” So Avram built an altar there and made a burnt offering to Yahweh, who had appeared to him.

OET-LV GEN 12:7

7 And_ YHWH _he _appeared to ʼAⱱrām and_he/it _said to_offspring _of_your I _will _give DOM the_earth/land (the)_this and_he/it _built there an _altar to/for_YHWH who_had_appeared to_him/it.

Jump to OET GEN 11:31 section.

Jump to OET GEN 12:5 section.

Jump to OET GEN 12:2 section.

Jump to OET GEN 12:7 section.

After 10 years had passed (cf. Gn 12:4; 16:16) and Sarah continued without children, she gave her Egyptian slave, Hagar, to Abraham as a concubine. Hagar conceived and bore a son, Ishmael (16:3-4). God promised that a nation would come from Ishmael (17:20) but indicated that he was not to be the child of the promise. Sarah herself was to be the mother of this child, even though she laughed when the birth was predicted. The fulfillment of this prediction took place with the birth of Isaac (21:2-3), when Sarah was 90 years old, 25 years after the original promise of a seed to Abraham (17:17; 21:5).

Show passage in OET: GEN 12:4

OET-RV GEN 12:4

4 So Avram left there just as Yahweh had told him, and Lot also went with him. Avram was seventy-five years old when he left the city of Haran.

OET-LV GEN 12:4

4 And_ ʼAⱱrām _he/it _went just_as he _had _said to_him/it YHWH and_he/it _went with_him/it Lōţ and_Avram was_a _son _of five years and_seventy year[s] in_his/its_coming _out from_Ḩārān.

Show passage in OET: GEN 16:16

OET-RV GEN 16:16

16 Avram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Yishmael for him.

OET-LV GEN 16:16

16 And_Avram was_a _son _of eighty year[s] and_six years when_ Hāgār _bore DOM Yishmāˊ^ʼēl/(Ishmael) to_ʼAⱱrām.

Show passage in OET: GEN 16:3–4

OET-RV GEN 16:3

3 So Saray, the wife of Avram, took Hagar, her Mitsri slave, after Avram had lived ten years in the land of Kena’an (Canaan), and gave her to Avram her husband as a wife for him.

OET-RV GEN 16:4

4 So he slept with Hagar and she got pregnant, but once she realised that she began to despise her mistress.

OET-LV GEN 16:3

3 And_ Sarai the _wife _of ʼAⱱrām _she/it _took DOM Hāgār the_from _Miʦrayim/(Miʦrayim) maidservant _of_her from _the_end/extremity ten years of_ of _ʼAⱱrām _the _dwelling in_land of _Kənaˊan/(Canaan) and_she/it _gave DOM_her/it to_ʼAⱱrām her/its_husband/man to_him/it to/for_(a)_woman.

OET-LV GEN 16:4

4 And_he _went into Hāgār and_she/it _conceived/became _pregnant and_she/it _saw if/because _that she _had _conceived and_ mistress _of_her _she _became _insignificant in_eyes _of_her.

Show passage in OET: GEN 17:20

OET-RV GEN 17:20

20 But as for Yishmael, I’ve heard your request. Listen, I’ll bless him and make him fruitful and give him very many descendants. He’ll father twelve rulers and I’ll make him into a great nation,

OET-LV GEN 17:20

20 And_to_Yishmāˊ^ʼēl/(Ishmael) I_have _heard _you HERE I _will _bless DOM_him/it and_I _will _make _fruitful DOM_him/it and_I _will _multiply DOM_him/it with_muchness muchness two _plus ten princes he _will _father and_I _will _give_him/it to_(a)_nation great.

Show passage in OET: GEN 21:2–3

OET-RV GEN 21:2

2 so that Sarah conceived and gave birth to a son for Avraham in his old age at the very time of the year that God had told him.

OET-RV GEN 21:3

3 Avraham named their son Yitshak (Isaac),

OET-LV GEN 21:2

2 And_she/it _conceived/became _pregnant and_ Sārāh _she/it _gave _birth to_ʼAⱱrāhām a _son of_his _old _of_age(s) to_time which god he _had _spoken DOM_him/it.

OET-LV GEN 21:3

3 And_ ʼAⱱrāhām _he/it _called DOM the _name _of his/its_son who_had _been_born to_him/it whom she _had _borne for_him/it Sārāh Yiʦḩāq/(Isaac).

Show passage in OET: GEN 17:17

OET-RV GEN 17:17

17 Avraham fell to his knees and he laughed and said to himself, “How can a hundred year old man father a child? And what about Sarah who’s ninety-nine years old having a baby!”

OET-LV GEN 17:17

17 And_ ʼAⱱrāhām _he _fell on his/its_faces/face and_he _laughed and_he/it _said in_heart _of_his to_a_son _of one _hundred year[s] will _he _be _born and_if Sārāh a_daughter _of ninety year[s] will _she _bear _a _child.

