Topical Bible: Abram

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Introduction:
Abram, later known as Abraham, is a central figure in the Bible, revered as the patriarch of the Israelites, Ishmaelites, Edomites, and Midianites. His account is primarily found in the Book of Genesis, where he is depicted as a man of great faith and obedience to God. Abram's life and legacy are foundational to the Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Name and Meaning:
The name "Abram" means "exalted father" in Hebrew. God later changes his name to "Abraham," meaning "father of many nations" (Genesis 17:5).

Family Background:
Abram was the son of Terah and was born in Ur of the Chaldeans. He had two brothers, Nahor and Haran. Haran was the father of Lot, who plays a significant role in Abram's account. Abram's wife was Sarai, later named Sarah, and they had no children for many years.

Divine Call and Covenant:
Abram's journey begins with a divine call from God to leave his homeland and go to a land that God would show him. God promises to make Abram into a great nation, bless him, and make his name great (Genesis 12:1-3). Abram obeys and travels to Canaan, where God appears to him and promises the land to his descendants (Genesis 12:7).

Key Events in Abram's Life:

1. Journey to Egypt:
Due to a famine in Canaan, Abram and Sarai travel to Egypt. Fearing for his life, Abram instructs Sarai to say she is his sister. Pharaoh takes Sarai into his palace, but God afflicts Pharaoh's household with plagues, leading to their release (Genesis 12:10-20).

2. Separation from Lot:
As Abram's and Lot's herdsmen quarrel over grazing land, Abram suggests they part ways. Lot chooses the fertile plains of the Jordan Valley, while Abram remains in Canaan (Genesis 13:8-12).

3. Covenant of the Pieces:
God reaffirms His promise to Abram through a covenant ceremony, where He foretells the future enslavement and liberation of Abram's descendants (Genesis 15:13-16).

4. Birth of Ishmael:
Sarai, barren and desperate for an heir, gives her maidservant Hagar to Abram. Hagar conceives and bears Ishmael, but tension arises between Sarai and Hagar (Genesis 16:1-16).

5. Covenant of Circumcision:
God establishes the covenant of circumcision with Abram, changing his name to Abraham and Sarai's to Sarah. God promises that Sarah will bear a son, Isaac, through whom the covenant will continue (Genesis 17:1-21).

6. Intercession for Sodom:
God reveals to Abraham His plan to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah due to their wickedness. Abraham intercedes, negotiating with God to spare the cities if righteous people are found (Genesis 18:16-33).

7. Birth of Isaac:
As promised, Sarah gives birth to Isaac in her old age, fulfilling God's promise to Abraham (Genesis 21:1-3).

8. Binding of Isaac:
God tests Abraham's faith by commanding him to sacrifice Isaac. Abraham obeys, but God intervenes, providing a ram as a substitute (Genesis 22:1-14).

Legacy:
Abram's faith and obedience are celebrated throughout the Bible. He is considered the father of faith, and his covenant with God is seen as a foundational moment in biblical history. His life is a testament to the themes of faith, promise, and divine providence.

Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia

Abram

Birth. He was born in Ur of the Chaldees, and was a direct Descendant of Shem (Genesis 11:10-32).
Date. There is a difficulty in the chronology at this point. Compare Genesis 11:26,32; Genesis 12:4,5; Acts 7:1-4. My solution of this question is the only one that will harmonize with all the facts and dates presented In the book of Genesis. When you reflect that it was customary in Those ages, in the development of God's plan, to displace the elder With the younger, the matter becomes plainer. This was so with
1. Cain and Abel (Genesis 4:1-7,25).
2. Isaac and Ishmael (Genesis 16:1,2,16; Genesis 17:18-21; Genesis 21:1-5).
3. Jacob and Esau (Genesis 25:19-26).
4. Ephraim and Manasseh (Genesis 48:14-19).
Abram was the youngest, for he was only seventy-five years old when his Father died (Genesis 11:32; Genesis 12:4; Acts 7:1-5). Therefore Genesis 11:26; that Terah was seventy years old when his first son was born; and from Other considerations enumerated above, he was about one hundred thirty Years when Abram was born. Sarah was Abram's half-sister (Genesis 20:12), doubtless born of Terah's second marriage. There was only a difference Of ten years in their ages (Genesis 17:17). If Abram has been Terah's firstborn, he would have been one hundred thirty-five when Terah died, And it would be necessary to to change the figures in reference to Sarah and make her one hundred twenty-five at this time! Further, it Is stated that Abram had been eleven years in Canaan when Ishmael was Born (Genesis 16:1-16). This would have made Sarah (125 + 11 = 136) one hundred thirty-six at Ishmael's birth. Isaac was born fourteen years After Ishmael (Genesis 16:16; Genesis 21:1-5), hence this would have given Isaac no chance to have been born, for Sarah only lived one hundred Twenty-seven years (Genesis 23:1)! We therefore conclude that Abram was born two thousand eight years after the creation of Adam (Genesis 5:3-32; Genesis 7:6,11; Genesis 11:1-26).
His Call. The Lord first spoke to him in Ur of Chaldees (Genesis 12:1; Acts 7:1-5).
The Promises. God gave him two great promises,
1. that he would make of him a great nation, bless him, make his name great, make him a blessing, bless those who blessed him, and curse those who cursed him;
2. that in him should all families of the earth be blessed (Genesis 12:1-3).
These promises were subsequently renewed on Mount Moriah (Genesis 22:1-18). These promises were subsequently fulfilled in,
1. the covenant dedicated at Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:1-8),
2. the new covenant (Galatians 4:22-31).

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

Abram

high father

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Abram

(a high father), the earlier name of Abraham.

ATS Bible Dictionary

Abram

High father, afterwards named Abraham.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Exalted father. (see ABRAHAM.)

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ABRAM

a'-bram. See ABRAHAM.

Strong's Hebrew

87. Abram -- "exalted father," the original name of Abraham
... 86, 87. Abram. 88 . "exalted father," the original name of Abraham.
Transliteration: Abram Phonetic Spelling: (ab-rawm') Short Definition: Abram. ...
/hebrew/87.htm - 6k

8297. Saray -- a wife of Abram
... 8296b, 8297. Saray. 8298 . a wife of Abram. Transliteration: Saray Phonetic
Spelling: (saw-rah'-ee) Short Definition: Sarai. Word ...
/hebrew/8297.htm - 6k

6063. Aner -- an ally of Abram, also a place in Manasseh
... 6062, 6063. Aner. 6064 . an ally of Abram, also a place in Manasseh.
Transliteration: Aner Phonetic Spelling: (aw-nare') Short Definition: Aner. ...
/hebrew/6063.htm - 6k

2039. Haran -- "mountaineer," a brother of Abram, also an ...
... 2038, 2039. Haran. 2040 . "mountaineer," a brother of Abram, also an Israelite.
Transliteration: Haran Phonetic Spelling: (haw-rawn') Short Definition: Haran ...
/hebrew/2039.htm - 6k

85. Abraham -- "exalted father," the father of the Jewish nation
... Word Origin from ab and an unused word, see Abram Definition "exalted father," the
father of the Jewish nation NASB Word Usage Abraham (162), Abraham's (12). ...
/hebrew/85.htm - 6k

Library

Abram the Hebrew
... GENESIS ABRAM THE HEBREW. 'And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram
the Hebrew.' GENESIS xiv.13. This is a singular designation ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/abram the hebrew.htm

Abram and the Life of Faith
... GENESIS ABRAM AND THE LIFE OF FAITH. II. A ... separates. Further, Abram saw
plainly what he had to leave, but not what he was to win. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/abram and the life of.htm

God's Covenant with Abram
... GENESIS GOD'S COVENANT WITH ABRAM. 'And He brought ... And when the fowls came
down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away. And when the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/gods covenant with abram.htm

How Abram Fought with the Assyrians, and Overcame Them, and Saved ...
... CHAPTER 10. How Abram Fought With The Assyrians, And Overcame Them, And Saved The
Sodomite Prisoners, And Took From The Assyrians The Prey They Had Gotten. ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 10 how abram fought.htm

How Abram Our Forefather Went Out of the Land of the Chaldeans ...
... CHAPTER 7. How Abram Our Forefather Went Out Of The Land Of The Chaldeans,
And Lived In The Land Then Called Canaan But Now Judea. ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 7 how abram our.htm

