Then God had told Abraham, not just that he would have one child, but God had told him he would make Abraham exceedingly fruitful, and will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you (Genesis 17:6). God tells Abraham to depart his homeland for a land that he would show him, ensuring to "make of him a great nation, bless him, make his name great, bless those who blessed him, and curse "him" that curses him." Previously, Adam was created in the image of God and Noah was found to be a righteous man, blameless among the people of his day. And it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women, Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular, Abraham -- 'exalted father', the father of the Jewish nation, Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - feminine singular, Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - feminine singular, Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular. We are not told what the upper age limit of childbearing was for women, but Sarahs being 90 at the birth of Isaac had to be an outlier (if not unheard of) by this time. Isaac was 40 when he married Rebekah (Genesis 25:20). Was Galileo expecting to see so many stars? God told Abraham to follow Sarah and send Hagar and Ishmael away. Isaac became the father of Jacob, later renamed as Israel by God. Abraham then restores the authority over Hagar to Sarah. (Gen.16.16). Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. (Gen.15:2-3). And Hebrews 11:12 is no less gentle, calling Abraham as good as dead with the Greek word (nekroo) having a secondary definition of impotent. Keep in mind that it was said of Moses at 120 years that his vigor was unabated (Deuteronomy 34:7), which of course means that mens vigor was failing long before they were 120 in Moses time. Yet on the other hand we see in Sarah, as the New Testament writers point out (Hebrews 11:11; 1Peter 3:6), one who through a long life of companionship with Abraham shared his hope in God, his faith in the promises, and his power to become God's agent for achieving what was humanly impossible. Do EMC test houses typically accept copper foil in EUT? Salem Media Group. Now Hagar is Mt. As stated, Abram means 'Noble Father', or perhaps better, 'Exalted Father', while Abraham means 'Father of Many'. Abraham falls on his face, laughing(Gen 17:17) because of their age (he is one hundred years old, and she is ninety) just as Sarah laughs when she hears the second announcement of the birth(Gen 18:1115). document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Bible Charts and Maps, PO Box 171053, Austin, TX 78717 Genesis 20:2. She herself is not in danger of her lifebut the reader knows that nascent Israel is in danger of losing its ancestress. And he searched, but found not the images. If you want to have children, youll have to consider whether fertility will be an issue and whether you or your partner will be around long enough to raise your kids. Note here that in Gen. 12:2 it is only one great nation, whereas in Gen 17.4-5 God talks about multitude of nations. The cave was purchased by Abraham from the Hittite named Ephron. Unique Circular Format see more in less space. The event where Sarah laughed was after God has promised this to Abraham. Sarai was the name this woman brought with her from Mesopotamia. She knew she was past childbearing years, and her statement in Genesis 18:12 may also hint that Abraham was past his prime as well.6 One year later however, Gods supernatural restoration of Sarahs womb and Abrahams vitality resulted in the promised son, Isaac. Genesis 23:1-2. The Septuagint reads playing with him (with Isaac), which has led some readers to suspect abuse. 6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness. In the verse following the one where this name is conferred, it is declared of Sarah that "kings of peoples shall be of her" (Genesis 17:16). Sarahs importance is certainly clear after she sees Ishmael sporting (NRSV, playing; Hebrewmezahek)at Isaacs weaning. It has been held that the author (or authors) of Genesis 11 knew nothing of the relationship announced in 20:12. What is the significance of changing the names of Abram to Abraham and Sarai to Sarah? Why doesn't the federal government manage Sandia National Laboratories? She was now far past middle life, even on a patriarchal scale of longevity, and there appeared no hope of her ever bearing that child who should inherit the promise of God. When God changed his name to Abraham, he not only divorced him from his father's legacy but provided him his own great identity before God. In later biblical Hebrew, Sarah became the word for 'Princess'. Sarai certainly means 'Princess', but so does Sarah - not 'Princess of Many'. You're almost done! Have an update or correction? But aside from her attractiveness, Sarai was also barren. So one must ask, why? And Abraham was old, advanced in days, and Gd had blessed Abraham with everything. It is interesting that Abram receives a call to walk righteously. Why Did Christ Ride a Donkey on His Triumphant Entry? Hagar gave the 86-year-old Abraham a son, and they named him Ishmael. So the next day, Hagar and Ishmael were sent away. But God was reminding them that He is the creator and nothing is too hard for Him. By contrast, Abrams first child was at 86. The earthly majesty of Pharaoh had to bow before the divine majesty, which plagued him and secured the stranger's exodus, thus foreshadowing those later plagues and that later exodus when Abraham's and Sarah's seed "spoiled the Egyptians.". One of the guests told Abraham that upon his arrival next year, Sarah would have a son. * 1611 17:15 ; And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. How Long Was Joseph In Potiphars House? Bea Arthur, Dorothy on "The Golden Girls," was a year older than Estelle Getty, her on-screen mom. The LORD doesn't get angry'?' Click here to find out more about this unique and fun Bible study tool! Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning. New York: The Continuum International Publishing Group, 2004. Genesis 23:19. I enjoyed to read the story of Sarai, then why God changed her name to Sara? On these views the student will do well to consult Baethgen, Beitrage, 94, 157, and, for the most recent point of view, Gressmann's article, "Sage und Geschichte in den Patriarchenerzahlungen," ZATW, 1910, and Eerdmans, Alttestamentliche Studien, II, 13. Bibliography Information Orr, James, M.A., D.D. Acceptable comments policy for Christianity Stack Exchange. The history of the Jewish people begins in Bronze Age times in the Middle East when God promised a nomad leader called Abram that he would be the father of a great people if he did as God . Their names are Sarah and Anne, good sensible names. NB: '?' It is true that sometimes a significant age gap makes a relationship impossible, but age shouldnt dominate your relationship and should only be addressed when its relevant. Which limits her relationship and thus voids her laugh as being a doubtful heart. It appears, however, that she was a daughter of Terah by a different mother from the mother of Abram. A significant age difference doesnt necessarily mean theres anything wrong, but a long-standing pattern may be worth examining. For this article, fertility issues in regard to men is meant to include both biological causes (such as reduced sperm count) as well as physiological causes (physical performance issues). I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it. . if you are thirty years old, calculate 30 / 2 + 7 = 15 + 7 = 22, or an age gap of 8 years would be acceptable in this direction). Abraham, then a hundred years old, named the child "Isaac." Because of her beauty, Abraham introduced her as his sister and let her pretend to be so to protect himself from being murdered by the king of the land so the king could have Sarah to wife. Why is it common to refer to Jacob as Jacob, rather than calling him Israel? Let us know. This was no small or bare promise by God: this was something so magnanimous that Abraham could not even fully grasp it. Thus, Abrahams solution seems bizarre; he asks Sarah to say that she is his sister. What is the difference between Abraham's and Sarah's laugh after the LORD's promise? Eichler, Barry. While age differences can create some challenges in your relationship, focusing too much on that can backfire. Jacob (Ya'aqobh) literally means 'One That Takes By The Heel'(see Genesis 25:26), a derivative of 'aqebh (heel). Remember, this was not Abraham's first time speaking or hearing from the Lord. In contrast to Judaism and Islam, what is the importance of Abraham's sacrifice of his son in Christianity? Abram was born late in Terah's life, and as a statement to his own honor, Terah named him because of his own pride, "exalted father." Even assuming that the men had five-to-ten-yearyounger wives, it is obvious that both men and women post-flood were getting past peak fertility times by the time they were 70 for men and 60 for women (assuming that the child was born to the first wife), with the best case scenario being 100 for men. Many of the story about Sarah (originally named Sarai) in Genesis are about her role as both Abrahams wife and also perhaps a biological family member; ultimately her ancestry is unclear. Hagar fled from her mistress but returned after angels came to her. After 13 years, when Abraham reaches 99 years of age God instructs Abraham to walk blameless before Him: When Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, I am the sovereign God. The Lord heard her prayer and sent her an angel who protected her from the pharaohs anger after she confessed her true relationship with Abraham. Abraham, at 175, died in a good old age but did not live to be as old as his forefathers and ironically did not live to be as old as his son Isaac (Genesis 35:28). Sarah, also known as Sarai, is the wife of Abraham. Why was the nose gear of Concorde located so far aft? This is true through Ishmael, Isaac, and the sons of Keturah--the wife he took after Sarah died. Sarah Coleman, Abraham: The Test of Faith Was the marriage between Abraham and Sarah incestuous? Abraham was given certainty that Sarah would have a son. On this account, she would have been perhaps 90 or 91 when Isaac was born.. I would briefly reconstruct from Genesis, the circumstances leading to this change in names. The character of Sarah is of mingled light and shade. Such was in fact the position of Ishmael later. 