S3 E2: Portraits of the Old Testament, Sarah

 

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Notes for Sarah:

People are neither completely good nor bad- it is tempting to paint them as one or the other in this story. We are complex and their story is just as complex.

Literature- the good girl/bad girl dichotomy.


Check your judgements at the door- I had a HARD time with this!


How the Bible introduces Sarah and Abraham:


Genesis 11: 27 ¶ Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot.

28 And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the aChaldees.

29 And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram’s wife was aSarai; and the name of Nahor’s wife, bMilcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah.


Is Iscah another name for Sarai? Possibly…


Wikipedia: The difficult genealogy of Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 11:29 led to confusion as to the identity of Iscah. The resolution found in the Talmud, and other rabbinic sources is that Sarah was Iscah, and that Iscah was a seer. This meaning is derived from the Aramaic root of Iscah, which denotes seeing. This led to the tradition that Sarah was a prophetess as great or greater than Abraham. The implication is that Iscah is a kind of alter ego for Sarah, and that when she turned to her prophetic side, she became Iscah.


I like this idea, because it tells us Sarai had a talent as a seer, which could explain why she was so attractive to Pharaoh and Abimelech (beyond her physical beauty).


The name "Jessica" comes from a character in Shakespeare's play The Merchant of Venice, the daughter of Shylock. Iscah was supposedly rendered "Jeska" in some English Bibles available in Shakespeare's day,


Here’s how Sarah is introduced: Sarai was infertile.

30 But Sarai was abarren; she had no child.

31 And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram’s wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the aChaldees, to go into the land of bCanaan; and they came unto cHaran, and dwelt there.

32 And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.

Why does God include so many stories of infertility in the OT? It’s a great metaphor for waiting on the Lord. What a reminder it would be to the children of Israel in the coming years!

Let’s begin Sarah and Abraham's story.


They start their story in Haran which today would be northwestern Syria today. Abraham’s father Terah began worshiping idols.

Abraham 2:15 And I took Sarai, whom I took to wife when I was in Ur, in Chaldea, and Lot, my brother’s son, and all our substance that we had gathered, and the souls that we had awon in Haran, and came forth in the way to the land of Canaan, and dwelt in tents as we came on our way;

Who were the souls they had won?

CFO- “A Midrash, or rabbinic tradition or legend, speaks of Abram devoting himself for two years in turning the hearts of men to God and His teachings, suggesting a scenario for how they may have won many souls in Haran. Sarai was equally involved in this missionary endeavor according the Jewish tradition. “While Abram exhorted the men and sought to convert them,” the Midrash Reads, “Sarai addressed herself to the women. She was a helpmeet worthy of Abraham. Indeed in prophetic powers she ranked higher than her husband. She was sometimes called Iscah, the seer on that account.”

Then the famine comes and they go to Egypt.

Why Egypt? This is during the Middle Kingdom period of time in Egypt- a time of enlightenment and prosperity. Pharaohs ruled for longer periods of time, which led to a period of peace. Egypt was very welcoming to foreigners, wanting to show them their “superior society” and even had a specific area for them to reside, which was int he underdeveloped area of Goshen, near th eastern delta of the Nile.

This is when the sister stuff begins.

Genesis 12: 11 And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he asaid unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon:

12 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.

13 Say, I pray thee, thou art my asister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.

BUT, the book of Abraham tells us the LORD told Abraham to tell Sarai to tell people she was his sister:

Abraham 2:22 And it came to pass when I was come near to enter into Egypt, the Lord asaid unto me: Behold, Sarai, thy wife, is a very fair woman to look upon;

23 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see her, they will say—She is his wife; and they will kill you, but they will save her alive; therefore see that ye do on this wise:

24 Let her say unto the Egyptians, she is thy sister, and thy soul shall live.

25 And it came to pass that I, Abraham, told Sarai, my wife, all that the Lord had said unto me—Therefore say unto them, I pray thee, thou art my asister, that it may be well with me for thy sake, and my soul shall live because of thee.

Interesting that Abram does not tell Sarai to tell people she is his sister, he asks her. “I pray thee” Modern translations say “Please tell them..” This allowed her to make her own decision

Why did Pharoh want Sarai? She was 65 years old when they came to Egypt.

Genesis 12: 14 ¶ And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians abeheld the woman that she was very fair.

15 The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.

Was she so beautiful, it created a “Babe Alert” when she walked into the city???

Possible reasons:


Different or fairer complexion than the Egyptians and Canaanites.


Wealth and position


Talent as a seer


Cementing friendship between two nations


As a “sister” of Abram, she represented a guarantee that she would bear a pious and favored posterity.