Abram's Horror of Great Darkness.
... SERMON V. Abram's Horror of great Darkness. ... "And when the sun was going down, a deep
sleep fell upon Abram; and lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.". ...
/.../lee/sermons on various important subjects/sermon v abrams horror of.htm

Justification by Faith --Illustrated by Abram's Righteousness
... Justification by Faith"Illustrated by Abram's Righteousness. A Sermon (No.844).
Delivered on Lord's-Day Morning, December 6th, 1868, by. CH SPURGEON,. ...
/.../justification by faithillustrated by abrams.htm

That when There was a Famine in Canaan, Abram Went Thence into ...
... CHAPTER 8. That When There Was A Famine In Canaan, Abram Went Thence Into Egypt;
And After He Had Continued There A While He Returned Back Again. ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 8 that when there.htm

Abraham --The Father of the Faithful.
... Abram had tried to do right, though there was no Bible in the world then, and no
one better than himself to help him but God, and one day He called Abram, and ...
/.../lathbury/childs story of the bible/chapter iii abrahamthe father of.htm

Here Followeth the Life of Abraham
... Then I turn again to Terah which had three sons, which was Abram, Nahor, and
Haran. ... Now I shall speak of Abram of whom our blessed lady came. ...
/.../wells/bible stories and religious classics/here followeth the life of.htm

Thesaurus

Abram (48 Occurrences)
... Standard Bible Encyclopedia. ABRAM. a'-bram. ... Multi-Version Concordance Abram (48
Occurrences). Genesis 11:27 Now this is the history of the generations of Terah. ...
/a/abram.htm - 21k

Abram's (8 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Abram's (8 Occurrences). Genesis 11:29 Abram and
Nahor took wives. The name of Abram's wife was Sarai, and ...
/a/abram's.htm - 9k

Sar'ai (12 Occurrences)
... Genesis 11:29 And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram's wife was
Sarai; and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father ...
/s/sar'ai.htm - 9k

Maidservant (73 Occurrences)
... Genesis 16:1 And Sarai Abram's wife did not bear him children. ... Genesis 16:2 And Sarai
said to Abram, Behold now, Jehovah has shut me up, that I do not bear. ...
/m/maidservant.htm - 28k

Dwelt (307 Occurrences)
... Genesis 11:31 And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's son,
and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth ...
/d/dwelt.htm - 36k

Sarai (13 Occurrences)
... When the migration to Haran occurs, Sarai is named along with Abram and Lot as
accompanying Terah. ... Her movements were determined by her being Abram's wife. ...
/s/sarai.htm - 20k

Charan (3 Occurrences)
... Genesis 11:31 And Terah taketh Abram his son, and Lot, son of Haran, his son's son,
and Sarai his daughter-in-law, wife of Abram his son, and they go out with ...
/c/charan.htm - 7k

Abraham (2539 Occurrences)
... heir of the promises. Till the age of seventy, Abram sojourned among his
kindred in his native country of Chaldea. He then, with ...
/a/abraham.htm - 50k

Haran (19 Occurrences)
... haran, ie, "parched;" or probably from the Accadian charana, meaning "a road." A
celebrated city of Western Asia, now Harran, where Abram remained, after he ...
/h/haran.htm - 17k

Hagar (15 Occurrences)
... gar (haghar, "emigration," "flight"; Hagar, Agar): An Egyptian woman, the handmaid
or slave of Sarai; a present, perhaps, from Pharaoh when Abram dissembled to ...
/h/hagar.htm - 22k

Resources

Who was Sarah in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Why did God punish Pharaoh for Abram's lie (Genesis 12:17)? | GotQuestions.org

Where was Ur of the Chaldees? | GotQuestions.org

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Abram (48 Occurrences)

