The Bible tells us that Abraham, one of the patriarchs of the Jewish and Christian faiths, had multiple wives over the course of his life. Based on accounts in Genesis, we can determine that Abraham had at least three wives: Sarah, Hagar, and Keturah.
Sarah
Sarah was Abraham’s first wife and the mother of Isaac, who would become the ancestor of the Israelites. Sarah’s story is told in Genesis chapters 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 23, and 25. She was originally called Sarai but God changed her name to Sarah in Genesis 17:15. Abraham married Sarah in Genesis 11:29 and she lived to be 127 years old (Genesis 23:1).
Sarah was unable to have children so she gave her servant Hagar to Abraham in order to bear him an heir (Genesis 16:1-2). After Hagar gave birth to Ishmael, God promised Abraham that Sarah would also bear him a son despite her old age. Sarah gave birth to Isaac when she was around 90 years old (Genesis 17:17, 21:2).
Sarah was Abraham’s wife for most of his life and was buried with him in the Cave of Machpelah when she died (Genesis 23:19). As Abraham’s primary wife and the mother of Isaac, Sarah held special status and is honored as the matriarch of the Jewish people.
Hagar
Hagar was an Egyptian servant of Sarah who became a concubine and second wife to Abraham. Her story is told in Genesis chapters 16 and 21. After Sarah was unable to have children, she gave Hagar to Abraham “to be his wife” (Genesis 16:3). When Hagar conceived Ishmael, tension grew between her and Sarah. Sarah later demanded that Abraham send Hagar away (Genesis 21:9-14).
God spoke to Hagar and promised to make her descendants through Ishmael into a great nation as well (Genesis 21:18). Abraham was about 86 years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael (Genesis 16:16). Though Hagar was a concubine and of lower social status than Sarah, her son Ishmael became the patriarch of many Arab tribes.
Keturah
After Sarah died, Abraham took another wife named Keturah who bore him six sons: Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah (Genesis 25:1-2). This would have occurred when Abraham was over 140 years old. Not much else is known about Keturah except the names of her sons who became the patriarchs of various Arab tribes.
Keturah occupied a secondary status as Abraham’s wife, as his covenantal promise was passed on exclusively through Sarah’s son Isaac. However, Abraham still provided gifts to the sons of his concubines before he died and sent them to dwell in the east away from Isaac (Genesis 25:5-6).
Differing Traditions About Abraham’s Wives
While Genesis only mentions three wives of Abraham (Sarah, Hagar and Keturah), traditions in the Midrash and Quran refer to additional wives not named in the biblical account.
The Midrash refers to a wife named Amatlai bat Karnebo whom Abraham married after Sarah’s death. In some Islamic traditions, Abraham’s first wife is said to be Sarah and his second Hagar, but he is also said to have married two other women after Sarah’s death: Keturah and one named Qantoorah/Saffura.
These variant traditions suggest Abraham may have had other wives beyond the three mentioned in Genesis, though the biblical text does not provide corroborating evidence for these additional marriages.
The Nature of Marriage in Abraham’s Time
When examining the wives of Abraham, it is important to understand ancient approaches to marriage that differ from modern views. Marriage at the time of Abraham often involved multiple wives and concubines.
Having a child with a slave was an accepted way of producing an heir if a wife was barren. Status differences between wives and concubines were the norm. Positions of favor and inheritance were ranked, with first wife’s sons taking precedence over concubine’s sons.
Using Hagar as a surrogate mother and then taking Keturah as another wife after Sarah’s death would not have been seen as unusual practices at that time. Custom allowed men like Abraham to have multiple intimate relationships and parent children by different women.
This pattern of plural wives, concubines and ranked status can also be seen in the practices of other biblical patriarchs like Jacob and David.
Each Wife and Son Had Significance
While social conventions allowed for multiple wives, this does not diminish the significance of each woman who filled the role of wife to Abraham. God chose to work through all branches of Abraham’s family.
Sarah, as first wife, became mother of the covenant son Isaac. Hagar’s son Ishmael also became a great nation per God’s promise. Abraham provided for Keturah’s sons as well. Multiple wives and children expanded the reach of God’s blessing through Abraham.
Each woman and child had value and purpose in God’s continuing story. The conflict between Sarah and Hagar became part of God’s greater plan. Abraham cared for Hagar and Ishmael even after Sarah required them to leave.
So while custom allowed Abraham to have children by three different women, each relationship served a redemptive purpose and added a new dimension to God’s promise.
Wives as Symbols of Covenant
Examining the wives of Abraham provides greater insight into God’s progressive revelation and covenant relationship with humanity. Each wife and son represent part of the biblical narrative of law and promise, sin and redemption, judgment and hope.
Sarah represents the promised wife through whom the covenant child Isaac was born. Hagar represents the law given at Sinai that kept God’s people in custody until Christ came. Keturah represents the gentile nations grafted into the covenant through Christ (Galatians 4:21-31).
So Abraham’s three wives become symbols of God’s redemptive plan being worked out over centuries through the law, the prophets and finally Christ himself as the promised descendant who brings full freedom to all God’s children (Galatians 3:6-9, 14-29).
Lessons From Abraham and His Wives
Though some details may trouble modern readers, Abraham’s complex marital history contains several important lessons applicable today:
- God is patient and gracious when people act imperfectly within cultural constraints.
- No one is excluded from participating in God’s redemptive plan.
- God powerfully fulfills His promises despite human limitations.
- Law, custom and conflicting desires cannot derail God’s purposes.
- All people have value to God beyond social standing.
Rather than judge Abraham, we must appreciate God’s mercy in working through his faults and limitations. Abraham remained the man of faith Jesus called the father of all who believe, by prioritizing obedience when God commanded him to sacrifice Isaac (Genesis 22:16-18, Hebrews 11:17-19).
The long history of God’s covenant relationship with humanity contains many stories reminding us of human frailty. Yet God continually overcomes weaknesses with divine faithfulness and grace.
Summary of Abraham’s Wives
In summary, based on Genesis, Abraham had at least these three wives:
- Sarah – Mother of Isaac, whom God promised.
- Hagar – Sarah’s servant, mother of Ishmael.
- Keturah – Wife after Sarah’s death, mother of six sons.
Each wife and son played an important role in God’s continuing covenant plan throughout history. Despite cultural practices and human failings along the way, God remained steadfast in His redemptive purposes.
Abraham’s story provides many insights for understanding biblical principles about marriage, faith, patience, grace and God’s unfailing promises.
We must avoid harsh judgment, instead extending the same grace and hope God provided throughout Abraham’s generations. As Paul explained in the New Testament, Abraham is the father of all who share his faith, and we become part of his family by believing in the promised redemption through Christ (Romans 4:16-17).
Though Abraham’s marital history was complex, God worked redemptively through it, progressively revealing His plan to bless “all peoples on earth” through Abraham’s offspring as originally promised in Genesis 12:3. This overarching biblical narrative continues unfolding to the end of Revelation, with Abraham and his wives playing an integral role.
