Sariah is only mentioned five times in the Book of Mormon. The first is in the book header for First Nephi. One comes in the list of the members of Lehi’s family. Two of them are in this chapter, and this particular story. It is not unusual for women to be underrepresented in Hebrew scripture. The nations of Israel and Judah were both extremely patriarchal, and the men wrote the stories. When we do see named women in Hebrew or in Hebrew-descended scripture, we should pay attention.
In this case, Sariah still serves as the foil for her husband, but at least we get an honest glimpse of her as a concerned mother. Lehi has led the family away from everything she had known, away from the home where she would have been an important organizer and task master over servants that were probably helping in the home. On top of that privation, the glory of a Hebrew mother was in her sons, and Lehi had sent them all away on an errand that Sariah must have known would be difficult.
The sons had to travel three days to return to Jerusalem, and three days back. Sariah might have given them another three days there. After her mental count of when she expected them—she certainly looked for them. Each day longer increased her worry. She had no way of knowing that her sons had to travel to the ancestral lands, she had no way of knowing the number of attempts. She only knew waiting. And worrying.
It is understandable that in her grief she would rail against Lehi, telling him that he was a visionary man, certain now that her sons were no more. Understandable, and perhaps understated, was Nephi’s description that she was exceedingly glad for their return.