Genesis 11:27
Now this is the history of the generations of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran became the father of Lot.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 11:29
Abram and Nahor took wives. The name of Abram's wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran who was also the father of Iscah.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 11:31
Terah took Abram his son, Lot the son of Haran, his son's son, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram's wife. They went forth from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan. They came to Haran and lived there.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 12:1
Now Yahweh said to Abram, "Get out of your country, and from your relatives, and from your father's house, to the land that I will show you.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 12:4
So Abram went, as Yahweh had spoken to him. Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed out of Haran.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 12:5
Abram took Sarai his wife, Lot his brother's son, all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls whom they had gotten in Haran, and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan. Into the land of Canaan they came.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Genesis 12:6
Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. The Canaanite was then in the land.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 12:7
Yahweh appeared to Abram and said, "I will give this land to your seed." He built an altar there to Yahweh, who appeared to him.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 12:9
Abram traveled, going on still toward the South.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 12:10
There was a famine in the land. Abram went down into Egypt to live as a foreigner there, for the famine was severe in the land.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 12:14
It happened that when Abram had come into Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 12:16
He dealt well with Abram for her sake. He had sheep, cattle, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 12:18
Pharaoh called Abram and said, "What is this that you have done to me? Why didn't you tell me that she was your wife?
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 12:20
Pharaoh commanded men concerning him, and they brought him on the way with his wife and all that he had.
(See NIV)

Genesis 13:1
Abram went up out of Egypt: he, his wife, all that he had, and Lot with him, into the South.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 13:2
Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 13:4
to the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first. There Abram called on the name of Yahweh.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 13:5
Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 13:8
Abram said to Lot, "Please, let there be no strife between me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are relatives.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 13:12
Abram lived in the land of Canaan, and Lot lived in the cities of the plain, and moved his tent as far as Sodom.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 13:14
Yahweh said to Abram, after Lot was separated from him, "Now, lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 13:18
Abram moved his tent, and came and lived by the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to Yahweh.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 14:13
One who had escaped came and told Abram, the Hebrew. Now he lived by the oaks of Mamre, the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner; and these were allies of Abram.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 14:15
He divided himself against them by night, he and his servants, and struck them, and pursued them to Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.
(See NIV)

Genesis 14:19
He blessed him, and said, "Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth:
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 14:20
and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand." Abram gave him a tenth of all.
(WEB BBE NIV)

Genesis 14:21
The king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the people, and take the goods to yourself."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 14:22
Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have lifted up my hand to Yahweh, God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 14:23
that I will not take a thread nor a sandal strap nor anything that is yours, lest you should say,'I have made Abram rich.'
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 15:1
After these things the word of Yahweh came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Don't be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 15:2
Abram said, "Lord Yahweh, what will you give me, seeing I go childless, and he who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?"
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 15:3
Abram said, "Behold, to me you have given no seed: and, behold, one born in my house is my heir."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 15:5
Yahweh brought him outside, and said, "Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them." He said to Abram, "So shall your seed be."
(WEB)

Genesis 15:11
The birds of prey came down on the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 15:12
When the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. Now terror and great darkness fell on him.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 15:13
He said to Abram, "Know for sure that your seed will live as foreigners in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them. They will afflict them four hundred years.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Genesis 15:18
In that day Yahweh made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your seed I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates:
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 16:2
Sarai said to Abram, "See now, Yahweh has restrained me from bearing. Please go in to my handmaid. It may be that I will obtain children by her." Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 16:3
Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her handmaid, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to Abram her husband to be his wife.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 16:5
Sarai said to Abram, "This wrong is your fault. I gave my handmaid into your bosom, and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes. Yahweh judge between me and you."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 16:6
But Abram said to Sarai, "Behold, your maid is in your hand. Do to her whatever is good in your eyes." Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her face.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 16:15
Hagar bore a son for Abram. Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 16:16
Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 17:1
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, Yahweh appeared to Abram, and said to him, "I am God Almighty. Walk before me, and be blameless.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 17:3
Abram fell on his face. God talked with him, saying,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 17:5
Neither will your name any more be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham; for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Chronicles 1:27
Abram (the same is Abraham).
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Nehemiah 9:7
You are Yahweh the God, who did choose Abram, and brought him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gave him the name of Abraham,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Abram

Related Terms

Sar'ai (12 Occurrences)

Sarai (13 Occurrences)

Dwelt (307 Occurrences)

Abram (48 Occurrences)

Iscah (1 Occurrence)

Egyptian (35 Occurrences)

Maidservant (73 Occurrences)

Sarah (38 Occurrences)

Libraries