I Think She Gets a Bad Rap: Sarai (Part 2)

I began the first part of this post by laying out some common knowledge amongst Christians regarding Abraham and Sarah. I am fully aware that this couple also play large roles in Judaism and Islam, but I am not familiar with the specific details of how each of these religions view their spiritual ancestors. Although I could make assumptions regarding both, I am choosing not to so as not to show my ignorance in these religions.

No, for my purposes, I am speaking to those of us raised in the Christian church or at least have been there long enough to have some common knowledge about the Patriarch of God's people and his spouse. If you haven't already read the first post on this topic, you should, otherwise the points I'm about to make will probably seem...well...pointless to you.

(For part 1, click here)

What I'd like to do in this post is bring forth a few observations that for some reason struck me for the very first time as I read the Genesis accounting of Abraham recently. These observations led me to ask a few questions and look at Sarah from an entirely different perspective...a much more favorable one than I confess I've had in the past. I will also share that my study came from the New American Standard Bible and unless something has been lost in translation, I believe them to be accurate.

• Genesis 11:30, we learn for the first time that Sarai, Abram's (aka Abraham) wife is barren
• Chapter 12, verses 1-3 indicate the first recorded time God spoke to Abram and promised he would be a great nation. The promise includes that those who bless Abram will be blessed and those who curse Abram will be cursed. "So Abram went forth as the LORD had spoken to him..." (Genesis 12:4)
• In said promise, there is no mention of how God will accomplish this. Abram's moving from Haran and setting out for Canaan is interpreted by most as belief in God's promise, but we are not told this specifically.
• Chapter 12, verse 7, God appears to Abram and says, "To your descendants I will give this land." Emphasis mine, because this is the first recorded mention of the land belonging to Abram's descendants.
• Verses 10-20 record a lack of faith on the part of Abram. There is a famine in Canaan, Abram and his entourage head off to Egypt in order to survive. But apparently, a woman we would now consider elderly, Sarai is so beautiful, Abram fears the Pharaoh will take her as a wife and kill Abram. He instructs Sarai to speak a "half-truth" saying she is Abram's sister (they really were half-siblings). Pharaoh gives Abram a lot of loot, including servants (could this be when they acquired Hagar?) because of Sarai. We are not told that Pharaoh ever sleeps with Sarai, but it would not have been out of practice to do so. Regardless of how Sarai was treated, Pharaoh's household is struck with "plagues", and he knows it's all Abram's fault. Thus, he has them escorted away.
• The last bullet point proves that Abram's faith was a bit shaky because how could you believe the promise of God and yet fear for your life. Keep in mind, up to this point, we have never been told that Abram believed God. Genesis 12:7 says Abram built an altar because God appeared to him, not because he believed Him.
• Chapter 13 tells how Abram and his nephew, Lot, amicably part ways because their farming operations had become so vast that the land could not support both of them any longer. After Lot separated from Abram, God reveals even more of the promise to Abram: All the land he could see, as far as he could look, would belong to Abram's descendants who will be too numerous to count.
• When we skip forward to Chapter 15, this is the first time God spells out for Abram, your servant won't be your heir. No...it will be "one who will come forth from your own body..." (verse 4) I would like to point out, this still does not stress that Sarai will be the mother of this heir.
• At this point, God takes Abram outside and says just as he can't number the stars, neither will Abram's descendants be countable. Verse 6 of chapter 15 is the first place it specifies, "Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness." Yes, the emphasis is mine. But I believe that little word, "then", is there because this is the very first time Abram actually believed God's promise...particularly the part about the heir coming from Abram himself.
• Even though we're told Abram believed, he still asks God, "how may I know that I will possess (the land)?" God then does something no other god has done...He "cuts covenant" with Abram...a man. The full sacrifice is described in Genesis 15:9-21, but essentially God passed between the sacrifice to show His commitment...His covenant...(contract) with Abram. This ritual in that day usually consisted of both parties passing between the sacrifice, but in this context, the entire covenant depended upon God, not Abram. Thus, only God passed through.

I hope you've already picked up on this huge point I'd like to make: No where is it written that Sarai knew about any of this. We are placing our Western assumptions upon their marriage that she knew everything her husband experienced. Also in no place recorded, has God as of yet declared that Sarai would be the bearer of this heir of Abram's.

Keeping this in mind, can we cut Sarai a little slack for what she does in Chapter 16?

Read this chapter in Genesis and come back soon for some thoughts on Sarai's desperate actions.