God changed Abram and Sarai's names to Abraham and Sarah as part of His covenant promise to multiply them exceedingly and make them parents of nations.
The change happened in Genesis 17 after God appeared to Abram as the Almighty God and promised to multiply him exceedingly. Les Feldick points out that the letter H was added to both names and teaches that this H—the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet—refers to grace, so the name changes carry God's grace into the covenant names. Scripture itself connects Abram's new name to his becoming the father of many nations and Sarah's new name to the promise that she would be a mother of nations and kings.
Genesis 17:5 — This is the verse where God changes Abram's name to Abraham as a father of many nations.
Genesis 17:15 — This is where God changes Sarai's name to Sarah, in the same covenant context.
Genesis 17:16 — It shows the blessing and promise of a son attached to Sarah's new name.
Genesis 17 records the name changes in the context of the covenant. When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, 'I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.' God then said, 'And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly' (Genesis 17:1-2). In that same passage, God told Abram, '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 to Abraham, 'As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be' (Genesis 17:15). Immediately afterward, God promised, '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). The biblical text states that the name changes are tied to covenant multiplication and the promise of a son, but it does not comment on the individual letters of the new names.
Les sees the name change as a covenant event. He points out that God appeared to Abram at ninety-nine as the Almighty God—the God who is all-sufficient and enhances fruitfulness (Clip 0). When God brought Abram and Sarai to the place of the covenant promises, He changed their names to Abraham and Sarah, and the letter H was included in both (Clip 1). Les explains that the H is the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet and refers to grace, so the grace of God is implied by the name changes (Clip 2). He also draws a connection between the number 5 and grace and between the letter H and Yahweh/Jehovah (Clip 3). For Les, the name changes point to God's gracious covenant plan, which included the specific promise that Sarah would give Abraham a son and become the mother of nations (Clips 1 and 4).
Les teaches that the change happened when God brought Abram and Sarai to the place of the covenant promises. The new name Abraham included the letter H, and the change was not just a new spelling—it put grace into the name (Clip 2). For Les, the covenant context is the key; God appears as the Almighty God, the One associated with fruitfulness and multiplication (Clip 0), and the name change is part of that same covenant announcement.
Les says the difference between Abram and Abraham, and between Sarai and Sarah, is the letter H. He identifies the H as the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet and teaches that it refers to grace; the grace of God is therefore implied by changing both names (Clip 2). In another discussion, Les connects the number 5 with grace and says the letter H is associated with Yahweh or Jehovah (Clip 3). Either way, the H is the recurring marker of God's gracious covenant in the new names.
In the same chapter, God told Abraham that Sarai would now be Sarah, and then said, '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). Les highlights that these were promises—the son had not yet arrived, and Abraham had already been waiting fifty years for the promised child (Clip 1). After the name change, God specifically said Sarah would bear a son named Isaac, and the covenant would be established with Isaac rather than Ishmael (Clip 4).
God appears as Almighty God
Les places the name change within the covenant announcement at Genesis 17, where God appears as the Almighty God and promises to multiply Abram exceedingly.
Name changes include the letter H
Les directly answers why the names changed: God brought Abram and Sarai to the place of covenant promises, changed both names, and included the letter H in Abraham and Sarah.
The H and grace
Les explains that the H is the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet and refers to grace, so the grace of God is implied when Abram and Sarai become Abraham and Sarah.
H associated with Yahweh or Jehovah
Les notes the recurring connection between the number 5 and grace and the letter H with Yahweh or Jehovah, reinforcing the significance of the H in the covenant names.
Covenant promise of a son
Les shows that after the name changes God promised that Sarah would bear Isaac and that the covenant would be established with Isaac, not Ishmael.
God’s Covenant with Abraham: Genesis 12 Bible Study Explained
And Haran was the father of Lot, who comes, of course, with Abram. Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity in Ur of the Chaldees. So one of the brothers died before they moved from Ur further to the northwest. And then verse 29, Abram and Nahor took them wives. The name of Abram's wife was Sarai, and again I'm going to use the pronunciation as it's spelled.
Israel’s Title Deed: Understanding God's Covenant in Genesis 15
Now, file that in your computer because this is going to tell us something with regard to the present-day Middle East situation. Hagar is an Egyptian. Verse 2, and Sarai, now I'm using that pronunciation because see, her name is going to change to A-H in a little while. But Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now the Lord, and here, of course, the term is Jehovah.
Israel’s Title Deed: Understanding God's Covenant in Genesis 15
So she took Sarai, took Abram's wife, took Hagar. I'm sorry, read it over, verse 3. And so Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar, her maid, the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan. Now again, you can see the human side, can't you? For ten years now, they've been waiting for God's promise to come to fruition.
Genesis 17:1: And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
God introduces the covenant with Abram just before the name changes.
Genesis 17:2: And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.
God promises to multiply Abram exceedingly as the basis for the new name Abraham.
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.
The actual verse in which Abram becomes 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.
The actual verse in which Sarai becomes 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 promise of blessing and offspring attached to Sarah's name change.
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 Isaac as the son through whom the covenant will continue.
God changed Abram's name to Abraham when He brought him into His covenant promises and told him he would be the father of many nations. Les points out that the new name includes the letter H, which he identifies as the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet and associates with grace.
God told Abraham that Sarai would no longer be called Sarai, but Sarah. Les explains that the same H was included in Sarah's name, so both name changes carry the same emphasis on God's grace and covenant promise.
Les teaches that the H is the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet and refers to grace, and he also associates the letter H with Yahweh/Jehovah. This is why the name changes are more than a formality—they point to the gracious God who made the covenant promises.
Yes. God promised that Sarah would bear a son named Isaac and that the covenant would be established with Isaac rather than Ishmael. Abraham laughed at the thought at first, but the promise was made directly after the name changes in Genesis 17.
Watch the Teaching: Who is the Angel of the Lord? Genesis 16 Bible Study