Now Sarai was barren; she had no child. - Genesis 11:30
Abram's wife. The third time the Lord appears to Abraham to establish His covenant, He changes her name from Sarai to Sarah. This article only covers her time as Sarai.
- Name Meaning: "Princess" (Literal Word app)
- Husband: Abram (Genesis 11:29)
- Nephew-in-law: Lot (Genesis 11:27-31)
- Servant: Hagar (Genesis 16:1)
Marriage to Abram
Abram took Sarai as his wife, but she was barren.
Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot, and his daughter-in-law Sarai from Ur to Canaan, but they settled in Haran when they came there.
Sarai moves to Canaan
The Lord told Abram to leave his country, kindred, and his father's house and go to the land He will show him. Abram departed from Haran at 75 with Lot, Sarai, and all their possessions and people and set out for Canaan.
With Abram, Sarai passed through the land to Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. He continued on to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. He continued toward the Negeb.
Pharaoh takes Sarai
There was a severe famine, so Abram took Sarai to Egypt. When he was about to enter Egypt, he told Sarai his wife, “I know that you are a woman beautiful in appearance, and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me, but they will let you live. Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake." The Egyptians did find Sarai beautiful, and the princes praised her to Pharaoh. She was taken into Pharaoh's house, and Pharaoh dealt well with Abram, giving him sheep, oxen, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels.
When the Lord afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Pharaoh returned her and asked Abram why he lied. He told them to leave.
Sarai seeks offspring through Hagar
Sarai had given no children to Abram (and also Abram believed the Lord would make him a great nation). Sarai sought to fix this. "Behold now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.” Abram listened and took Hagar as a wife 10 years after moving to Canaan. He went into her, and she conceived. Sarai saw Hagar now looked upon her with contempt, so she told Abram, "May the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my servant to your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the Lord judge between you and me!” Abram reminded her that Hagar was in her power, so Sarai dealt harshly with her until Hagar fled. After some time in the wilderness, Hagar returned to her mistress and bore Ishmael to Abram when he was 86.