Menu

Genesis 18:9 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵׄלָׄ֔יׄוׄ אַיֵּ֖ה שָׂרָ֣ה אִשְׁתֶּ֑ךָ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הִנֵּ֥ה בָאֹֽהֶל׃

BSAWhereʼayêh [in what location, a question of direction] is your wifeʼishshâh [female companion, partner] SarahSârâh [noblewoman, princess] they askedʼâmar [spoke, inquired] Therehinnêh [in that place, towards the tent] in the tentʼôhel [nomadic dwelling, place of rest] he repliedʼâmar [answered, spoke in response]

Word
Listen & take awayGenesis 18
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 9 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (va.'O.hel) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Genesis 18:9quick helps
In a sentenceAbraham's visitors ask about Sarah's location, and he responds that she is in the tent.
Who is speakingThe visitors, who are not named, inquire about Sarah.
Where we areThis moment occurs during a visit to Abraham, right before a significant promise is made.
The hard wordאִשְׁתֶּךָ, 'ish.Te.kha
Take awayThe inquiry highlights the importance of Sarah in the unfolding promise.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbאָמַר The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Genesis 18:9

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — The Visit to Abrahamgenerated

8Then Abraham brought curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and he set them before the men and stood by them under the tree as they ate.
9“Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked. “There, in the tent,” he replied.
10Then the LORD said, “I will surely return to you at this time next year, and your wife Sarah will have a son!” Now Sarah was behind him, listening at the entrance to the tent.
11And Abraham and Sarah were already old and well along in years; Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.

Genesis 18:9 presents a moment when three visitors come to Abraham, leading to a pivotal announcement about Sarah's future. This encounter emphasizes the significance of Sarah, as her role is central to the promise of a son, which is reiterated shortly after in Genesis 18:10. The narrative sets the stage for the fulfillment of God's covenant with Abraham and his family.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Genesis 4:9And the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I do not know!” he answered. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
2Genesis 24:67And Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah and took Rebekah as his wife. And Isaac loved her and was comforted after his mother’s death.
3Genesis 31:33So Laban went into Jacob’s tent, then Leah’s tent, and then the tents of the two maidservants, but he found nothing. Then he left Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent.
4Titus 2:5to be self-controlled, pure, managers of their households, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be discredited.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word אִשְׁתֶּךָ, 'ish.Te.khagenerated

The term אִשָּׁה (ishshah) means 'woman' or 'wife,' indicating a female partner. In this context, it specifically refers to Sarah as Abraham's wife, highlighting her importance in the family lineage and the covenant promise.

The construct form with the suffix indicates possession, directly translating to 'your wife,' emphasizing the personal relationship between Abraham and Sarah.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb יֹּאמְר֣וּ, they said, governs the sentence, with two clauses following it: the question about Sarah's location and Abraham's response. The structure emphasizes the interaction between the visitors and Abraham.

The word order places the inquiry first, drawing attention to the question posed to Abraham before he provides his answer.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יֹּאמְר֣וּ as εἶπεν, which means 'he said.' This choice reflects a direct correspondence to the Hebrew, maintaining the same meaning of speaking or asking.

The use of ποῦ for אַיֵּ֖ה emphasizes the inquiry about location, aligning closely with the Hebrew intent.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Genesis 18:9 shows a moment when Abraham's visitors ask about his wife Sarah. Abraham responds that she is in the tent, which sets the stage for the promise of a son that will follow shortly.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Why is the question about Sarah significant?

The question highlights Sarah's role in God's promise to Abraham, indicating her importance in the covenant.

What does the term 'wife' imply in this context?

The term indicates a close personal relationship and partnership in the context of family and covenant.

How does this verse connect to the promise of a son?

This inquiry precedes God's announcement that Sarah will have a son, linking her directly to the fulfillment of the promise.

What can we learn about relationships from this verse?

The interaction between Abraham and the visitors emphasizes the importance of communication and connection within relationships.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does this interaction teach us about the importance of asking questions in relationships?
  2. How can we reflect on the roles of men and women in the context of family and faith?
  3. In what ways does God fulfill promises in our lives today?
  4. How can we be attentive to the needs and roles of those around us, like Abraham was with Sarah?

The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it

Early commentary on this verse highlights its significance in understanding the roles of Abraham and Sarah in God's promise, as seen in the writings of Origen and Ephrem.

Origen of AlexandriaHOMILIES ON Genesis 4.4 c. 185–253
What then does the Lord say to Abraham? “Where,” the text reads, “is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “Lo, she is in the tent.” But the Lord said, “I will certainly come to you at this time in due season,
Early Church Fathers on Genesis 18 →
Ephrem the SyrianCOMMENTARY ON Genesis 15:2 c. 306–373
After they had eaten, “they inquired about Sarah.” She, who even in her old age had preserved her modesty, came out from inside the tent to the door of the tent.
Early Church Fathers on Genesis 18 →
Ephrem the SyrianCOMMENTARY ON Genesis 15:3 c. 306–373
“Then [God] said of Sarah, ‘At this time I will return to you, and Sarah will have a son.’ ” But Sarah, even though Abraham was standing behind her to strengthen her, “laughed and said,
Early Church Fathers on Genesis 18 →

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Genesis 18:9 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And they said unto him, where [is] Sarah thy wife?.... One of them put the question; and so the Septuagint version renders it, "and he said unto him", the principal of them, whom Abraham at first

Read John Gill on Genesis 18 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.

Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 18 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

They said unto him, i.e. one of them, in the name of all, said; which he did not for his own satisfaction, for he who knew her name knew also where she was, but to give occasion for the following discourse. In the tent; in her tent; for men and women had then their several tents or apartments.

Read Matthew Poole on Genesis 18 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Genesis 18:9 And they said unto him, Where [is] Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.Ver. 9. Behold, in the tent.] David compares a good woman to the vines upon the walls of the house, because she cleaveth to her house. Others to a snail, that carrieth her house on her back. St Paul reckons it for a virtue in a woman to "keep at home"; and Solomon for a sign of a lewd housewife, that "her feet abide not in her house". Among the Grecians, the bride was carried through the streets in a chariot, the axle spokes was burnt, to signify that she must keep home.

Read John Trapp on Genesis 18 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(9) They said.—But in Genesis 18:10 “he said,” and in Genesis 18:13; Genesis 18:17; Genesis 18:20, &c, “the Lord (Jehovah) said.” The messenger speaks as one with Jehovah, or as being His representative. Where is Sarah thy wife?—This question is contrary to Oriental manners, as the women may be referred to only in the most indirect manner. But during the meal Abraham, as he talked with the strangers, had probably begun to recognise in them something more than human.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Genesis 18 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

9. Sarah thy wife] The knowledge of his wife’s name must have caused Abraham surprise, and gives perhaps the first indication of his guests’ real character.

Read Cambridge on Genesis 18 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

9. Where is Sarah — Here comes out the main purpose of their visit. Sarah’s lack of faith must be overcome by a divinely inspired confidence that will put all doubt and trifling aside.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Genesis 18 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

“Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked. “There, in the tent,” he replied.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

They asked him, “Where is Sarah, your wife?” He said, “There, in the tent.”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

“Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked. “There, in the tent,” he replied.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Then they asked him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” He replied, “There, in the tent.”

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

¶ And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And they said to him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Then they saide to him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he answered, Beholde, she is in the tent.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And they said to him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And they say unto him, 'Where [is] Sarah thy wife?' and he saith, 'Lo — in the tent;'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And they say to him, “Where [is] Sarah your wife?” And he says, “Behold—in the tent”;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife! And he said, Behold, in the tent.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” He replied, “There, in the tent.”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And when they had eaten, they said to him: Where is Sara thy wife? He answered: Lo, she is in the tent.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

“Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him. “Over there, inside the tent,” he replied.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And they said to him, Where is Sarah your wife? And he said, She is in the tent.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

וַandclauseverbיֹּאמְר֣וּthey.saidprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֵׄלָׄ֔יׄtoוׄhimclausepredicateאַיֵּ֖הwhere?noun phrase · subjectשָׂרָ֣ה[is].Sarahnoun phraseאִשְׁתֶּ֑wifeךָyourוַandclauseverbיֹּ֖אמֶרhe.saidclauseclauseהִנֵּ֥הthere!clauseprepositional phrase · predicateבָinnoun phrasetheאֹֽהֶלtent

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text aligns with the Septuagint and the Samaritan Pentateuch, all agreeing word for word in this verse. This consistency across witnesses reinforces the reliability of the text.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵׄלָׄ֔יׄוׄ אַיֵּ֖ה שָׂרָ֣ה אִשְׁתֶּ֑ךָ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הִנֵּ֥ה בָאֹֽהֶל׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיֹּאמְר֣וּεἶπενאֵׄלָׄ֔יׄוׄαὐτόνאַיֵּ֖הποῦשָׂרָ֣הσαρραאִשְׁתֶּ֑ךָσουוַיֹּ֖אמֶרεἶπενהִנֵּ֥הἰδοὺבָאֹֽהֶל׃σκηνῇ

8 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

ויאמרו אליו איה שׂרה אשׁתך ויאמר הנה באהל

Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Genesis 18:9אָמַרand they saand they saidאָמַראֶלto himto himאֶלאַיֵּהwhere?where?אַיֵּהשָׂרָה[is] Sarah[is] Sarahשָׂרָהאִשָּׁהwife yourwife yourאִשָּׁהאָמַרand he saidand he saidאָמַרהִנֵּהthere!there!הִנֵּהאֹ֫הֶלin the tentin the tentאֹ֫הֶלאַיwhere?where?אַיאָהַלto shineto shineאָהַלשָׂרָהprincessprincessשָׂרָהאִישׁmanmanאִישׁאֱנוֹשׁhumanhumanאֱנוֹשׁהֵןlook!look!הֵןכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַליִרְמְיָ֫הJeremiahJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫האַרְפַּדArpadArpadאַרְפַּדחֲמָתHamathHamathחֲמָתצָחַקto laughto laughצָחַקאַבְרָםAbrahamAbrahamאַבְרָםטַףchildchildטַףנָכְרִיforeignforeignנָכְרִינֶ֫גַעplagueplagueנֶ֫גַעחֲלוֹםdreamdreamחֲלוֹם
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Genesis 18:9

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

and they said to him where? [is] Sarah wife your and he said there! in the tent
וַיֹּאמְר֣וּvai.yo.me.Ru and they said H559 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Amplified meaning
spoke, inquired
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,

certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),

commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X

expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,

publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X

suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend

1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called

1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/Vqw3mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they said to him where? [is] Sarah wife your and he said there! in the tent
אֵׄלָׄ֔יׄוׄ'e.Lav to him H413 Preposition · suffix
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֶל (el) is primarily a preposition indicating motion towards or direction to a person or place. It can also imply entering a limit, presence at a location, or a hostile direction (against). Additionally, it may express concepts such as concerning, in addition to, or according to. The entries highlight its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).of motion to or unto a person or place

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H413 אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), . of motion to or unto a person or place

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

(but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el});

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or

among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after,

against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and,

by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of,

over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether,

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion)

4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character)

5) in addition to, to

6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of

7) according to (rule or standard)

8) at, by, against (of one's presence)

9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HRd/Sp3ms — Preposition · suffix
HRd/Sp3ms
and they said to him where? [is] Sarah wife your and he said there! in the tent
אַיֵּ֖ה'ai.Yeh where? H346 Particle
45× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for where, used to ask for the location of someone or something. It appears in various biblical contexts, including rhetorical questions.
Amplified meaning
in what location, a question of direction
Tyndale gloss
where?
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אַיֵּה (*'ayeh*) means "where?" and is used as an interrogative adverb. It can refer to the location of persons or things and may also be used rhetorically. The word is derived from a prolonged form of another root, but the entries do not provide further details on its usage in specific verses.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַיֵּה 46 interr.adv. Where?

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H346 אַיֵּה Where?

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

346 'ayeh ah-yay'

prolonged from 335; where?:--where.

see HEBREW for 0335

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַיֵּה (ay.yeh) — where?.

1) where?

1a) of persons, things

1b) rhetorical

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTi
and they said to him where? [is] Sarah wife your and he said there! in the tent
שָׂרָ֣הsa.Rah [is] Sarah H8283 Noun proper feminine
38× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Sarah was Abraham's wife and the mother of Isaac, a key figure in the book of Genesis. Her name means noblewoman, reflecting her high social status. She is first mentioned in Genesis 11:29.
Amplified meaning
noblewoman, princess
Tyndale gloss
Sarah
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׂרָה (Sarah) refers to the wife of Abraham and the mother of Isaac. The name is associated with nobility, as indicated by its meaning 'noblewoman.' Sarah is first mentioned in Genesis 11:29 and is also known as Sarai in earlier texts. She is the daughter of Terah and sister to Abraham, Nahor, and Haran.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׂרָה 37 n.pr.f. wife of Abraham (princess)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8283 שָׂרָה wife of Abraham

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8283 Sarah saw-raw'

the same as 8282; Sarah, Abraham's wife:--Sarah.

see HEBREW for 08282

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׂרָה (sa.rah) — Sarah.

A woman living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.11.29;

daughter of: Terah (H8646);

sister of: Abraham (H0085), Nahor (H5152H) and Haran (H2039); married to Abraham (H0085);

mother of: Isaac (H3327); also called Sarai at Gen.11.29,30,31; 12.5,11,17; 16.1,2,3,5,6,8; 17.15;

§ Sarah = "noblewoman"

wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper feminine
HNpf
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Sarah

Princess, the wife and at the same time the half-sister of Abraham (Gen. 11:29; 20:12). This name was given to her at the time that it was announced to Abraham that she should be the mother of the promised child. Her story is from her marriage identified with that of the patriarch till the time of her death. Her death, at the age of one hundred and twenty-seven years (the only instance in Scripture where the age of a woman is recorded), was the occasion of Abraham’s purchasing the cave of Machpelah as a family burying-place.

In the allegory of Gal. 4:22-31 she is the type of the “Jerusalem which is above.” She is also mentioned as Sara in Heb. 11:11 among the Old Testament worthies, who “all died in faith.” (See…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(princess). The wife and half-sister, (Genesis 20:12) of Abraham, and mother of Isaac. Her name is first introduced in (Genesis 11:29) as Sarai. The change of her name from Sarai, my princess (i.e. Abraham’s), to Sarah, princess (for all the race), was made at the same time that Abram’s name was changed to Abraham, --on the establishment of the covenant of circumcision between him and God. Sarah’s history is of course that of Abraham. [ABRAHAM] She died at Hebron at the age of 127 years, 28 years before her husband and was buried by him in the cave of (B.C. 1860.) She is referred to in the New Testament as a type of conjugal obedience in (1 Peter 3:6) and as one of the types of faith in (

Or SARA, the wife of Abraham, the daughter of his father by another mother, Ge 20:12. Most Jewish writers, however, and many interpreters, identify her with Iscah, the sister of Lot, and Abraham’s niece, Gen 11.29; the word "daughter" according to Hebrew usage, comprising any female descendant, and "sister," any female relation by blood. When God made a covenant with Abraham, he changed the name of Sarai or my princess, into that of Sarah, or princess; and promised Abraham a son by her, which was fulfilled in due time.

The most prominent points of her history as recorded in the Bible are, her consenting to Abraham’s unbelieving dissimulation while near Pharaoh and Abimelech; her long-continued barrenness; her giving to Abraham her maid Hagar as a secondary wife; their mutual jealousy; and her bearing Isaac in her old age, "the…

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

lady; princess; princess of the multitude

and they said to him where? [is] Sarah wife your and he said there! in the tent
אִשְׁתֶּ֑ךָ'ish.Te.kha wife your H802 Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
781× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for woman, used to describe a female person, wife, or animal, appears in many biblical passages, including Genesis and Exodus, and is often translated as woman, wife, or female.
Amplified meaning
female companion, partner
Tyndale gloss
woman
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אִשָּׁה (ishshah) means 'woman,' 'wife,' or 'female.' It can refer to a woman in general, a wife in relation to a man, or the female of animals. The term also has distributive and reciprocal uses, indicating 'each woman' from her neighbor. The word is derived from the masculine forms אִישׁ (ish) and אִישָׁה (ishah), indicating a broad range of meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אִשָּׁה 773 n.f. woman, wife, female

woman

Wife (woman belonging to a man, usually cstr. or sf.)

Female of animals

With distrib. & recipr. sense, each woman from her neighbor; each one

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H802 אִשָּׁה woman, wife, female . woman

. Wife (woman belonging to a man, usually cstr. or sf.)

. Female of animals

. With distrib. & recipr. sense, each woman from her neighbor; each one

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

802 'ishshah ish-shaw'

feminine of 376 or 582; irregular plural, nashiym

{naw-sheem'}; a woman (used in the same wide sense as

582):--(adulter)ess, each, every, female, X many, + none,

one, + together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.

see HEBREW for 0376

see HEBREW for 0582

see HEBREW for 0582

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman.

: woman

1) woman, wife, female

1a) woman (opposite of man)

1b) wife (woman married to a man)

1c) female (of animals)

1d) each, every (pronoun)

אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman: wife.

: wife/widow

1) woman, wife, female

1a) woman (opposite of man)

1b) wife (woman married to a man)

1c) female (of animals)

1d) each, every (pronoun)

אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman: another.

: another

1) woman, wife, female

1a) woman (opposite of man)

1b) wife (woman married to a man)

1c) female (of animals)

1d) each, every (pronoun)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HNcfsc/Sp2ms
and they said to him where? [is] Sarah wife your and he said there! in the tent
וַיֹּ֖אמֶרvai.Yo.mer and he said H559 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Amplified meaning
answered, spoke in response
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,

certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),

commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X

expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,

publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X

suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend

1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called

1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they said to him where? [is] Sarah wife your and he said there! in the tent
הִנֵּ֥הhi.Neh there! H2009 Particle
843× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is an expression that means 'behold' or 'look', often used to draw attention to something. It appears in Genesis and Isaiah, and is translated as 'behold' or 'lo' in the KJV.
Amplified meaning
in that place, towards the tent
Tyndale gloss
behold
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הִנֵּה (hinneh) is a Hebrew word meaning 'behold' or 'lo!' It serves as a demonstrative particle used to draw attention, appearing in contexts such as Genesis 19:2. The word is derived from a prolongation of another Hebrew term, but the entries do not provide further details on its usage beyond this.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הִנֵּה, once הִנֶּה־ Gn 19:2, demonstr.part. lo!, behold!

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2009 הִנֵּה, הִנֶּה־ lo!, behold!

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2009 hinneh hin-nay'

prolongation for 2005; lo!:--behold, lo, see.

see HEBREW for 02005

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הִנֵּה (hin.neh) — behold.

behold, lo, see, if

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTj
and they said to him where? [is] Sarah wife your and he said there! in the tent
בָאֹֽהֶל׃va.'O.hel in the tent H168 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
345× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for a tent, often used to describe the tabernacle or a nomad's home. In Exodus 33:7-11, it refers to the sacred tent where God meets with Moses.
Amplified meaning
nomadic dwelling, place of rest
Tyndale gloss
tent
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֹ֫הֶל (*ohel*) means 'tent' and is derived from a root meaning 'to be conspicuous.' It encompasses various meanings, including a nomad's tent, a dwelling or home, and specifically refers to the sacred tent used for worship, known as the tabernacle. The entries consistently highlight its association with transience and habitation.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֹ֫הֶל 343 n.m. tent

tent of nomad

dwelling, habitation

the sacred tent used in worship of God

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H168 אֹ֫הֶל tent

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

168 'ohel o'-hel

from 166; a tent (as clearly conspicuous from a

distance):--covering, (dwelling)(place), home, tabernacle,

tent.

see HEBREW for 0166

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֹ֫הֶל (o.hel) — tent.

: tent

1) tent

1a) nomad's tent, and thus symbolic of wilderness life, transience

1b) dwelling, home, habitation

1c) the sacred tent of Jehovah (the tabernacle)

Also means: o.hel (אֹ֫הֶל ": home" H0168H)

אֹ֫הֶל (o.hel) — tent: home.

: home

1) tent

1a) nomad's tent, and thus symbolic of wilderness life, transience

1b) dwelling, home, habitation

1c) the sacred tent of Jehovah (the tabernacle)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HRd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

tent ('ohel; skene; 'ohel is a derivative of 'ahal, "to be clear," "to shine"; hence, 'ohel, "to be conspicuous from a distance"): In the great stretches of uncultivated lands in the interior of Syria or Arabia, which probably have much the same aspect today as in Abraham's time, it is an easy matter to espy an encampment of roving Bedouin, "a nation .... that dwelleth without care .... that have neither gates nor bars" (Jer 49:31). The peaks of their black (compare So 1:5) goats' hair tents stand out in contrast against the lighter colors of the soil.

There seems to be little doubt about the antiquity of the Arab tent, and one can rightly believe that-the dwelling-places of Abraham, Sarah, Jacob, and their descendants were made on the same pattern and of the same materials (

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Tent

(1.) Heb. ‘ohel (Gen. 9:21, 27). This word is used also of a dwelling or habitation (1 Kings 8:66; Isa. 16:5; Jer. 4:20), and of the temple (Ezek. 41:1). When used of the tabernacle, as in 1 Kings 1:39, it denotes the covering of goat’s hair which was placed over the mishcan.

(2.) Heb. mishcan (Cant. 1:8), used also of a dwelling (Job 18:21; Ps. 87:2), the grave (

Among the leading characteristics of the nomad races, those two have always been numbered whose origin has been ascribed to Jabal the son of Lameth, (Genesis 4:20) viz., to be tent-dwellers and keepers of cattle. The same may be said of the forefathers of the Hebrew race; nor was it until the return into Canaan from Egypt that the Hebrews became inhabitants of cities. An Arab tent is called beit , "house;" its covering consists of stuff, about three quarters of a yard broad, made of black goat’s-hair, (Solomon 1:5) laid parallel with the tent’s length. This is sufficient to resist the heaviest rain. The tent-poles or columns are usually nine in number, placed in three groups; but many tents have only one pole, others two or three. The ropes which hold the tent in its place are fastened, not to the tent-cover itself, but to loops…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Dwelling in tents was very general in ancient times among Eastern nations, Ge 4:20; their way of life being pastoral, locomotion became necessary for pasturage, and dwellings adapted for such a life became indispensable, Isa 38:12. The patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob dwelt in tents, Ge 18:1 Heb 11:9; and on the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, throughout their peregrinations until they obtained the promised land, and to some extent afterwards, they adopted the same kind of habitation. See BOOTHS. Hence the expression. "Every man to his tents, O Israel," etc.,

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

Everything we make is available for free because of a generous community of supporters.

Donate