Son of Terah, Abraham's brother; father of Bethuel.
Nahor
Named in 11 verses of Genesis, first in Genesis 11:26.
נָחוֹרNahor
The name means “hoarse; dry; hot.” Hitchcock's Bible Names, 1869
- Father
- Terah
- People
- Early Patriarch
About Nahor Written by AI
Nahor, mentioned in Genesis 11, 22, 24, 29, and 31, was the son of Terah and the brother of Abraham and Haran. He was born in Ur of the Chaldeans and later settled in the city of Nahor, which was likely named after him. Nahor married Milcah, the daughter of his brother Haran, and together they had eight children, including Bethuel, who became the father of Rebekah (Genesis 22:20 to 23). Rebekah would later marry Isaac, Abraham's son, thus continuing the lineage of the patriarchs. When Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for Isaac, the servant traveled to the city of Nahor and met Rebekah at the well (Genesis 24:10). Rebekah's family connection to Nahor and Abraham was confirmed when she identified herself as Bethuel's daughter and Nahor's granddaughter (Genesis 24:15). Later, when Israel (or 'Jacob'), Rebekah's son, fled from his brother Esau, he sought refuge with Laban, Rebekah's brother, in the city of Nahor (Genesis 29:5). This shows that Nahor's descendants maintained close ties with Abraham's family. In Genesis 31:53, when Jacob and Laban made a covenant, they invoked the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor as witnesses, suggesting that Nahor and his descendants had come to acknowledge the God of Abraham. Nahor's role in the biblical narrative is primarily as a link in the lineage of the patriarchs, connecting Abraham to the subsequent generations. His descendants, particularly Rebekah and her family, play a crucial role in the continuation of the covenant promises made to Abraham.
Drafted by an AI model for STEPBible's TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Check it against the verses below.
Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897
This entry is on the name Nahor, and may cover more than one person or place by that name.
Snorting. (1.) The father of Terah, who was the father of Abraham (Gen. 11:22-25; Luke 3:34).
(2.) A son of Terah, and elder brother of Abraham (Gen. 11:26, 27; Josh. 24:2, R.V.). He married Milcah, the daughter of his brother Haran, and remained in the land of his nativity on the east of the river Euphrates at Haran (Gen. 11:27-32). A correspondence was maintained between the family of Abraham in Canaan and the relatives in the old ancestral home at Haran till the time of Jacob. When Jacob fled from Haran all intercourse between the two branches of the family came to an end (Gen. 31:55). His grand-daughter Rebekah became Isaac’s wife (24:67).
M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary, third edition (1897), public domain, from CrossWire. Shown as written; its Scripture quotes are from older translations.
Where the Bible names him
- Genesis 11:26
When Terah was 70 years old, he became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran.
- Genesis 11:27
This is the account of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. And Haran became the father of Lot.
- Genesis 11:29
And Abram and Nahor took wives for themselves. Abram’s wife was named Sarai, and Nahor’s wife was named Milcah; she was the daughter of Haran, who was the father of both Milcah and Iscah.
- Genesis 22:20
Some time later, Abraham was told, “Milcah has also borne sons to your brother Nahor:
- Genesis 22:23
And Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. Milcah bore these eight sons to Abraham’s brother Nahor.
- Genesis 24:10
Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed with all manner of good things from his master in hand. And he set out for Nahor’s hometown in Aram-naharaim.
- Genesis 24:15
Before the servant had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor.
- Genesis 24:24
She replied, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milcah bore to Nahor.”
- Genesis 24:47
Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She replied, ‘The daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him.’ So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists.
- Genesis 29:5
“Do you know Laban the grandson of Nahor?” Jacob asked. “We know him,” they replied.
- Genesis 31:53
May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” So Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac.
From STEPBible's TIPNR, Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0): names, family, references and the AI written article. Verse text is the BSB.