# Who was Sarah in the Bible?

Sarah was Abraham’s wife and the mother of Isaac. She went with Abraham when he left home, waited decades for the son God promised, and laughed when she heard it would happen in her old age. She had Isaac at 90.

- When: The same years as Abraham. The Bible gives no date we can fix.
- Read: Genesis 11:29–23:20. Start with [Genesis 12](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/12).

Source: https://www.lumin.faith/bible-people/sarah. Scripture quotations are from the Lumin Translation.

## Sarah’s life, in order

1. **Married and childless** ([Genesis 11:29-31](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/11#29-31)). Sarai is named as Abram’s wife. The next words are that she could not have children.
2. **In Pharaoh’s house** ([Genesis 12:10-20](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/12#10-20)). In Egypt, Abram says she is his sister, and she is taken into Pharaoh’s house until God steps in. Map: [Egypt](https://www.lumin.faith/bible-map#egypt).
3. **Hagar** ([Genesis 16:1-6](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/16#1-6)). Sarai gives her slave Hagar to Abram to have a child by her. Ishmael is born, and the home turns bitter.
4. **A new name** ([Genesis 17:15-16](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/17#15-16)). God renames her Sarah and says she will be the mother of nations.
5. **She laughs** ([Genesis 18:9-15](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/18#9-15)). Listening at the tent door, Sarah laughs at the promise. God asks if anything is too hard for him. Map: [Hebron](https://www.lumin.faith/bible-map#hebron).
6. **Isaac** ([Genesis 21:1-7](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/21#1-7)). She bears a son and names him Isaac, “he laughs”. “God has brought me laughter.”
7. **Her death** ([Genesis 23:1-20](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/23#1-20)). Sarah dies at 127 at Hebron. Abraham weeps for her and buys a cave to bury her. Map: [Hebron](https://www.lumin.faith/bible-map#hebron).

## Key verses

> Is anything too hard for Yahweh? At the appointed time I will return to you, at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” ([Genesis 18:14](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/18#14))

> Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter; everyone who hears will laugh with me.” ([Genesis 21:6](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/21#6))

> By faith even Sarah, who was barren, was given power to conceive, though she was beyond the age for it, since she judged the one who made the promise to be trustworthy. ([Hebrews 11:11](https://www.lumin.faith/read/hebrews/11#11))

## What the Bible says, and what tradition adds

### How old was Sarah when she had Isaac?

**In the Bible.** 90. Abraham was 100. See [Genesis 17:17](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/17#17).

### Why did Sarah laugh?

**In the Bible.** She was long past the age of having children, and the promise sounded impossible. Later she names her son for the laugh, and the laugh changes from doubt to joy. See [Genesis 18:12](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/18#12).

## Related people

- [Abraham](https://www.lumin.faith/bible-people/abraham): Left home at God’s call. Father of Isaac and of Israel.
- [Ruth](https://www.lumin.faith/bible-people/ruth): A widow from Moab who would not leave Naomi. David’s great-grandmother.
- [Mary, the mother of Jesus](https://www.lumin.faith/bible-people/mary-mother-of-jesus): Said yes to God. Gave birth to Jesus. Stood at the cross.