Show passage in OET: GEN 21:5

OET-RV GEN 21:5

5 Avraham was one hundred years old when his son Yitshak was born,

OET-LV GEN 21:5

5 And_ʼAⱱrāhām was_a _son _of one _hundred _of year[s] when_was _born to_him/it DOM Yiʦḩāq his/its_son.

Jump to OET GEN 12:4 section.

Jump to OET GEN 16:16 section.

Jump to OET GEN 16:3–4 section.

Jump to OET GEN 17:20 section.

Jump to OET GEN 21:2–3 section.

Jump to OET GEN 17:17 section.

Jump to OET GEN 21:5 section.

When famine forced Abraham and Sarah to journey down into Egypt shortly after their entrance into Canaan, Sarah was represented to the Egyptians as Abraham’s sister. This resulted in Sarah’s being taken into the harem of Pharaoh because of her great beauty (Gn 12:11-15), and Abraham’s being well treated and rewarded by the Egyptians instead of being killed. God intervened to protect the marriage of Abraham and Sarah by plaguing the house of Pharaoh to force Sarah’s release. A similar tactic was followed by Abraham and Sarah on another occasion in Gerar (ch 20), where she was taken into the household of Abimelech the king of Gerar. Again God protected Sarah, preserved her as the mother of the promised seed, and prevented any suspicion or doubt concerning who was the father of Isaac. Significantly, Isaac was born not long after this incident (21:1-5), his birth having been promised about a year earlier (17:21; 18:10-14). Sarah died at the age of 127 and was buried in the cave at Machpelah, which Abraham had purchased from Ephron the Hittite (ch 23).

Show passage in OET: GEN 12:11–15

OET-RV GEN 12:11

11 Just before they arrived in Mitsrayim, Avram said to his wife Saray (Sarai), “Listen, you’re a very beautiful woman,

OET-RV GEN 12:12

12 so when the Mitsrim (Egyptians) see you they’ll say, ‘This is his wife,’ and they’ll kill me but let you live.

OET-RV GEN 12:13

13 Please tell them that you’re my sister so they’ll treat me well because of you and let me live.”

OET-RV GEN 12:14

14 So that’s what happened when they entered Mitsrayim—the Mitsrim indeed noticed that Saray was very beautiful,

OET-RV GEN 12:15

15 and when Par’oh’s (Pharaoh) officials saw her, so they told him about her beauty, and she was taken into Par’oh’s palace.

OET-LV GEN 12:11

11 And_he/it _was just_as he _drew _near to_enter towards_Miʦrayim and_he/it _said to Sarai his/its_wife/woman HERE please I _know if/because _that are_a _woman beautiful _of appearance you.

OET-LV GEN 12:12

12 And_it _was if/because the_Miʦrayimians they _will _see you and_they _will _say his/its_wife/woman this and_they _will _kill DOM_me and_you they _will _let _live.

OET-LV GEN 12:13

13 Say please sister _of_are_my you so _that it _may _go _well to_me because_of_you and_ life _of_my _it _will _live on_account _of_of _you.

OET-LV GEN 12:14

14 And_he/it _was just_ ʼAⱱrām _as _entered towards_Miʦrayim and_ the_Miʦrayimians _they _saw DOM the_woman if/because _that was_beautiful she very.

OET-LV GEN 12:15

15 And_ the _officials _of Parˊoh _they _saw DOM_her/it and_they _praised DOM_her/it to Parˊoh and_ the_woman _she _was _taken the _house _of Parˊoh.

Show passage in OET: GEN 21:1–5

OET-RV GEN 21:1

21 In due course, Yahweh visited Sarah just as he’d said and he did for her exactly what he’d said,

OET-RV GEN 21:2

2 so that Sarah conceived and gave birth to a son for Avraham in his old age at the very time of the year that God had told him.

OET-RV GEN 21:3

3 Avraham named their son Yitshak (Isaac),

OET-RV GEN 21:4

4 and he circumcised him when he was eight days old, just as God had commanded him.

OET-RV GEN 21:5

5 Avraham was one hundred years old when his son Yitshak was born,

OET-LV GEN 21:1

21 And_YHWH he _visited DOM Sārāh just_as he _had _said and_ YHWH _he/it _made to_Sārāh just_as he _had _spoken.

OET-LV GEN 21:2

2 And_she/it _conceived/became _pregnant and_ Sārāh _she/it _gave _birth to_ʼAⱱrāhām a _son of_his _old _of_age(s) to_time which god he _had _spoken DOM_him/it.

OET-LV GEN 21:3

3 And_ ʼAⱱrāhām _he/it _called DOM the _name _of his/its_son who_had _been_born to_him/it whom she _had _borne for_him/it Sārāh Yiʦḩāq/(Isaac).

