Difference Between Sarai and Sarah

[PrisonerOfChrist]

I read both names in Hebrew mean “Princess” or “My Lady”. Does anybody know the difference so God would change it from Sarai to Sarah?

 

[Hereiam]

God often changes names when giving a person a mission. Sarai became Sarah, Abram became Abraham, Jacob became Israel, Simon became Peter, Saul became Paul…the difference in the name is not the important issue, the acceptance of the mission is…might be why many Catholics take on confirmation names, or religious take on spiritual names.

 

[PrisonerOfChrist]

Thanks. I know why God changed her name. I would like to know why he choose the name Sarah? What is the difference in the Hebrew meaning between Sarai and Sarah?

 

[midori]

There doesn’t seem to be scholarly consensus, but one thing I see frequently brought up—

Abram and Sarai both had their names changed at the same time.

Abram meant “father of Aram” (a town?) and Sarai meant “my princess.”

But Abraham meant “father of all nations” and Sarah meant something more like “the princess”, or “princess to all”.

So basically, they both experience a widening of their spheres of influence— Abram isn’t just limited to the town of Aram; he’s the father of nations. And Sarai isn’t just one person’s princess, she’s a matriarch to many.

Another thing I see is that the Hebrew letter “heh” in Abraham and the Hebrew letter “heh” in Sarah might be connected to the “heh” that indicates YHWH/YHVH/Elohim. Likewise, “heh” used as a suffix indicates the feminine ideal of gentleness/affection/devotion/God’s grace. Whereas “heh” used in the middle of a word indicates divine action, a la “Behold!” or “Lo!” or something. So you have the combination of divine action as well as God’s grace when you get Abraham + Sarah = Isaac.

So, you could probably do a pretty profitable Google search on all the symbolism surrounding the Hebrew letter “heh”, and come up with things not only pertinent to Abraham and Sarah, but also other layers of symbolism in other Biblical passages that you lose out on by not being able to read it in the original.

 

[PrisonerOfChrist]

Thanks Midori

 

[otrrl]

The Jewish Publication Society commentary on Genesis doesn’t offer up much different from the previous comments, except that if Sarai is derived from a nearby language (not Hebrew) it means “queen.”

The language is one level of analysis and the context, here of the covenant with Abraham, is another. Sarah is viewed as a prophetess in Judaism. Christians learn in Revelation that God has a secret name for each of us, and here, it seems, that name is revealed to each of Abram and Sarai. So, they need to look at each other in God’s terms, not in the old way.

That suggests an elevation in status of Sarai and points to her role in the genesis of Israel. (I’m way past the commentary here.) So, stretching my neck out here, God is perhaps pointing out that the nations shall come about through Sarah rather than through Hagar, who sires Abraham’s first born. So, changing her name might be the part of the prophecy and covenant that will be fulfilled through her.

A feminist view would say that Sarah goes a long way, in this respect, towards restoring the status of women which was reduced by the sin of Eve.

Symbolism? Adam and Eve start off the human race earlier in Genesis. Noah and his wife represent another new start to humanity after the flood. And a new expanded spiritual dimension begins with Abraham and Sarah. These represent progressions from family to tribe to nation, or are at least along that progression.

Isn’t Abraham referred to as “our father in faith?”

More shaky ground: Isn’t Abraham mentioned more in the New Testament than the other patriarchs? (74 times by my count in Strong’s Concordance.)