The instruction given to Abraham touching the sacredness of the marriage relation was to be a lesson for all ages. It declares that the rights and happiness of this relation are to be carefully guarded, even at a great sacrifice. Sarah was the only true wife of Abraham. Her rights as a wife and mother no other person was entitled to share. She reverenced her husband, and in this she is presented in the New Testament as a worthy example. But she was unwilling that Abraham's affections should be given to another, and the Lord did not reprove her for requiring the banishment of her rival. Both Abraham and Sarah distrusted the power of God, and it was this error that led to the marriage with Hagar.

Den undervisning, Abraham fik om ægteskabets hellighed, skulle være en lære for alle tider. Den viser, at ægteskabets rettigheder og lykke bør vogtes omhyggeligt, selv om det skal koste et stort offer. Sara var Abrahams eneste sande hustru. Ingen anden havde ret til at få del i hendes rettigheder som hustru og moder. Hun ærede sin mand, og derfor fremhæves hun i Det ny Testamente som et værdigt eksempel. Men hun var ikke villig til at lade Abraham give en anden sin kærlighed, og Herren bebrejdede hende ikke, fordi hun krævede, at hendes rivalinde skulle sendes bort. Både Abraham og Sara tvivlede på Guds magt, og det var denne fejl, der førte til ægteskabet med Hagar.