# Who was Abraham in the Bible?

Abraham was the man God called to leave his home and go to a land he would be shown. God promised him a great family and that all peoples would be blessed through him. Jews, Christians and Muslims all look back to him. The New Testament calls him the father of all who believe.

- When: Long before Israel was a nation. Many scholars place him somewhere around 2000 to 1700 BC, but the Bible gives no date we can fix.
- Read: Genesis 11:27–25:11. Start with [Genesis 12](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/12).

Source: https://www.lumin.faith/bible-people/abraham. Scripture quotations are from the Lumin Translation.

## Abraham’s life, in order

1. **The call** ([Genesis 12:1-9](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/12#1-9)). At 75, Abram leaves Harran with his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot, because God told him to go.
2. **Down to Egypt** ([Genesis 12:10-20](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/12#10-20)). Famine drives him to Egypt, where he passes Sarai off as his sister to save himself. Map: [Egypt](https://www.lumin.faith/bible-map#egypt).
3. **Count the stars** ([Genesis 15:1-6](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/15#1-6)). Still childless, Abram believes God’s promise of a son, and God counts it as righteousness.
4. **A new name** ([Genesis 17:1-8](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/17#1-8)). God makes a covenant with him and renames him Abraham, “father of many”. Sarai becomes Sarah.
5. **Three visitors at Mamre** ([Genesis 18:1-15](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/18#1-15)). Abraham feeds three guests near Hebron. They say Sarah will have a son, and she laughs. Map: [Hebron](https://www.lumin.faith/bible-map#hebron).
6. **Isaac is born** ([Genesis 21:1-7](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/21#1-7)). At 100, Abraham holds the son God promised.
7. **The test on Mount Moriah** ([Genesis 22:1-14](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/22#1-14)). God tells Abraham to offer Isaac. At the last moment God stops him and provides a ram.
8. **Buried at Machpelah** ([Genesis 25:7-11](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/25#7-11)). Abraham buys a cave near Hebron to bury Sarah. He is buried there himself at 175. Map: [Hebron](https://www.lumin.faith/bible-map#hebron).

## Key verses

> I will make a great nation of you. I will bless you and give you a great name, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who scorns you I will curse. Through you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” ([Genesis 12:2-3](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/12#2-3))

> Abram believed Yahweh, and he credited it to him as righteousness. ([Genesis 15:6](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/15#6))

> Understand, then, that those who have faith are the sons of Abraham. ([Galatians 3:7](https://www.lumin.faith/read/galatians/3#7))

## What the Bible says, and what tradition adds

### Why did God change Abram’s name?

**In the Bible.** Genesis 17 explains it: God would make him the father of many nations. The new name carries the promise. See [Genesis 17:5](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/17#5).

### Where was Ur of the Chaldeans?

**Readers disagree.** Most scholars place it at Ur in southern Iraq. A few argue for a northern site nearer Harran. The Bible gives the name, not a map. See [Genesis 11:31](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/11#31).

### Is the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron really the cave?

**Tradition, not the Bible.** Genesis puts the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, at Hebron. The building there today was raised by Herod over the site honored as that cave. It has been honored for some 2,000 years. See [Genesis 23:19](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/23#19).

## Related people

- [Sarah](https://www.lumin.faith/bible-people/sarah): Abraham’s wife. Laughed at the promise, then bore Isaac at 90.
- [Joseph](https://www.lumin.faith/bible-people/joseph): Sold by his brothers. Rose to rule Egypt. Forgave them.
- [Noah](https://www.lumin.faith/bible-people/noah): Built the ark. God made the rainbow promise with him.