The question who was the oldest woman in the Bible? Popped up severally during our women’s prayers session. So here is the answer I hope will help my prayer group and others surfing the net in search of more knowledge, understanding and knowledge about God.
Sarah earlier known as Sarai before God changed her name was the oldest woman in the Bible. She was the wife of Abraham and the mother of Isaac the promised child.
Other aged women lived in her time. Some of the women in the Bible married men that died at a very mature age. The age of the wives married to these patriarchs was not recorded in the Bible for reference purposes.
The Life of Sarah in the Bible
Sarah is a prominent female figure in the Bible. She was the crowd over her husband Abraham, and Abraham adored and honoured her, she was blessed with prophetic powers and the husband glued to her as commanded by God despite her years of barrenness, although there were speculations of Abraham being the barren one, this claim is unsubstantiated.
Although she gave out her housemaid Haggi to Abraham to bear a child from her, the child Ishmael, wasn’t the promised child, on God’s approval the maidservant and her child were sent away by Abraham.
Sarah’s barrenness was not perceived as a punishment from God. At the appointed time God visited her through three Angels, and Sarah conceived and gave birth to Isaac at ninety years.
She was one of the four most beautiful women the Bible singled out. The other three beautiful women in the Bible were; Abigail, Esther, Rahab and Eve.
Sarah was an evangelist who converted the Gentiles into acknowledging God, the only supreme being.
Sarah’s untimely death is somehow tied to the binding of Isaac for sacrifice and she was the first Matriarch lowered in the Cave of Machpelah. Let’s look at who was the oldest woman in the Bible.
Who was the Oldest Woman in the Bible?
Sarah the oldest woman in the Bible lived 127 years, a number that has not been outlived by any matriarch after her demise in the Bible.
She was a prophetess and coverage to her husband, she was barren even when God had made a promise to Sarah and Abraham as the parents of all nations – Genesis 26:4.
Sarah and Abraham were generous, hospitable and kind. At age ninety God visited Sarah and Abraham through three angels Genesis 18:1_21, allegedly specified by the Midrash to be Angel Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. God opened her womb, and she conceived and bore a son, her promised child Isaac.
Compared to the age of Abraham, Sarah died untimely at the age of 127. Genesis 23: 2 “And Sarah does at Kiriath-Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and they mourn for Sarah and to weep for her”.
Abraham purchased a permanent burial ground at Mamre and buried Sarah near where he and his son and later their grandson will be buried.
Who was Sarah’s Husband?
Genesis 17:5
“No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.”
Genesis 17:5 (ESV)
Abraham was Sarah’s Husband. Abraham Sarah’s husband was initially addressed, called and known as Abram. God changed his name because of the love Abraham showed Him and his devotion and service to him.
God changed Abram’s name to Abraham and Sarai’s name to Sarah for the sake of His promise in Abraham’s life and the need to bring it to fulfilment.
Abraham was obedient to God in totality and Abraham was the only male figure in the Bible God addresses as his friend.
And finally, God came through for Sarah. Although all hope was almost lost, she still believed in God’s promises and unexpectedly, God showed up for her. Sarah and Abraham had their promised child when Abraham was one hundred (100) years and Sarah was ninety (90) years.
What Circumstances Surrounded Sarah’s Life
Sarah’s life and time were a handful. So, it is pertinent we look at the circumstances that surrounded her life till her last days on earth.
God Remembered Sarai, Changed her Name to Sarah
Genesis 17:15-16
15. “And God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name.” 16. “I will bless her, and I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.”
Genesis 17:15-16 (ESV)
Sarah’s initial name was Sarai. God changed her name from Sarai to Sarah when he started a covenant journey of offspring, redemption, servitude and the inheritance of the land with her, Genesis 15.
God made a covenant with her and this prompted God to bless her with a change of name to bring his promise to fulfilment without hindrance. Sarah was childless and but God blessed her with a son even in her old age.
The Visit by the Three Angels
Genesis 18:10-14
10. “The LORD said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him.” 11. “Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah.” 12. “So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?” 13. “The LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?” 14. “Is anything too hard for the LORD? the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.”
Genesis 18:10-14 ( ESV)
Abraham and his Wife Sarah received unknown visitors and were hospitable to them. In reward for their kindness and service to the three Angels, God through the Angels assured Abraham and Sarah of blessing them with a son within a year.
Sarah laughed and doubted the possibility of a woman in her menopause days giving birth, she didn’t know God can change the hand of time, and rejuvenate her woman’s anatomy.
Sarah was used to her condition as a barren woman and she did not believe in the possibility of ever giving birth to a child in old age. Despite her disbelief, God remained faithful to His promises in her life and that of her husband. She gave birth to Isaac the next year.
Hagar, Sarah’s Maidservant turned Rival Wife
Who were Sarah’s Children
Also in Genesis 21: 1-3 the Lord visited Sarah and she gave birth to her promised son, Isaac.
“The LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did to Sarah as he had promised.” 2. And, Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him.” 3. “Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac.”During the waiting period in Sarah’s life, she gave one of her maidservants to her husband in marriage but Hagar treated Sarah with disdain and mocked her because of her barrenness
Genesis 21: 1-3
Although it was not long promised, Sarah was childless until God’s appointed time, she did not look to her left nor right. When God’s appointed time came, Sarah conceived and she bore a son, Isaac for Abraham. Sarah bore Isaac when she was 90 years old and when Abraham was 100 years old.
How Old was Sarah when she Died?
Genesis 23:1-2
1. “Sarah lived 127 years; these were the years of the life of Sarah. 2. “And, Sarah died at Kiriath-Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.”
Genesis 23:1-2
Sarah was 90 years when she became pregnant with Isaac. God promised her a child at a very old age. She did not see the possibility of it coming to pass. The promise of God in her life made her relationship with God to be stronger than it was before.
God fulfilled His promises in her life; made her a mother at a very old age and God still gave her extra years for her to raise her son. Sarah died at the age of 127 years.
How Old was Abraham and Isaac when Sarah Died?
According to Genesis 23:1-20 when Sarah died at the age of 127, Abraham was 137 years while Isaac was 37 years.
Sarah is believed to have died as the result of Abraham binding Isaac for sacrifice as demanded by God to test the depth of Abraham’s obedience to God, this claim is unconfirmed.
Conclusion
The Bible talks about so many women that lived long and visited their grsvesninnold age. They lived successfully and lived a purposeful life. The oldest woman as the Bible mentions never made the family regret why lived up to that age, but the blessings of God.
The Bible mentions the aged people and how they lived to the age of their full potential.
Sarah as the oldest woman in the Bible lived long and witnessed the fulfilment of God’s three major promises of offspring, servitude, redemption, and the inheritance of the land.
Staying alive and fulfilling one’s purpose in life as a woman is a blessing from God
Dying prematurely can never be the will of God for his children. Premature death leads to unfulfilled destiny, sorrow and pains for the family, friends and loved ones.
May God teach us to number our days and may we visit our graves in old age.