Genesis 17:15-17
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God didn't just change Sarai's name; He shifted her identity from being "my princess," belonging solely to Abraham, to "Sarah," a princess in a broader, more expansive sense, signifying her role as the mother of many nations. This subtle linguistic shift highlights God’s power to redefine and elevate individuals within His unfolding plan.
And God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.” Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Immediately after God establishes the covenant of circumcision with Abraham, He addresses Abraham's wife, Sarai. God commands Abraham to change her name from Sarai to Sarah, signifying a broader royal status, just as Abraham's own name was changed to Abraham. This change in name marks Sarah's official inclusion in the covenant and God's promise that she, despite her advanced age, will bear the promised heir.
Names in the Bible aren't just labels; they carry meaning and significance. When God changes a name, something profound is happening.
In Genesis 17:15, God instructs Abraham to change his wife's name from Sarai to Sarah. This wasn't just a casual renaming; it was a divine act signifying a shift in her identity and role within God's plan.
What's in a name? In Sarah's case, it was a dramatic expansion of her destiny, moving from a personal title to a promise encompassing the world.
The shift from Sarai to Sarah is more than just semantics; it represents a move from a limited, personal sphere of influence to one defined by a universal divine promise.
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Understand the original words
shem · Hebrew Noun
A name given by God or humans that signifies a person's identity, character, or the divine calling placed upon their life. In Scripture, a name change often marks a transition in status, role, or a new phase in God's redemptive plan.
barak · Hebrew Verb
In the Bible, blessing primarily refers to the bestowal of divine favor, prosperity, and the enablement of life and fruitfulness, especially in the context of the covenant.
goy · Hebrew Noun
A social or political unit often defined by common descent, language, or territory; in Genesis, it frequently refers to the various people groups descending from the patriarchs.
melek · Hebrew Noun
A term denoting sovereignty, authority, and rule; in the Abrahamic context, it signifies the high status and royal influence of his descendants.
The name change for Sarai to Sarah signifies her elevated status and the expansion of God's promise beyond her own limited influence to that of a mother of nations, directly linked to the covenant established at this pivotal moment.
c. 2091 BC— this verse
God establishes covenant with Abram
God makes a profound covenant with Abram (later Abraham), promising to make him a father of many nations and to give his descendants the land of Canaan. Abram's name is changed to Abraham, and Sarai's to Sarah, signifying their new roles and a widening of God's promise.
c. 2091 BC
Abraham and males are circumcised
As a sign of this covenant, God commands Abraham to circumcise himself, all males in his household, and future male offspring on the eighth day. Abraham immediately obeys this command.
c. 2090 BC
Birth of Ishmael
Although Sarah is barren, Abraham, following her suggestion, has a son, Ishmael, with Sarah's servant Hagar. This event occurs after the covenant but before the miraculous birth of Isaac.
c. 2077 BC
Birth of Isaac
God fulfills his promise by enabling Sarah, now advanced in age, to conceive and bear a son named Isaac. Isaac is the child of the covenant through whom God's promises will be passed down.
This verse shows God changing Abram's name to Abraham, signifying a new identity and purpose, just as Sarai's name change to Sarah signifies her new role as the mother of nations.
1 Peter 3:6This passage directly refers to Sarah as an example for believing women, calling her 'Lady Sarah' and highlighting her obedience, which echoes the elevated status and purpose implied by her name change.
Isaiah 54:1-3This prophetic passage uses Sarah's story as a metaphor for God's people, calling them to rejoice and expand their tents because they will be fruitful and fill vast spaces, mirroring the expansive promise associated with Sarah's new name.
Galatians 4:22-31This New Testament passage contrasts Sarah, the mother of the free, with Hagar, the slave, using their stories to illustrate the difference between those born of the flesh and those born of the Spirit, showing how Sarah's identity is foundational to God's spiritual plan.
gillGenesis 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."
And God said unto Abraham,.... After he had changed his name, and given him the covenant of circumcision: as for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah her name shall be; her former name Sarai signifies "my princess", or rather "princesses", being to him in the room of many, and better than ten thousand; yet only a princess to him, and in his…
clarkeGenesis 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."
Thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah - See note on Genesis 17:5 .
God didn't just change Sarai's name; He shifted her identity from being "my princess," belonging solely to Abraham, to "Sarah," a princess in a broader, more expansive sense, signifying her role as the mother of many nations. This subtle linguistic shift highlights God’s power to redefine and elevate individuals within His unfolding plan.
Immediately after God establishes the covenant of circumcision with Abraham, He addresses Abraham's wife, Sarai. God commands Abraham to change her name from Sarai to Sarah, signifying a broader royal status, just as Abraham's own name was changed to Abraham. This change in name marks Sarah's official inclusion in the covenant and God's promise that she, despite her advanced age, will bear the promised heir.
Immediately after God establishes the covenant of circumcision with Abraham, He addresses Abraham's wife, Sarai. God commands Abraham to change her name from Sarai to Sarah, signifying a broader royal status, just as Abraham's own name was changed to Abraham. This change in name marks Sarah's official inclusion in the covenant and God's promise that she, despite her advanced age, will bear the promised heir.
"And God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of people…" — God didn't just change Sarai's name; He shifted her identity from being "my princess," belonging solely to Abraham, to "Sarah," a princess in a broader, more expansive sense, signifying her role as t…
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Last reviewed October 2026
