The 'H' added to Abram and Sarai is the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, which Les Feldick teaches is the letter of grace — marking Abraham and Sarah as recipients of God's covenant grace.
In Genesis 17, God changed Abram's name to Abraham and Sarai's name to Sarah, adding the letter H to each (Genesis 17:5, 15). Les teaches that this H is the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, the letter that refers to grace, so 'the grace of God is implied' in both name changes. The H is therefore tied to the covenant promises God made to them — blessing, a son, and nations — which He would bring about by grace.
Genesis 17:5 — Records the exact moment God changes Abram's name to Abraham, introducing the letter H into his name.
Genesis 17:15 — Records God changing Sarai's name to Sarah, adding the same letter H to her name.
In Genesis 17, God established His covenant with Abram and Sarai. He said, 'Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee' (Genesis 17:5). Then God said, 'As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be' (Genesis 17:15). God promised Sarah, 'And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her' (Genesis 17:16). God then declared that Sarah would bear a son named Isaac, that He would establish His everlasting covenant with Isaac and with his seed after him (Genesis 17:19), and that 'my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year' (Genesis 17:21). Later, Abraham called on the name of 'the LORD, the everlasting God' at Beersheba (Genesis 21:33).
Les Feldick points out that God's change from Abram to Abraham is 'the introduction into his name of primarily the letter H,' and that God does the same with Sarai — 'thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah.' He teaches that 'the H difference in Abram and Abraham is the letter of the Hebrew alphabet that refers to grace,' so 'the grace of God is implied now by changing the name Abram to Abraham, and also the name Sarai to Sarah.' Les connects this to the recurring significance of the number 5: 'the number 5 is the number of grace all through Scripture,' and the H is the fifth letter of the alphabet. He notes that Abraham left Ur at age 75, received Isaac at age 100, and lived to age 175 — key events divisible by 5. Les also shows the name change is wrapped in covenant promises: God will bless Sarah and give Abraham a son through her, and Sarah will be 'a mother of nations.' In the same context he stresses that Scripture places the covenant promise on Isaac, the son Sarah would bear.
God Himself initiated the change. In Genesis 17 He said to Abram, 'thy name shall be Abraham,' and then, regarding Sarai, 'thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah' (Genesis 17:5, 15). Les Feldick points out that in both cases the letter added is H — the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, which he says refers to grace. The grace of God is therefore implied in the new names.
Les Feldick teaches that 'the number 5 is the number of grace all through Scripture' and that the H is the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, so the letter designates God's grace. He observes that Abraham's life is punctuated by years divisible by 5 — he left Ur at 75, had Isaac at 100, and lived to 175 — and says this pattern appears 'over and over throughout the history of Abraham.'
God's promises to Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 17 include blessing Sarah and giving Abraham a son through her (Genesis 17:16). Les Feldick notes that Scripture puts 'all of this covenant promise on the man Isaac.' The H in their names is thus tied to the covenant promises that would continue through Isaac as an everlasting covenant.
Les Feldick explains that when the Bible refers to 'the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac,' it is referring to Jehovah — the person of the Godhead particularly dealing with the nation of Israel, and who is still God the Son. He also notes that 'L-O-R-D capitalized is always Jehovah, God the Son,' and that Abraham called on the name of 'Jehovah the everlasting God' (Genesis 21:33).
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The H Is Added to Abram and Sarai
Les shows that the change from Abram to Abraham and from Sarai to Sarah is specifically the addition of the letter H to each name — the focal point of the whole question.
The H Is the Letter of Grace
Les teaches that the H is the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, the letter that refers to grace, so the grace of God is implied in both name changes.
Five Is the Number of Grace
Les links the H (the fifth letter) to the number 5, which he says is the number of grace throughout Scripture, and notes that Abraham's key ages are all divisible by 5.
Sarah Receives the H and the Promise
Les reiterates that Sarai becomes Sarah to incorporate the H, the 5th letter of the Hebrew alphabet, connecting it to God's promise to bless her and give Abraham a son.
Jehovah Is the God of Abraham
Les identifies Jehovah as the person of the Godhead who deals with the nation of Israel and is called the God of Abraham and Isaac — the covenant God behind the name changes.
Who is the Angel of the Lord? Genesis 16 Bible Study
And verse 13, "...and she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me. For she said, Have I here also looked after him that seeth me? And wherefore," verse 14, "...the well was called," remember this is where she had stopped to get some water, "...
Abraham Calls on Jehovah
Les notes that LORD capitalized is always Jehovah, God the Son, and that Abraham called on the name of Jehovah the everlasting God.
Genesis 17:5: Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.
This is the foundational verse where the letter H enters Abram's name, making him Abraham.
Genesis 17:15: And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.
God applies the same name-change pattern to Sarai, adding the letter H to make her Sarah.
Genesis 17:16: And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.
The covenant promises of blessing, a son, and nations are attached to Sarah's new name.
Genesis 17:19: And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.
God specifies that the everlasting covenant continues through Isaac, the son Sarah would bear.
Genesis 17:21: But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.
God explicitly distinguishes the covenant line — it is Isaac, Sarah's promised son, with whom the covenant is established.
Genesis 21:33: And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.
Abraham calls on the name of Jehovah, the same covenant God Les identifies as God the Son.
God Himself initiated the change in Genesis 17: Abram became Abraham and Sarai became Sarah. Les Feldick explains that the added H is the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, the letter that refers to grace, and that the number 5 designates God's grace all through Scripture. So the grace of God is stamped on their covenant names.
According to Les Feldick, the H is the 5th letter of the Hebrew alphabet and refers to grace. The grace of God is implied by changing Abram to Abraham and Sarai to Sarah.
Yes. God told Abram, 'thy name shall be Abraham,' and He told Abraham, 'thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah' (Genesis 17:5, 15). The same letter, H, is added to both names.
Les teaches that 5 is the number of grace. He observes that Abraham left Ur at 75, was 100 when Isaac was born, and lived to 175 — all of which are divisible by 5.
Watch the Teaching: The Birthright Explained: Why God Chose Jacob Over Esau