Terah (Abraham's father)

Patriarch from Ur of the Chaldeans

The patriarchsPatriarchc. 2126–1921 BC

Terah was the father of Abraham, Nahor, and Haran, and an ancestor of the Hebrew people. He led his family out of Ur of the Chaldeans with the aim of traveling to Canaan but settled in Haran where he died. According to Jewish tradition, he was an idol worshiper before Abraham received God's call.

Family

FatherNahor ChildAbraham ChildNahor ChildHaran (Abraham's brother, Lot's father)

Key events

Terah's lineage presented

The Bible gives a genealogical overview of Terah's family, including his three sons Abraham, Nahor, and Haran, who were born in Ur of the Chaldeans.

Gen 11:26 Show 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 11:27 Show 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

Terah's son Haran died in his birthplace Ur of the Chaldeans while his father was still alive. Haran was the father of Lot.

Gen 11:28 Show 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׃ ‬

The Migration from Ur

Terah took Abraham, Lot and Sarai and left Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan, but they stopped in Haran and settled there.

Gen 11:31 Show 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׃ ‬

Terah's Death in Haran

Terah lived 205 years and died in Haran. After his death, God called Abraham to continue the journey to Canaan.

Gen 11:32 Show 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 ‬

Mentioned in Joshua's Speech

Joshua reminded the people that their ancestors, including Terah, had lived on the other side of the Euphrates and worshiped other gods.

Josh 24:2 Show 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׃ ‬