Noticed Abram’s unusual power and glory and sought to access it through Sarai.


Because she was very beautiful

This puts Sarai into a very scary position. What anger was Sarai facing? We saw in Abraham 1, the daughters of Onitah were sacrificed on an altar for refusing to worship the gods of the Egyptians. Sarai likely knew this story well because Abram saw this account first hand and was rescued by the Lord.

Only the Lord could deliver her and HE DOES. Great plagues fell on Pharaoh's house.


Genesis 12: 17 And the Lord aplagued Pharaoh and his house with great bplagues because of Sarai Abram’s wife.

18 And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast adone unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?

19 Why saidst thou, She is my asister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way.

20 And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had.

They return to Canaan from Egypt, blessed and wealthy, with a maid named Hagar.

Genesis 16: 1 Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an aEgyptian, whose name was bHagar.

2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my amaid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.

3 And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.


Did Sarah “give” her maid to Abraham? Or did the Lord command Sarah to do so?

D&C 132:34 God acommanded Abraham, and Sarah gave bHagar to Abraham to wife.


See the Hagar episode for more info about Hagar.


Genesis 16: 4 ¶ And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.


Why was did Sarah and Hagar have beef? A couple of reasons, more in the Hagar episode but here’s one:


Babylonian Law, the Code of Hammurabi said “If a man takes a wife and she gives this man a maid-servant as wife and she bears him children, then this maid assumes equality with the wife.”


Just because the Lord commanded something, doesn’t make it easy and doesn’t mean there’s not emotional fall out. There’s jealousy, and obviously because Abram was able to conceive with Hagar, the problem is Sarai. So guilt and envy are strong here- reminds me of the Bachelor.


Genesis 16:5 And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was adespised in her eyes: the Lord judge between me and thee.

6 But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her aas it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.


The Covenant of Abraham:

Genesis 17: 1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord aappeared to bAbram, and said unto him, I am the cAlmighty God; dwalk before me, and be thou eperfect.

2 And I will make my acovenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.

3 aAnd Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,

4 As for me, behold, my acovenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a bfather of many cnations.

5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be aAbraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.

6 And I will make thee exceeding afruitful, and I will make bnations of thee, and ckings shall come out of thee.

7 aAnd I will establish my bcovenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an ceverlasting covenant, to be a dGod unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

8 And I will agive unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the bland wherein thou art a cstranger, all the dland of eCanaan, for an everlasting fpossession; and I will be their gGod.


What does the Abrahamic Covenant promise to us? From ChurchofJesusChrist.org:
Abraham made covenants with God when he received the gospel, when he was ordained a high priest, and when he entered into celestial marriage. In these covenants, God promised great blessings to Abraham and his family. These blessings, which extend to all of Abraham’s seed, are called the Abrahamic covenant.

Among the promises made to Abraham were the following:


His posterity would be numerous (see Genesis 17:5–6; Abraham 2:9; 3:14).


His seed, or descendants, would receive the gospel and bear the priesthood (see Abraham 2:9).


Through the ministry of his seed, “all the families of the earth [would] be blessed, even with the blessings of the Gospel, which are the blessings of salvation, even of life eternal” (Abraham 2:11).

A person can receive all the blessings of the Abrahamic covenant—even if he or she is not a literal descendant of Abraham—by obeying the laws and ordinances of the gospel.


Sarai was included in this covenant.


Genesis 17:15 ¶ And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but aSarah shall her name be.

16 And I will bless her, and agive thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a bmother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.

17 aThen Abraham fell upon his face, and blaughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an chundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?

21 But my acovenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set btime in the next year.


Three holy men visit, representatives of the Lord


Gensis 18: 1 And the Lord aappeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;

2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three amen stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bbowed himself toward the ground,

3 And said, My aLord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:

4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and awash your feet, and brest yourselves under the tree:

5 And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and acomfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye bcome to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.

6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.

7 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.

8 And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.


In more modern versions of the Bible, 8 is translated as “yogurt and milk and roast meat”.


What did they actually eat?

CFO records the meals of the Bedouin tribes which would have been similar: “They had dug two broad, shallow pits in the ground, in which they had made fires of wood and thorns. In one a lamb was being baked whole, and over the other a caldron of rice was boiling.”

A brisk wood-fire was kindled in the open air, on a small ​circular hearth, formed of smooth round pebbles, spread evenly and close together. When this primitive hearth was sufficiently heated, the embers were carefully removed, and well-kneaded paste, flattened out by the hand, was thrown on to the hot stones, and quickly covered with the burning ashes. In this way several large cakes of unleavened bread were soon made ready.

