Lexical Summary Haran: Haran Original Word: הָרָן Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Haran Perhaps from har; mountaineer; Haran, the name of two men -- Haran. see HEBREW har NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originperhaps from har Definition "mountaineer," a brother of Abram, also an Isr. NASB Translation Haran (7). Brown-Driver-Briggs הָרָן proper name, masculine (mountaineer; i.e. mountain-people (or land)? compare Di Genesis 11:27); — 1 son of Terah\, brother of Abram and father of Lot Genesis 11:27 (twice in verse); Genesis 11:31 (all P), Genesis 11:28 (J); also father of Milcah (Nahor's wife) & Iscah Genesis 11:29 (J). 2 a Levite (Gershonite) 1 Chronicles 23:9. — On הָרָן in proper name, of a location see below בית הרם, p. 111. Topical Lexicon Occurrences and Context Haran (Strong’s Hebrew 2039, הָרָן) appears seven times in Scripture, six times in Genesis 11 and once in 1 Chronicles 23. The name identifies two distinct individuals: (1) Haran son of Terah and brother of Abram (later Abraham) and Nahor, and (2) Haran, a Levite of the clan of Shimei in the days of King David. Haran son of Terah Genesis 11 introduces Haran within the primeval genealogies that bridge the Flood narrative and the call of Abram. “Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran became the father of Lot” (Genesis 11:27). Haran’s placement alongside Abram underscores his place in the covenantal storyline, even though his own life is recorded only briefly. Early Death and Its Consequences “During his father Terah’s lifetime, Haran died in his native land, in Ur of the Chaldeans” (Genesis 11:28). Haran’s premature death created an orphaned Lot, whose guardianship passed to Abram. Scripture’s silence regarding the cause of death contrasts sharply with its attention to the ripple effects: Lot’s later journey with Abram, his settlement near Sodom, subsequent rescue, and his role in the Moabite and Ammonite origins (Genesis 13–19). The early death of Haran therefore becomes a sovereign hinge upon which later redemptive events turn. Children and Family Connections 1. Lot – central in the narratives of Sodom and Gomorrah and later progenitor of Moabites and Ammonites. These children anchor Haran’s line directly to several pivotal matriarchs and patriarchs of Israel, showing how even a short-lived figure can exert multigenerational influence. Relation to Abram’s Pilgrimage When Terah left Ur for Canaan, “he took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai” (Genesis 11:31). Haran’s absence explains Lot’s inclusion in this family migration and places him alongside Abram at critical junctures: the call from Haran, the covenant promises (Genesis 12), and the separation over pastureland (Genesis 13). Thus, Haran’s story, though brief, propels the narrative momentum of the Abrahamic covenant. Haran the Levite “The sons of Shimei: Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran, three in all” (1 Chronicles 23:9). This Haran belongs to the Gershonite branch of Levi, enlisted when David organizes temple duties late in his reign (1 Chronicles 23:24-32). While no deeds are recorded, his inclusion signals faithful participation in the worship infrastructure that sustained Israel’s spiritual life and anticipated the Messiah’s priestly work. Ministry Significance 1. Covenant Continuity – Through Haran’s son Lot and granddaughter Rebekah, the promise line widens yet remains intact, illustrating divine orchestration amid human frailty. Key References Genesis 11:26; Genesis 11:27; Genesis 11:28; Genesis 11:29; Genesis 11:31; 1 Chronicles 23:9 Forms and Transliterations הָרָ֑ן הָרָ֔ן הָרָ֥ן הָרָֽן׃ הָרָן֙ הרן הרן׃ וְהָרָ֖ן והרן hā·rān haRan hārān vehaRan wə·hā·rān wəhārānLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 11:26 HEB: נָח֖וֹר וְאֶת־ הָרָֽן׃ NAS: of Abram, Nahor and Haran. KJV: Abram, Nahor, and Haran. INT: of Abram Nahor and Haran Genesis 11:27 Genesis 11:27 Genesis 11:28 Genesis 11:29 Genesis 11:31 1 Chronicles 23:9 7 Occurrences |
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