Genesis 11:17-32

Ge 11:17

And Eber lived after he begat Peleg four hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters.

 

After Eber begat Peleg, he lived another 430 years making him 464 years old having other sons and daughters.


Ge 11:18

And Peleg lived thirty years, and begat Reu:

 

Peleg was thirty years old when he begat Reu whose name means friend or friendship. 

 

Ge 11:19

And Peleg lived after he begat Reu two hundred and nine years, and begat sons and daughters.

 

Peleg lived 209 years after he begat Reu making him 239 years old.  Notice how the lifespans are severely decreasing.

 

Ge 11:20

And Reu lived two and thirty years, and begat Serug:

 

Reu was 32 years old when he begat Serug who became the father of Nahor and Terah.  His name means shoot, branch or firmness.

 

Ge 11:21

And Reu lived after he begat Serug two hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters.

 

Reu lived 207 years after he begat Serug making him 239 years old.

 

Ge 11:22

And Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor:

 

Serug was 30 years old when he begat Nahor means breathing hard or slayer and was the grandfather of Abraham.


Ge 11:23

And Serug lived after he begat Nahor two hundred years, and begat sons and daughters.

 

Serug lived 200 years after he begat Nahor making him 230 years old.

 

Ge 11:24

And Nahor lived nine and twenty years, and begat Terah:

 

Nahor was 29 years old when he begat Terah means wild goat or wondering and was the father of Abraham.

 

Ge 11:25

And Nahor lived after he begat Terah an hundred and nineteen years, and begat sons and daughters.

 

Nahor lived 119 years after he begat Terah and other sons and daughters making him 148 years old.

 

Ge 11:26

And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

 

Terah was 70 years old when he begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

 

Ge 11:27

Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot.

 

This is a short listing of the posterity of Terah who was the father of Abram.

 

Ge 11:28

And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees.

 

Haran had died while his father was still living leaving only Nahor and Abram.  They lived in Ur of the Chaldees which was Mesopotamia or old Babylon.  No doubt Abram was an idolater like all the others who probably worshipped Marduk the chief Babylonian deity.

 

Ge 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 of Milcah, and the father of Iscah.

 

Then both Abram and Nahor both took wives.  Nahor had married one of the daughters of Haran named Milcah.  At this time it was permitted for cousins to marry but later forbidden under Levitical law.  Some believe that Iscah may have been Sarah but there is no evidence for that belief.  Iscah was Milcah’s sister.

 

Ge 11:30

But Sarai was barren; she had no child.

 

Abram married a woman named Sarai but at this time she was barren and had no children as the wife of Nahor probably already bore him children.  Sarah’s barrenness would eventually turn out to be a blessing from the LORD later one.  Sometimes what we see at the present does not define the whole picture.

 

Ge 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 with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there.

 

Then maybe because of the death of his son Haran, Terah decided to leave Ur of the Chaldees and head toward new ground.  Terah took with him Abram his son and Lot his grandson along with Sarai to go into the land of Canaan to dwell there.  They settled in a town named Haran otherwise known as Charran.  Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell. (Acts 7:4)   This was a pretty long trip because Ur to Haran was approximately 650 miles (1046 km). Haran was also the center of Moon god worship in western Mesopotamia. Ancient Jewish tradition states that Terah was a maker of idols of the Moon god. Abraham had lived in Haran until his father, Terah died.


Ge 11:32

And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.

 

Terah had died in Haran at the age of 205 years old leaving Abram, Lot, and Sarai behind.  Abram and Sarai were about to embark upon a great journey with the Lord beginning in the next chapter.

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