Man living at the time of the Patriarchs

Abraham

Genesis 11:26–32; 12:4; 25:7–8; Acts 7:4

Terah’s son, born Abram and renamed Abraham (“father of a multitude”) by God (Genesis 17:5). God called him out of his country and his father’s house to a land he would be shown, with a great promise: “All the families of the earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:1–4). Abram was 75 when he left Haran with his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot.

The promise was sealed by covenant. Abram “believed in Yahweh, who credited it to him for righteousness” (Genesis 15:6), and God later gave circumcision as the covenant’s sign (Genesis 17:1–14). Sarah bore Isaac when Abraham was 100 (Genesis 21:5), and Abraham obeyed when God tested him by asking for his son on Mount Moriah, trusting that God could raise him from the dead (Genesis 22:1–14; Hebrews 11:17–19). He had also fathered Ishmael by Hagar, and sons by Keturah (Genesis 16:15; 25:1–2). He died at 175 and was buried in the cave of Machpelah beside Sarah by Isaac and Ishmael (Genesis 25:7–10).

The New Testament calls him the father of all who believe, because faith, and not the law, was counted to him as righteousness (Romans 4:1–5, 16; Galatians 3:6–9). Jesus is the son of Abraham through whom the blessing reaches the nations (Matthew 1:1; Galatians 3:16).

Ussher's date: Abram left Haran at 75 after Terah died at 205 (Genesis 11:32; 12:4; Acts 7:4), so Terah was 130 at his birth. Alternate: if Abram was born when Terah was 70 (a surface reading of Genesis 11:26), birth would be 2056 BC.

Family

Father

Terah

Wives

Sarah, Hagar, Keturah

Children

Ishmael, Isaac, Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, Shuah

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