Sara's role in Gen 11:29 - 23:20

In this essay, I go through the stories that are about Sara, or Saraj, from Genesis 11 through Genesis 23 with the goal of finding out what theology we can read from the character Sara. The central elements of the theology conveyed through Sarah are how God relates to Sarah and Sarahs role in the promise of a people and a land, the promise that Abraham receives in Genesis 12. Sarah has only lines in three stories; Genesis 16, 18 and 21 so these chapters form the basis of most of the study. Other stories where Sara is included will only be treated briefly. In Genesis 16, which is about the conflict with Hagar, I come to the conclusion that the story intends to answer the question why Abraham does not have children through another woman. Furthermore, I argue that Sara is the character who initiates the story and despite her hesitant actions is a positive character from God's perspective. In Genesis 18, which is about when Sarah meets God, she is at the center of the story and is portrayed as a person considered by God. In Genesis 21, Sara is both the character at the center of the story and the one who initiates the conflict in the second part of the story. Here, too, she is portrayed as a person considered by God. Common to all the stories is that the consequences of the stories always mean that Sara is the chosen one to give birth to the promised son. Furthermore, Sara is portrayed as a person with human reactions and feelings that God understands and takes into account. Through her, the promise of a people is fulfilled and the promise of a land also begins with her