שָׂרָה (sa.rah)
sa.rah
princess
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 5 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The noun sarah denotes a woman of high rank, translated as "princess" or "noble lady." It appears in only five verses across the Hebrew Bible, giving it a rare and specific presence in the scriptural text. The word identifies women who hold status through birth or marriage rather than through political office.
This term is most frequently found in Lamentations, where it describes the daughters of Zion mourning their fallen dignity (Lamentations 1:6; 2:10). It also appears in Judges 5:30 and Isaiah 32:12, referring to captive women or those in lamentation. In each instance, the word underscores a social position that is now under threat or already lost.
Its rarity makes every occurrence significant. The sources do not link it to a broader semantic field of governance but rather to aristocratic identity. Translators consistently render it as "princess" to capture this sense of elevated birthright, distinguishing these women from commoners in the narrative context.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word sarah points to a woman of high rank or noble birth. It appears only five times in the Hebrew Bible, making it a rare term for aristocratic identity. When used, it highlights a status given by lineage rather than political office. This rarity gives every mention weight and focus.
In Lamentations 1:1, the city of Jerusalem is called a princess who has become a slave. This shift from high honor to deep humiliation shows how fragile earthly status can be. The text does not promise that noble birth protects against suffering. Instead, it reminds us that our true worth comes from God alone.
For your faith, this word invites you to look beyond social standing. Whether you feel honored or humbled, your value is secure in Him. You do not need to defend your position because your identity is rooted in grace, not rank.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 5 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- noble ladies/ her1×
- noble ladies1×
- and/ princesses/ their1×
- a princess1×
- [the] noble ladies of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- שָׂרוֹתֶ֖י/הָ1×
- שָׂרוֹת֙1×
- שָׂרָ֙תִי֙1×
- שָׂר֣וֹת1×
- וְ/שָׂרֽוֹתֵי/הֶם֙1×
Key Verses
-
Lamentations 1:1
How the city sits solitary, that was full of people! She has become as a widow, who was great among the nations! She who was a princess among the provinces has become a slave!
This verse uses the word to contrast Jerusalem's former high status as a 'princess' with her current state as a slave, highlighting the loss of dignity.
-
I Kings 11:3
He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines. His wives turned his heart away.
Here it describes Solomon’s seven hundred foreign wives, showing how their noble birth connected to political alliances that ultimately turned his heart away from God.
-
Esther 1:18
Today, the princesses of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen’s deed will tell all the king’s princes. This will cause much contempt and wrath.
The queen's action causes the 'princesses' of Persia and Media to spread contempt, illustrating how social hierarchy can be disrupted by personal conduct.