שָׂרָה
𐤔𐤓𐤄
sârâh
H8282 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper name designating a female individual of high status; primarily refers to a noblewoman, lady of rank, or princess, and is used as a personal name (notably, the wife of Abraham). In broader terms, signifies a woman with authority or social prestige, often used in the context of household, clan, or tribal leadership. The term embodies both nobility and influence within the family or social structure.
Semantic Range
noblewoman, lady of rank, princess, principal wife, personal name (Sarah)
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root שׂ־ר (שר), meaning 'to rule, have authority, be a leader.' שָׂרָה is the feminine form, paralleling שַׂר (sar, 'prince, ruler'). As such, שָׂרָה functions as 'female of high status' or 'leader/princess.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, שָׂרָה is primarily the personal name of the matriarch Sarah, wife of Abraham. Its use as a title or as a common noun for 'princess' is rare or unattested outside this primary context. The choice of this name underscores Sarah's place as a woman of significant stature and authority within the ancestral narratives. In later periods and in translation traditions, the name is often rendered 'Sarah,' and, influenced by later historical context, she is retroactively called 'Jewess' or 'Jewish matriarch,' though such terms are anachronistic for the patriarchal era. The underlying meaning, however, does convey a sense of nobility, and recalls parallel terms for rulers or aristocrats in neighboring languages. The word does not mean 'queen' in the technical or political sense (for which Hebrew typically uses מַלְכָּה, malkah), but more broadly captures the status of a noblewoman or principal wife. The semantic field is narrower than the masculine שַׂר (sar), being more commonly a personal name than a title.
Translation Consistency
This Strong's entry is primarily a proper name (the wife of Abraham); standard, natural English rendering is the personal name “Sarah.” The alternate sense ‘princess’/‘noblewoman’ is secondary and rarer, so using the name preserves the typical usage and ensures consistent, natural translation.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine of שַׂר; a mistress, i.e. female noble; lady, princess, queen.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שׂר (ś-r) — to rule, govern, have authority, be noble
Word Forms
4 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8282-02 |
שָׂרוֹת֙ | sarot | HNcfpa |
ladies | noblewomen | noblewomen | 2 |
H8282-04 |
וְ/שָׂרֽוֹתֵי/הֶם֙ | vesaroteyhem | HC/Ncfpc/Sp3mp |
and-their-princesses | and their noblewomen | and their noblewomen | 1 |
H8282-03 |
שָׂרוֹתֶ֖י/הָ | saroteyha | HNcfpc/Sp3fs |
ladies of her | her noblewomen | her noblewomen | 1 |
H8282-01 |
שָׂרָ֨תִי֙ | sarati | HNcfsc |
princess | noblewoman of | princess | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8282-03 |
Judges 5:29 | שָׂרוֹתֶ֖י/הָ | saroteyha | HNcfpc/Sp3fs |
ladies of her | her noblewomen | her noblewomen |
H8282-02 |
1 Kings 11:3 | שָׂרוֹת֙ | sarot | HNcfpa |
princesses | noblewomen | noblewomen |
H8282-04 |
Isaiah 49:23 | וְ/שָׂרֽוֹתֵי/הֶם֙ | vesaroteyhem | HC/Ncfpc/Sp3mp |
and-their-princesses | and their noblewomen | and their noblewomen |
H8282-01 |
Lamentations 1:1 | שָׂרָ֨תִי֙ | sarati | HNcfsc |
princess | noblewoman of | princess |
H8282-02 |
Esther 1:18 | שָׂר֣וֹת | sarot | HNcfpc |
ladies | noblewomen | noblewomen |