Genesis 17:15

From Dominative to Noble Mistress

Sarah שרה #8283 is derived from #8282 noble lady, princess, mistress. The root שרה sarah #8280 to persist, contend, exert oneself, strive as found in יִשְׂרָאֵל Isra-el, El-strives/God contends. See Gen. 32:28. 

This renaming is done after the narrative of her treatment of Hagar (her self) which was harsh. The word for princess (#8282) is only found in the plural sarot four times, and one time as a singular sarati #8282 שָרָתִי,

“How she has sat separate, the City abundant of a people! She HAS BECOME as a widow of an abundant-one in the nations, a princess [sarati] in the provinces HAS BECOME a band of laborers!” Lam. 1:1 literal

Other related meanings: sharah, to let loose, set free (#8281), palm or tree standing up stiff (#8284, Fuerst), bracelet (#8285), to connect, to attach to one another firmly, weave together (unused root, cf, Fuerst), intransitive to project upward, to be prominent, to rise up, to stand high up as a palm or ship mast (unused root, cf. Fuerst), intransitive to rule, to govern, be noble (unused, cf. Fuerst), sharah #8284 fortification, fem. of wall. Unlike other instances, we are not given an immediate reason or contextual definition for the new name. Context is more prophetic:

“Good sits in an earth of wilderness, from a woman [eshet] of contentions and anger.” Proverbs 21:19 literal

“In the belly, he took by the heel אֶת-his brother and in his might he has contended [sarah #8280] אֶת-Elohim.

She goes from being a woman of contentions and anger to good...