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Terah

Abraham's father

Also known as: Terah, Terah, Terach, Tera

The patriarchsPatriarchc. 2126–1921 BC (lived 205 years)

Terah was the son of Nahor and the father of Abram (Abraham), Nahor, and Haran. He is known for leading his family out of Ur of the Chaldeans with the aim of traveling to the land of Canaan, but settled in Haran where he died. Terah represents the transition between the early generations after the flood and the time of the patriarchs.

Family

FatherNahorChildAbrahamChildNahorChildHaran (Abraham's brother, Lot's father)

Key events

Terah's birth and lineage

Terah was born as the son of Nahor, in the line of Shem, Noah's son. He is part of the important genealogy that leads from Shem to Abram.

Gen 11:22Show in context →
22When Serug had lived thirty years, he became the father of Nahor.
וַיְחִ֥י שְׂר֖וּג שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֖וֹלֶד אֶת־נָחֽוֹר׃ ‬
Gen 11:23Show in context →
23After he became the father of Nahor, Serug lived two hundred years and had other sons and daughters.
וַיְחִ֣י שְׂר֗וּג אַחֲרֵ֛י הוֹלִיד֥וֹ אֶת־נָח֖וֹר מָאתַ֣יִם שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֥וֹלֶד בָּנִ֖ים וּבָנֽוֹת׃ ס ‬
Gen 11:24Show in context →
24When Nahor had lived twenty-nine years, he became the father of Terah.
וַיְחִ֣י נָח֔וֹר תֵּ֥שַׁע וְעֶשְׂרִ֖ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֖וֹלֶד אֶת־תָּֽרַח׃ ‬

Father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran

Terah became the father of three sons: Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Through Abram, God would establish his covenant with a chosen people.

Gen 11:26Show in context →
26After Terah had lived seventy years, he became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran.
וֽ͏ַיְחִי־תֶ֖רַח שִׁבְעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֙וֹלֶד֙ אֶת־אַבְרָ֔ם אֶת־נָח֖וֹר וְאֶת־הָרָֽן׃ ‬
Gen 11:27Show in context →
27This is the account of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran, and Haran became the father of Lot.
וְאֵ֙לֶּה֙ תּוֹלְדֹ֣ת תֶּ֔רַח תֶּ֚רַח הוֹלִ֣יד אֶת־אַבְרָ֔ם אֶת־נָח֖וֹר וְאֶת־הָרָ֑ן וְהָרָ֖ן הוֹלִ֥יד אֶת־לֽוֹט׃ ‬

Haran's death in Ur

Haran, the son of Terah, died in Ur of the Chaldeans, his native land, while his father Terah was still living. Haran left behind his son Lot.

Gen 11:28Show in context →
28Haran died in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldeans, while his father Terah was still alive.
וַיָּ֣מָת הָרָ֔ן עַל־פְּנֵ֖י תֶּ֣רַח אָבִ֑יו בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מוֹלַדְתּ֖וֹ בְּא֥וּר כַּשְׂדִּֽים׃ ‬

Departure from Ur of the Chaldeans

Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot (the son of Haran), and his daughter-in-law Sarai, and they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan. This marked the beginning of a historic journey that would shape God's plan of salvation.

Gen 11:31Show in context →
31Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan. But when they came to Haran, they settled there.
וַיִּקַּ֨ח תֶּ֜רַח אֶת־אַבְרָ֣ם בְּנ֗וֹ וְאֶת־ל֤וֹט בֶּן־הָרָן֙ בֶּן־בְּנ֔וֹ וְאֵת֙ שָׂרַ֣י כַּלָּת֔וֹ אֵ֖שֶׁת אַבְרָ֣ם בְּנ֑וֹ וַיֵּצְא֨וּ אִתָּ֜ם מֵא֣וּר כַּשְׂדִּ֗ים לָלֶ֙כֶת֙ אַ֣רְצָה כְּנַ֔עַן וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ עַד־חָרָ֖ן וַיֵּ֥שְׁבוּ שָֽׁם׃ ‬

Settlement in Haran

Instead of continuing on to Canaan, Terah and his family settled in Haran. They remained there, and Terah never completed the journey to the promised land.

Gen 11:31Show in context →
31Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan. But when they came to Haran, they settled there.
וַיִּקַּ֨ח תֶּ֜רַח אֶת־אַבְרָ֣ם בְּנ֗וֹ וְאֶת־ל֤וֹט בֶּן־הָרָן֙ בֶּן־בְּנ֔וֹ וְאֵת֙ שָׂרַ֣י כַּלָּת֔וֹ אֵ֖שֶׁת אַבְרָ֣ם בְּנ֑וֹ וַיֵּצְא֨וּ אִתָּ֜ם מֵא֣וּר כַּשְׂדִּ֗ים לָלֶ֙כֶת֙ אַ֣רְצָה כְּנַ֔עַן וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ עַד־חָרָ֖ן וַיֵּ֥שְׁבוּ שָֽׁם׃ ‬
Gen 11:32Show in context →
32Terah lived two hundred and five years, and he died in Haran.
וַיִּהְי֣וּ יְמֵי־תֶ֔רַח חָמֵ֥שׁ שָׁנִ֖ים וּמָאתַ֣יִם שָׁנָ֑ה וַיָּ֥מָת תֶּ֖רַח בְּחָרָֽן׃ ס ‬

The Death of Terah in Haran

Terah died in Haran at the age of 205. After his death, God called Abram to leave Haran and go on to the land of Canaan. Joshua later notes that Terah served other gods.

Gen 11:32Show in context →
32Terah lived two hundred and five years, and he died in Haran.
וַיִּהְי֣וּ יְמֵי־תֶ֔רַח חָמֵ֥שׁ שָׁנִ֖ים וּמָאתַ֣יִם שָׁנָ֑ה וַיָּ֥מָת תֶּ֖רַח בְּחָרָֽן׃ ס ‬
Josh 24:2Show in context →
2And Joshua said to all the people, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Long ago your ancestors lived beyond the River—Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor—and they served other gods.
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוֹשֻׁ֜עַ אֶל־כָּל־הָעָ֗ם כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר יְהוָה֮ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ בְּעֵ֣בֶר הַנָּהָ֗ר יָשְׁב֤וּ אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶם֙ מֵֽעוֹלָ֔ם תֶּ֛רַח אֲבִ֥י אַבְרָהָ֖ם וַאֲבִ֣י נָח֑וֹר וַיַּעַבְד֖וּ אֱלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִֽים׃ ‬

Mentioned in the Bible (10)

Genesis 11:24Genesis 11:25Genesis 11:26Genesis 11:27Genesis 11:28Genesis 11:31Genesis 11:32Joshua 24:21 Chronicles 1:26Luke 3:34

Related people

AbrahamFather of Faith and Covenant FounderLotAbraham's nephewSarahMother of FaithNahorTerah's father and Abraham's great-grandfatherHaran (Abraham's brother, Lot's father)Lot's father from Ur