OET-LV GEN 21:4

4 And_ ʼAⱱrāhām _he _circumcised DOM Yiʦḩāq his/its_son a _son _of eight _of days just_as god he _had _commanded DOM_him/it.

OET-LV GEN 21:5

5 And_ʼAⱱrāhām was_a _son _of one _hundred _of year[s] when_was _born to_him/it DOM Yiʦḩāq his/its_son.

Show passage in OET: GEN 17:21

OET-RV GEN 17:21

21 however, my agreement will be established with Yitshak, who Sarah will give birth to by this time next year.”

OET-LV GEN 17:21

21 And_DOM covenant _of_my I _will _establish with Yiʦḩāq whom she _will _bear to/for_yourself(m) Sārāh to_time the_this in_year (the)_following.

Show passage in OET: GEN 18:10–14

OET-RV GEN 18:10

10 “I’ll definitely return to you here in the spring next year,” the visitor continued. “You see, your wife Sarah will have a son then.”
¶ Now Sarah was at the opening of the tent listening, but the visitor was facing the other direction.

OET-RV GEN 18:11

11 Avraham and Sarah were pretty old at this stage and Sarah had passed the age of being able to have children,

OET-RV GEN 18:12

12 so when she heard that, she laughed to herself and said, “Now that my body’s worn out, will I have the pleasure of a child? Even my master’s too old.”

OET-RV GEN 18:13

13 Then Yahweh spoke to Avraham, “Why is it that Sarah laughed, saying, ‘Will I really have a child when I’m old?’

OET-RV GEN 18:14

14 Is anything too hard for Yahweh? I’ll return here to you next year in the spring and Sarah will have a son.”

OET-LV GEN 18:10

10 And_he/it _said certainly _(return) I _will _return to_you about_time living and_BEHOLD/LO/SEE a _son will_belong_to _Sārāh your(ms)_woman/wife and_Sārāh was_listening the _opening _of the _tent and_he was_behind_him.

OET-LV GEN 18:11

11 And_ʼAⱱrāhām and_Sārāh were_old having_come in _the_days it _had _ceased to_be to_Sārāh a _way like_women.

OET-LV GEN 18:12

12 And_ Sārāh _she _laughed in_her _inner _of_being to_say after I_am _worn _out has _it _belonged to/for_me pleasure and_master _of_my he _is _old.

OET-LV GEN 18:13

13 And_ YHWH _he/it _said to ʼAⱱrāhām to/for_what this Sārāh did _she _laugh to_say also really will _I _bear _a _child and_I I _am _old.

OET-LV GEN 18:14

14 Is_it_too_difficult for_YHWH anything to_time I _will _return to_you about_time living and_will_belong_to _Sārāh a _son.

Jump to OET GEN 12:11–15 section.

Jump to OET GEN 21:1–5 section.

Jump to OET GEN 17:21 section.

Jump to OET GEN 18:10–14 section.

Show passage in OET: ISA 51:2

OET-RV ISA 51:2

2 Look at your ancestor, Avraham,
⇔ ≈ and Sarah who bore you all,
⇔ because I called him as one person,
⇔ → then I blessed him and made him many,

OET-LV ISA 51:2

2 Look to ʼAⱱrāhām ancestor _of_your(pl) and_near/to Sārāh who_she_brought _you(pl)_forth if/because one_person I_called _him and_I_blessed _him and_I_multiplied _him.

Show passage in OET: ROM 4:19

OET-RV ROM 4:19

19 He didn’t falter in his faith, seeing that his body was already infertile, being about a hundred years old, and with Sarah being past menopause.

OET-LV ROM 4:19

19 And not having _faltered in _the faith, he _observed the of _himself body already having _been _made _dead, a_hundred _year old about being, and the death of _the womb of _Sarra/(Sārāh),

Show passage in OET: ROM 9:9

OET-RV ROM 9:9

9 After all, this message is the promise: ‘I’ll come back, and Sarah will have a son.’

OET-LV ROM 9:9

9 For/Because of_the_promise the a_message this is:
Concerning the time this, I _will _be _coming, and there _will _be to_ the _Sarra/(Sārāh) a_son.

Show passage in OET: HEB 11:11

OET-RV HEB 11:11

11 By faith even Sarah herself received the power to conceive a child when she was past that age, because she considered that the one who had made the promise would be faithful to his word.

OET-LV HEB 11:11

11 By _faith even herself Sarra/(Sārāh) power for the_conception of _seed received, also beyond time of _age, because faithful she _considered the one having _promised.

Show passage in OET: PE1 3:6

OET-RV PE1 3:6

6 like Sarah, who submitted to Avraham who you’ve become descendants of. She called him ‘master’, doing good and without any worries.