Wooden bowls of cream and milk were brought, and the flat cakes of bread were served quite hot. They were about half an inch in thickness, and had received the impression of the pebbles of which the hearth was composed. This most likely was the same sort of bread which Sarah of old made for the strangers, in obedience to Abraham 's desire, when he said, "Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth."


The full Bedouin dinner consisted of lamb served on a large metal tray, mountains of rice, yellow with butter; wooden bowls filled with sweet clotted cream, new milk or a yogurt like substance, and flat cakes of bread served hot.”


Reminds me of greek gyros with tzatziki sauce!


The men “tell” Abraham and Sarah she will have a son:

9 ¶ And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.

10 And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, aSarah thy wife shall have a bson. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.

11 Now Abraham and Sarah were aold and well stricken in age; and it bceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.

12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being aold also?

13 And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah alaugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am bold?

14 Is any thing too ahard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the btime of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.

God of the last minute

CFO- Anyone who has long sought fulfillment of a righteous desire, daily praying and at times pleading with God to grant a miracle, can relate to Sarah’s waiting a lifetime for a child. The most feasible time to be granted the promised desire passes and no scenario that even approximates the dream can be imagined. Then, at the least probable time, when every circumstance underscores the fulfillment is impossible, the Spirit whispers that God has kept His promise and will now bestow the blessing. The first emotion is typically a combination of fear and doubt. Nothing in our rational world can explain it. Then the boundless joy sets in, with the realization that the promised blessing is all the sweeter for the wait and much grander even than reimagined. God may not answer when we claim we need Him, but He is always on time.


MEANWHILE, Abimelech kidnaps Sarah!
Genesis 12: 1 And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and aShur, and sojourned in bGerar.

(Why were they there? Likely another famine situation. Isaac and Rebekah go there later during a famine)

2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and aAbimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.

3 But aGod came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man’s wife.

4 But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also aa righteous nation?

5 Said he not unto me, She is my asister? and she, even she herself said, He is my bbrother: in the cintegrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.

6 And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.

7 Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall apray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.

8 Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.

Abraham restores Abimelech, Sarah’s reputation is intact, and Sarah and Abraham are gifted with wealth and given a place to live:

14 And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.

15 And Abimelech said, Behold, my aland is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.

16 And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy abrother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved.

17 ¶ So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.

18 For the Lord had fast aclosed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham’s wife.


Sarah has Isaac

Favorite scripture in this whole story:
Genesis 21:1 And the Lord avisited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did unto bSarah as he had spoken.

–

2 For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a ason in his bold age, at the set ctime of which God had spoken to him.

3 And Abraham called the name of his ason that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac


CFO- Hebrew root word of Isaac meaning laugh/laughter, but reflects a harmony of emotions including smile, jest, sport, and play. JST says it means “rejoice”.


The Sacrifice of Isaac


Gensis 22: 2 And he said, aTake now thy son, thine bonly son Isaac, whom thou clovest, and get thee into the land of dMoriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

Did this include Sarah? Has there EVER been a spot in this entire story when Sarah was NOT included? I suspect she absolutely knew.


Spencer W. Kimball- “Father Abraham and Mother Sarah knew- knew the promise would be fulfilled. How? They did not know and did not demand to know. Isaac positively would live to be the father of numerous posterity. They knew he would, even though he might need to die.They knew he could still be raised from the dead to fulfill the promise, and faith here preceded the miracle”.

Sarah’s Death:

Only women in scripture whose age at death is recorded.

Gensis 23:1 And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah.

Some traditions state that Sarah died while Abraham and Isaac were at Mount Moriah, or shortly after their return.


Sarah was buried in the cave of Machpelah, which would become the closest thing Abraham’s family could claim as a homeland. Abraham, Isaac, Rebekah, Leah, and Jacob were also buried there.

Shortly before the birth of Christ, Herod the Great enclosed the traditional site of the cove of Machpelah with a large building that still stands today.


What do we learn from Abraham and Sarah?


Genesis 18:14 Is any thing too ahard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the btime of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

—

About Abraham, but could apply to Sarah as well.

Romans 4:16 aTherefore it is of faith, that it might be by bgrace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the cfaith of Abraham; who is the dfather of us all,

17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who aquickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

18 Who against hope believed in ahope, that he might become the father of many bnations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy cseed be.

19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years aold, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb:

20 He astaggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had apromised, he was able also to perform.


NLT Romans 4: 16…Abraham is the father of all who believe. 17 That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.”[d] This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.

18 Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!”[e] 19 And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb.

20 Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. 21 He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.