Monday, June 18 2012
A Biography Of Abraham: From Ur To Canaan

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

Studies in this series of A Biography Of Abraham:1. The Genealogy Of Abram2. From Ur To Canaan3. The Battles Of Sodom4. Hagar And Ishmael5. Isaac6. Sarah7. Mamre in Hebron8. Abrahamic Religions

Abram, who the LORD (see Appearances Of The LORD God and What Does Word of God Mean To You?) later renamed as Abraham, was a native of Ur, a major city of Mesopotamia (meaning between the rivers i.e. the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers). If Abraham lived today, he would be a natural-born citizen of Iraq (see A Biography Of Abraham: The Genealogy Of Abram).

From Iraq, Abraham and his family moved to Haran, a city in what is today Syria, which was located on a major caravan route (see Camel Trains; also Damascus In History And Prophecy). Then, from Haran, Abraham journeyed south to "the land of Canaan" where he would remain for the rest of his life. Although he lived in the area that later became known as "Israel," Israel, and Judah ("Jew" is an abbreviation of Judah), as a people, or as a nation, did not yet exist in Abraham's time (see Where Jacob Became Israel and Who Were The First Jews?). Abraham never knew of "Israel," as a people, or as a place.

The move from Ur began under the family leadership of Abraham's father Terah. Abraham's brother Haran (who had the same name as the city in Syria that would become their first stop), the father of Lot, "died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees."

"11:26 And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

11:27 Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot.

11:28 And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees.

11:29 And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram's wife was Sarai [see Abram and Sarai]; and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah. 11:30 But Sarai was barren; she had no child." (Genesis 11:26-30 KJV)

The family remained in Haran for a substantial time, until "Terah died in Haran."

"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 [see also A History Of Jerusalem: Jebus Of Canaan]; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there.

11:32 And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran." (Genesis 11:31-32 KJV)

The LORD then commanded Abraham (who was still known as Abram) to "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee." It was a journey with a Messianic purpose i.e. from that Iraqi would "all families of the earth be blessed" (see What Did Jesus Christ Say About Abraham?).

"12:1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee:

12:2 And I will make of thee a great nation [see Abraham's Seed: From The Nile To The Euphrates], and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." (Genesis 12:1-3 KJV)

So Abraham left Haran, as the LORD commanded.

"12:4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. 12:5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan [see also The Sin Of Canaan]; and into the land of Canaan they came." (Genesis 12:4-5 KJV)

"By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed"

Abraham's obedience was based upon his faith in the LORD. Abraham knew that he would live his life "in a strange country," "not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth."

"11:8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 11:9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 11:10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God [see The Constitution Of The Kingdom Of God].

11:11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. 11:12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.

11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 11:14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. 11:15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city [see The Church: Mission Accomplished]." (Hebrews 11:8-16 KJV)

The LORD appeared to Abraham throughout his journey, with further promises that would be fulfilled in a future time.

"12:6 And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land. 12:7 And the LORD appeared unto Abram [see Appearances Of The LORD God], and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him." (Genesis 12:6-7 KJV)

Abraham continued to the southernmost area of what would become the land of Israel, "going on still toward the south" - where he would settle for the rest of his physical life.

"12:8 And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel [see The God Of Bethel], and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD. 12:9 And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south." (Genesis 12:8-9 KJV)

Abraham experienced Egypt for a short time because "there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land." It was the same reason that Abraham's future descendants would go to Egypt (see Why Did They Go To Goshen?).

"12:10 And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land. 12:11 And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon: 12:12 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive. 12:13 Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.

12:14 And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair. 12:15 The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house. 12:16 And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels.

12:17 And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife. 12:18 And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife? 12:19 Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way. 12:20 And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had." (Genesis 12:10-20 KJV)

Like the Israelites centuries later, Abraham came out of Egypt far wealthier than he had entered.

"13:1 And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. 13:2 And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. 13:3 And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai; 13:4 Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD." (Genesis 13:1-4 KJV)

Abraham's nephew Lot had also prospered, so much so that "there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle."

"13:5 And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds [see The Herds Of Abraham, Isaac And Jacob], and tents. 13:6 And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together. 13:7 And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.

13:8 And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. 13:9 Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left." (Genesis 13:5-9 KJV)

Lot's fateful choice was "all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah."

"13:10 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah [see Does God Love His Enemies?], even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. 13:11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan [see also Why Did Lot's Wife Look Back?]; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. 13:12 Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. 13:13 But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly." (Genesis 13:10-13 KJV)

Abraham then turned in the other direction and settled in Hebron where he would remain for the rest of his life.

"13:14 And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: 13:15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. 13:16 And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. 13:17 Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.

13:18 Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron [see also Why Bethlehem, Hebron And Jerusalem?], and built there an altar unto the LORD." (Genesis 13:14-18 KJV)

Fact Finder: Why is perseverance necessary for genuine faith?
See Lessons Of Perseverance And Faith and Works Means Obedience