OET-LV PE1 3:6

6 as Sarra/(Sārāh) submitted to_ the _Abraʼam/(ʼAⱱrāhām):
calling him master, of _whom you _all _were _become children, doing _good and not fearing not _one fear.

Show passage in OET: GAL 4:21–31

OET-RV GAL 4:21

21 Are you people who are under the law telling me that you’re not even hearing what the law is?

OET-RV GAL 4:22

22 It’s written in the scriptures that Avraham had two sons: one son with the slave girl Hagar, and one with the free woman.

OET-RV GAL 4:23

23 The slave girl’s son was born because of human actions, but in contrast, the free woman’s son was a result of God’s promise.

OET-RV GAL 4:24

24 So if we use this as an illustration, there are two agreements: one is from Mt. Sinay which relates to Hagar and gives birth to enslaved people.

OET-RV GAL 4:25

25 Hagar’s Mt. Sinay is in Arav and corresponds to the present earthly Yerushalem (Jerusalem) in slavery along with her children.

OET-RV GAL 4:26

26 However, the heavenly Yerushalem, which is our mother, is free,

OET-RV GAL 4:27

27 because it’s been written in the scriptures:
⇔ ‘Be glad barren woman,
⇔ you who have never borne a child.
⇔ Be bold and shout,
⇔ you who have never been in labour,
⇔ because the lonely woman now has many children,
⇔ even more than the woman with a husband.’

OET-RV GAL 4:28

28 And you, brothers and sisters, are children of the promise, like Yitshak (Isaac),

OET-RV GAL 4:29

29 but back then the one born because of human actions persecuted the one born because of the spirit, and that’s how it continues now.

OET-RV GAL 4:30

30 But what do the scriptures say? ‘Send away the slave girl and her son, because the slave girl’s son won’t be getting the inheritance alongside the free woman’s son.’

OET-RV GAL 4:31

31 So, brothers and sisters, we’re not descendants of the slave girl, but of the free woman.

OET-LV GAL 4:21

21 Be _telling to _me, you _all wanting to _be under the_law, not are _you _all _hearing the law?

OET-LV GAL 4:22

22 For/Because it _has _been _written that Abraʼam/(ʼAⱱrāhām) had two sons, one of the servant _girl, and one of the free woman.

OET-LV GAL 4:23

23 But the one on _one _hand of the servant _girl, has _been _born according _to flesh, on _the _other _hand the one of the free woman, through a_promise.

OET-LV GAL 4:24

24 Which things is being _allegorized, because/for these are two covenants:
one on _one _hand from Mount Sina/(Şīnay) to bearing slavery, which is Hagar/(Hāgār).

OET-LV GAL 4:25

25 Which and Hagar is Sina Mount in the Arabia, and is _corresponding to _the present Hierousalaʸm/(Yərūshālayim), she _is _serving for with the children of _her.

OET-LV GAL 4:26

26 On _the _other _hand which Hierousalaʸm above is free, who is the_mother of _us.

OET-LV GAL 4:27

27 For/Because it _has _been _written:
Be _gladdened, barren woman, you not bearing, break _forth and shout, you not labouring _in _birth, because many are the children of _the desolate, more than of _the woman having the husband.

OET-LV GAL 4:28

28 And you _all brothers, as Isaʼak/(Yiʦḩāq), are children of _promise.

OET-LV GAL 4:29

29 But as then the one having _been _born according _to flesh, was _persecuting the one according _to spirit, thus also it _is now.

OET-LV GAL 4:30

30 But what is_ The scripture _saying?
Cast _out the servant _girl and the son of _her, because/for the son of _the servant _girl no not will _be _inheriting, with the son of _the free woman.

OET-LV GAL 4:31

31 Therefore brothers, we _are not children of_the_servant _girl, but of _the free woman.

Jump to OET ISA 51:2 section.

Jump to OET ROM 4:19 section.

Jump to OET ROM 9:9 section.

Jump to OET HEB 11:11 section.

Jump to OET PE1 3:6 section.

Jump to OET GAL 4:21–31 section.

Show passage in OET: NUM 26:46

OET-RV NUM 26:46

46 Asher’s daughter was named Serah.

OET-LV NUM 26:46

46 And_name _of the _daughter _of ʼĀshēr was_Seraḩ.

Jump to OET NUM 26:46 section.

3. The heroine of the book of Tobit. Her prayer of anguish was heard by God, who sent the angel Raphael as a matchmaker to arrange her marriage to Tobias (Tb 6:9ff.). She had been tormented by a demon, who had caused the death of her previous seven husbands but was exorcised by Tobias using a recipe of fish heart and liver that was given to him by the angel Raphael (8:2). After the death of Tobit and his wife, Anna, in Nineveh, Tobias and Sarah, and their children returned to Sarah’s family in Ecbatana (14:12ff.).

Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary