15
Elohimאֱלֹהִיםsaidוַיֹּאמֶרto Abraham,אֶל אַבְרָהָם“As for Saraiשָׂרַיyour wife,אִשְׁתְּךָyou shall not callלֹא תִקְרָאher nameאֶת שְׁמָהּSarai,שָׂרָיforכִּיSarahשָׂרָהwill be her name.שְׁמָהּ
Genesis 17:15
Study it in the app“Elohim said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, for Sarah will be her name.”
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 17:15, word by word
- Elohimאֱלֹהִיםelohim
Elohim
The one true God, the Creator; the word is plural but means one.
Where else “elohim” appears- saidיֹּאמֶרyomer
say
To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.
Where else “yomer” appears- to Abrahamאַבְרָהָםavraham
Abraham
Abraham, the name God gave to Abram; it sounds like "father of a multitude" (Genesis 17:5). The father of the people of Israel, to whom God promised the land and blessing for all the families of the earth.
Where else “avraham” appears- “As for Saraiשָׂרַיsaray
Sarai
Sarai, the name of Sarah before God changed it (Genesis 17:15).
Where else “saray” appears- your wifeאִשְׁתְּisht
wife
Literally "his woman": the one married to him.
Where else “isht” appears- you shall not callתִקְרָאtikra
name
To give someone a name.
Where else “tikra” appears- her nameשְׁמָshema
name
The word by which a person, place or thing is called and recognized.
Where else “shema” appears- Sarahשָׂרָהsara
Sarah
Sarah, the name God gave to Sarai, wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac. It means "princess".
Where else “sara” appears
Translation note
“Sarai” and “Sarah” mean “princess”; they are two forms of the same name.
The context
14But an uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”
15 · This verse (above)
16I will bless her, and also I will give you a son by her; I will bless her, and she will become nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”
To study Genesis 17 in a group
1. What it says
What new names did Abram and Sarai receive, and what did Elohim promise Abraham (vv. 5, 15-16)?
2. What it means
What does it show about Elohim’s plan that Abram becomes Abraham, “father of a multitude of nations” (v. 5)?
3. How I live it
What helps you remember each day what Elohim has said about you and your life?