2. The former name appears to be derived from the same root as Israel, if . There is no contradiction between Genesis 11 and Genesis 17:17 through chapter 18. Gods promise to Abraham of nations coming from his loins was vindicated, and most importantly, it was through Isaac and Jacob that the Messianic line would be established and through which Christ would come. But I then realized there was a glaring difference in how God reacted to Abraham's laughter from Sarah's laughter. Please follow the instructions we emailed you in order to finish subscribing. Abraham's sons through Ketura are identified in Chronicles and Genesis 25. All Scripture is quoted from the King James translation. If I may, in my honest opinion I believe that the relationship that Abraham had established with God was so much deeper than his wife Sarah. Abraham was 100 when Isaac was born (Genesis 21:5). Abram was 86 years of old when Hagar gave birth to Ishmael. Update the question so it focuses on one problem only by editing this post. Robert B. Waltz says in The Bible in History page 190, that Sarai is simply a more archaic form of Sarah, and that both mean 'Princess'. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. And as Moses was kept unusually youthful to fulfill his purpose, so Abraham was also rejuvenated, living another 76 years and fathering at least four other children. The following scriptural facts are used to establish Rebekah's age at her marriage to Isaac. As an example, consider that the average age of menopause in US women is 51 years4 and the average lifespan is 81 years.5 Taking that maximum fertility percentage of 62.9% of life and extrapolating it to Sarahs 127 years, we get a maximum age for fertility of 80 years old. Love knows no age, but if you date only people who are members of a different generation, it might reveal something about your approach to relationships. 11:11 11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him . Leviticus 15:19 And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even. The Cave of Machpelah, commonly known today as the Cave of the Patriarchs or the Sanctuary of Abraham to the Muslims is believed to be the burial place of Abraham and Sarah, their son Isaac and his wife Rebecca, and their grandson Jacob and his wife Leah. They got married before leaving for Canaan after following Gods command. Genesis 17:19. However, there is absolutely nothing in the Bible that indicates this. Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. Jeremiah 29:11 NAS, Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Genesis 16:16 says Abram was 86 years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to him. But why God is saying to Abraham to walk blameless. Although the wife-sister stories are difficult to understand, the fact that Sarah becomes a slave in Pharaohs house serves to foreshadow Israels later bondage in Egypt. Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden - Bible Story, The Ten Commandments - Bible Verses and Importance Today, Parable of the Prodigal Son - Bible Story, The Resurrection of Jesus - Bible Story and Prophecy, How Daniels Prophecy of 70 Weeks Connects to the End Times, 4 Ways the Parable of the Sower Encourages Spiritual Growth. If it was the case that Sarah had gone through menopause already, then Abraham knew that humanly speaking, it was game over! But this would make Sarai Abrams niece, not his half-sister; it would not explain why she is identified as daughter-in-law to Terah, not as his daughter. "International Standard Bible Encyclopedia". According to whom? I believe God was reacting to both of them. Sarah died at age 127 at Hebron. The change of name from Sarai to Sarah when Isaac was promised has already been noted. King Abimelek returned Sarah to Abraham along with gifts of sheep, cattle, slaves, and silvers. Sarah and Abraham come to Israel as part of Gods promise of numerous progeny and the land(Gen 12:15). Abraham makes intercession for its inhabitants. And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly (Genesis 17:1-2 NKJV ). Abraham may have been thinking of his forefathers: after Shem, who had his first son at 100, nobody in his family line is recorded as having their firstborn son after the age of 70 (see Genesis 11:1226). God gives him the name "Abraham", which means "father of many". Her name was changed because of entering a covenant with God In Genesis the LORD promised Abraham and Sarah a son, but we can see they both laughed. cit., literally rendered). General Editor. Please refresh the page and try again. In contrast, Sarah's laughter was of scorn and lack of faitha burst of doubting laughter, since Sarah had lost faith in her ability to bear. In fact, to Sarah is ascribed a sort of spiritual maternity, correlative with Abraham's position as "father of the faithful"; for all women are declared to be the (spiritual) daughters of Sarah, who like her are adorned in "the hidden man of the heart," and who are "doers of good" and "fearers of no terror" (1 Peter loc. That is, according to contemporary law and custom as witnessed by the Code of Hammurabi (see ABRAHAM, iv, 2), a son born of this woman would be the freeborn son and heir of Abraham and Sarah. God then reiterates his covenant with Abraham (previously given in Genesis 12:23, 13:1417, 15:56, and 15:1821): I am God Almighty; walk before Me and be blameless. Since Babel, mutation and genetic drift had begun to affect people in the smaller populations that had migrated away based on newly acquired languages. 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