Sarah

Also known as: Abram's wife / Sarai · Family: Abrahamic family · Role: wife of Abram · First appears: Genesis 11

In Genesis 11, Sarah—then called Sarai—married Abraham, who was then Abram. In Egypt in Genesis 12, Abraham presented her as his sister and told her, “Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.” Pharaoh took her into his house, but then ordered Abraham to take his wife and leave, sending them away with all their possessions.

After Abraham had lived ten years in Canaan, Sarah gave her maid Hagar to him as a concubine. She dealt harshly with Hagar, causing her to flee. In Genesis 17, God changed Sarai’s name to Sarah, promised to bless her, and declared that she would bear Isaac; God repeated this promise in Genesis 18. In Gerar, Abraham again presented Sarah as his sister, and Abimelech took her, but God warned him in a dream to restore Abraham’s wife. Abimelech returned Sarah and gave Abraham livestock and servants.

At the appointed time, Sarah bore Abraham a son, and he named him Isaac. Later, Sarah told Abraham, “Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac”; Abraham then sent Hagar and her son away. Sarah died in Kirjatharba, or Hebron, and Abraham buried her in the cave of Machpelah. In Numbers 26, Sarah is named as the daughter of Asher.