Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The phrase "the way of women" refers specifically to Sarah's menstrual cycle, indicating that it had ceased, making natural conception impossible. This detail underscores the miraculous nature of the promised birth, emphasizing that it would be a divine intervention rather than a natural occurrence.
Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah.
English Standard Version (ESV)
In this pivotal moment, God, appearing as visitors to Abraham, promises that Sarah will have a son within a year. This promise directly addresses the long-standing covenant God made with Abraham concerning descendants, but it seems impossible given their advanced age. This verse specifically highlights Sarah's biological impossibility, emphasizing that her monthly cycles, the natural means of conception, had ceased long ago.
The promise of a child to Abraham and Sarah seemed impossible by every natural standard. What does this tell us about God's timing and methods?
The verse vividly describes Abraham and Sarah's advanced age: 'Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years.' This wasn't just a matter of being elderly; it was a complete cessation of natural possibility.
Nature's Limits Reached
'The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah' is a direct, even stark, way of saying that she had passed the age of childbearing. The biological processes that allow for conception were no longer active. This is confirmed by commentators who note this signifies the end of her monthly cycle, making natural conception impossible.
God's Timing, Not Ours
This extreme physical impossibility wasn't an oversight by God; it was foundational to the miracle He was about to perform. God's promises often unfold when human efforts and natural means are exhausted. Sarah's condition wasn't a barrier to God's plan, but the very stage setting for His extraordinary power to be displayed.
Sarah's reaction to the promise reveals a deep-seated doubt rooted in natural limitations. How does this contrast with true faith?
The immediate aftermath of the promise, though not detailed in this specific verse, shows Sarah's internal struggle. When God's word clashed with her reality, her first instinct was disbelief, leading to laughter in her heart and a subsequent denial.
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The Laughter of Doubt
Commentators point out that Sarah's laughter wasn't one of joy or awe, but of disbelief stemming from her age and the impossibility of the situation. She 'foolishly sets her own age and that of her husband in opposition to the word of God,' as Calvin notes.
True Faith Acknowledges God's Power
Genuine faith doesn't ignore natural circumstances, but it doesn't let them dictate the truth of God's promises. It looks beyond the 'ceased' way of women to the God who created that way and can override it. Abraham, in contrast, 'gave glory to God' by believing the promise, even when his own body was 'as good as dead.'
Understand the original words
Abraham · Hebrew Proper Noun
A proper name meaning 'father of a multitude'; the patriarch with whom God established His covenant, promising him numerous descendants through whom all nations would be blessed.
Sarah · Hebrew Proper Noun
A proper name meaning 'princess' or 'noblewoman'; the wife of Abraham and mother of the promised son, Isaac, through whom the covenant line continued.
The verse emphasizes the extreme natural impossibility of Sarah conceiving, highlighting that the promised birth of Isaac was entirely a miraculous act of God, beyond human explanation or capability.
c. 2166 BC
Birth of Ishmael
Abraham fathers Ishmael with Hagar at the age of 86, after Sarah had remained childless for many years. This event highlights Abraham and Sarah's desire for an heir and the initial difficulties in fulfilling God's promise.
c. 2153 BC— this verse
Abraham's Covenant Renewal
God reaffirms His covenant with Abraham at age 99, changing his name to Abraham and Sarah's to Sarah. This event directly precedes the promise of a son, setting the stage for the miraculous birth.
c. 2153 BC
Divine Visit and Promise
The LORD appears to Abraham near Mamre, and Sarah overhears the promise that she will have a son within a year. This direct divine interaction and promise is the immediate context for the verse.
c. 2153 BC
Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah
Following the divine visit and the promise to Abraham and Sarah, Abraham intercedes for the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, which are later destroyed due to their wickedness.
c. 2152 BC
Birth of Isaac
Against all natural expectations due to Abraham and Sarah's advanced age, Isaac is born, fulfilling God's promise.
This passage highlights Abraham's own advanced age, emphasizing that the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth was not solely due to Sarah's condition but also to the impossibility for Abraham, in the natural sense, to father a child.
Luke 1:7This verse describes Zechariah and Elizabeth as 'advanced in years' and barren, paralleling Abraham and Sarah's situation and setting the stage for another miraculous birth ordained by God.
Romans 4:19This passage directly reflects on Abraham's faith in the face of his own and Sarah's old age and apparent physical inability to have children, showing how their situation tested their belief in God's promise.
Hebrews 11:11Sarah is mentioned here as an example of faith, crediting her with receiving strength to conceive 'even when she was past the age,' directly linking her barrenness and old age to God's powerful intervention.
calvinGenesis 18:1-33: "And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;"
Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.
Et negavit Sarah, dicendo, Non risi: quia timuit. Et dixit, Nequaquam, quia risisti.
And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
Et surrexerunt inde viri, et respexerunt contra faciem S…
clarkeGenesis 18:11: "Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women."
It ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women - And consequently, naturally speaking, conception could not take place; therefore if she have a son it must be in a supernatural or miraculous way.
The phrase "the way of women" refers specifically to Sarah's menstrual cycle, indicating that it had ceased, making natural conception impossible. This detail underscores the miraculous nature of the promised birth, emphasizing that it would be a divine intervention rather than a natural occurrence.
In this pivotal moment, God, appearing as visitors to Abraham, promises that Sarah will have a son within a year. This promise directly addresses the long-standing covenant God made with Abraham concerning descendants, but it seems impossible given their advanced age. This verse specifically highlights Sarah's biological impossibility, emphasizing that her monthly cycles, the natural means of conception, had ceased long ago.
In this pivotal moment, God, appearing as visitors to Abraham, promises that Sarah will have a son within a year. This promise directly addresses the long-standing covenant God made with Abraham concerning descendants, but it seems impossible given their advanced age. This verse specifically highlights Sarah's biological impossibility, emphasizing that her monthly cycles, the natural means of conception, had ceased long ago.
"Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah." — The phrase "the way of women" refers specifically to Sarah's menstrual cycle, indicating that it had ceased, making natural conception impossible. This detail underscores the miraculous nature of the…
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Last reviewed October 2026