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Matthew George Easton

Easton’s Bible Dictionary

Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition (1897) · 3,964 entries on site

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Reference workThese public-domain reference works are study aids written by human authors. Definitions and conclusions should be tested against Scripture.

Sarah

Princess, the wife and at the same time the half-sister of Abraham ( Gen. 11:29 ; 20:12 ). This name was given to her at the time that it was announced to Abraham that she should be the mother of the promised child. Her story is from her marriage identified with that of the patriarch till the time of her death. Her death, at the age of one hundred and twenty-seven years (the only instance in Scripture where the age of a woman is recorded), was the occasion of Abraham’s purchasing the cave of Machpelah as a family burying-place. In the allegory of Gal. 4:22-31 she is the type of the “Jerusalem which is above.” She is also mentioned as Sara in Heb. 11:11 among the Old Testament worthies, who “all died in faith.” (See ABRAHAM .)

Sarai

My princess, the name originally borne by Sarah ( Gen. 11:31 ; 17:15 ).

Sepulchre

First mentioned as purchased by Abraham for Sarah from Ephron the Hittite ( Gen. 23:20 ). This was the “cave of the field of Machpelah,” where also Abraham and Rebekah and Jacob and Leah were burried (79:29-32). In Acts 7:16 it is said that Jacob was “laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem.” It has been proposed, as a mode of reconciling the apparent discrepancy between this verse and Gen. 23:20 , to read Acts 7:16 thus: “And they [i.e., our fathers] were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor [the son] of Sychem.” In this way the purchase made by Abraham is not to be confounded with the purchase made by Jacob subsequently in the same district. Of this purchase by Abraham there is no direct record in the Old Testament. (See TOMB .)

Serah

Abundance; princess, the daughter of Asher and grand-daughter of Jacob ( Gen. 46:17 ); called also Sarah ( Num. 26:46 ; R.V., “Serah”).

Sirah

Retiring, a well from which Joab’s messenger brought back Abner ( 2 Sam. 3:26 ). It is now called ‘Ain Sarah, and is situated about a mile from Hebron, on the road to the north.

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