Sarai vs Sarah?

[JohnStevenson]

What do you think is the significance in the name-change of Sarai to Sarah in Genesis 17?

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

Matthew Henry says:

The ratification of this promise was the change of Sarai's name into Sarah (v. 15), the same letter being added to her name that was to Abraham's, and for the same reasons. Sarai signifies my princess, as if her honour were confined to one family only. Sarah signifies a princess--namely, of multitudes, or signifying that from her should come the Messiah the prince, even the prince of the kings of the earth.

Earlier regarding her husband's name change, he said:

In token of this his name was changed from Abram, a high father, to Abraham, the father of a multitude. This was, 1. To put an honour upon him. It is spoken of as the glory of the church that she shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name, Isa. lxii. 2. Princes dignify their favourites by conferring new titles upon them; thus was Abraham dignified by him that is indeed the fountain of honour. All believers have a new name, Rev. ii. 17. Some think it added to the honour of Abraham's new name that a letter of the name Jehovah was inserted into it, as it was a disgrace to Jeconiah to have the first syllable of his name cut off, because it was the same as the first syllable of the sacred name, Jer. xxii. 28. Believers are named from Christ, Eph. iii. 15. 2. To encourage and confirm the faith of Abraham. While he was childless perhaps even his own name was sometimes an occasion of grief to him: why should he be called a high father who was not a father at all? But now that God had promised him a numerous issue, and had given him a name which signified so much, that name was his joy. Note, God calls things that are not as though they were. It is the apostle's observation upon this very thing, Rom. iv. 17. He called Abraham the father of a multitude because he should prove to be so in due time, though as yet he had but one child.

 

[Robin]

In Genesis 15, the Great King cuts "covenant - grant" and bestows a "royal grant" upon Abraham -- meaning no matter what Abraham does, God will do all that's required to gift the "land" to his "Royal couple."

The change of names signifies that there is a true elevation of status - why? God, the Great King, "knights" Abraham & Sarah so they may be ancestors of "the Seed" (Christ) - a true Prince and King; the Royal Vassal that succeeds in obeying the Great Creator-King.

---summarizing p. 40-43 "God of Promise" by Michael Horton

Robin

Imagine what M. Henry would have thought if they'd had the discoveries of suzerainty treaty forms back then?! Pretty exciting stuff to observe God's very real construction of an earthly monarchy to accomplish His covenantal grant.





[Edited on 5-22-2006 by Robin]