Topical Bible: Abraham: Son of Terah

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Introduction:
Abraham, originally named Abram, 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. Abraham is the son of Terah and is considered the founding father of the covenant, the special relationship between the Hebrew people and God.

Family Background:
Abraham was born in Ur of the Chaldeans, a city in ancient Mesopotamia. He was the son of Terah and had two brothers, Nahor and Haran. Haran was the father of Lot, who would later accompany Abraham on his journey. Terah took his family, including Abram, Sarai (Abram's wife), and Lot, from Ur to Haran, where Terah eventually died (Genesis 11:27-32).

Call and Covenant:
God called Abram to leave his country, his people, and his father's household to go to a land that He would show him. In Genesis 12:1-3 , God promises Abram that He will make him into a great nation, bless him, make his name great, and that all peoples on earth will be blessed through him. Abram obeys and travels to Canaan, where God appears to him and promises the land to his offspring (Genesis 12:7).

Journey and Challenges:
Abram's journey is marked by several significant events. During a famine, he travels to Egypt, where he deceives Pharaoh by claiming Sarai is his sister (Genesis 12:10-20). Later, Abram and Lot separate due to their growing herds, with Lot choosing the fertile plains of the Jordan (Genesis 13:5-11).

Covenant of Circumcision:
In Genesis 17, God establishes the covenant of circumcision with Abram, changing his name to Abraham, meaning "father of many nations," and Sarai's name to Sarah. God promises that Sarah will bear a son, Isaac, through whom the covenant will continue (Genesis 17:4-21).

The Birth of Ishmael and Isaac:
Before Isaac's birth, Sarah, being barren, gives her maidservant Hagar to Abraham, resulting in the birth of Ishmael (Genesis 16:1-16). However, God reiterates His promise to Abraham that Sarah will bear a son. Isaac is born when Abraham is 100 years old, fulfilling God's promise (Genesis 21:1-7).

The Binding of Isaac:
One of the most profound tests of Abraham's faith occurs when God commands him to sacrifice Isaac. Abraham obeys, but God intervenes at the last moment, providing a ram as a substitute sacrifice (Genesis 22:1-14). This event is seen as a demonstration of Abraham's unwavering faith and obedience.

Death and Legacy:
Abraham lived to be 175 years old. He was buried by his sons Isaac and Ishmael in the cave of Machpelah, which he had purchased as a burial site (Genesis 25:7-10). Abraham's legacy is profound, as he is considered the father of faith for Jews, Christians, and Muslims. His life and covenant with God set the foundation for the unfolding narrative of the Bible and the history of the Israelites.

Nave's Topical Index

Genesis 11:26,27
And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran.
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Library

Why, in the Account of Terah's Emigration, on his Forsaking the ...
... him, when Terah with his family went forth out of the Chaldean nation and dwelt
in Haran, since it mentions that he took with him not only Abraham his son, but ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/chapter 13 why in the account.htm

Here Followeth the Life of Abraham
... The Sunday called Quinquagesima is read in the church the history of the
holy patriarch Abraham which was the son of Terah. This ...
/.../wells/bible stories and religious classics/here followeth the life of.htm

C. The Genealogy of Jesus. Ch. 3:23-38
... the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, 34 the son
of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of ...
/.../erdman/the gospel of luke an exposition/c the genealogy of jesus.htm

Of the Era in Abraham's Life from which a New Period in the Holy ...
... enumerating the generations from Shem, Noah's son, down to Abraham, it then signalizes
an era by saying, "These are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/chapter 12 of the era in.htm

How Isaac Took Rebeka to Wife.
... And, after supper, he says to him, and to the mother of the damsel, addressing himself
to her, "Abraham is the son of Terah, and a kinsman of yours; for Nahor ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 16 how isaac took.htm

Genealogy According to Luke.
... the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, 34 the son
of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/iv genealogy according to luke.htm

Of the Time of the Migration of Abraham, When, According to the ...
... to complete what had been begun about Terah, says, "And ... words of Stephen, God spoke
to Abraham, not after ... who certainly died in Haran, where his son also dwelt ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/chapter 15 of the time of.htm

Of the Genealogy of Shem, in Whose Line the City of God is ...
... and Nahor 79, and begat Terah; and Terah 70, and ... from Shem through Arphaxad and reach
to Abraham; but from ... posterity, and the ungodly in the cursed son and his ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/chapter 10 of the genealogy of.htm

Chronology from Adam.
... And his son Nahor, when 75. And his son Terah, when 70. And his son Abraham,
our patriarch, begat Isaac when he was 100 years old. ...
/.../theophilus/theophilus to autolycus/chapter xxiv chronology from adam.htm

Entire Sanctification in Patriarchal Times.
... "He came to Haran and dwelt there," or to give the record in full, "And Terah took
Abraham, his son, and Lot, the son of Haran, his son's son, and Sarai, his ...
/.../clark/the theology of holiness/chapter iii entire sanctification in.htm