Genesis 17:15 Commentary and Bible Study

Her new name, Sarah, we are told, meant princess. That would be a very good name. Her previous name, Sarai, meant ‘my princess’, but now because of the blessing that God promises to bring on her, he changes her name to reflect this: she is a princess because she is a mother to all nations: multiple physical nations will come from her, as well as the Messiah who will bring blessing to all nations. Again we see the significance of these Old Testament names. This is God’s promise in the form of a name change that it will be so.But some people say, ‘No, it means heroine’, and they go to great lengths to prove this. There is not a lot of difference between the two really in our understanding, and she became a heroine. We hear of heroes of faith; she was a heroine of faith and she is given this splendid name accordingly because she is the mother of all who believe, just as Abraham is the father.