Abraham

Abraham, first called Abram, was the man God called out of Ur and Haran to go to Canaan, with the promise that he would become a great nation and that all families of the earth would be blessed in him. He was the father of Isaac and the ancestor of Israel.

Family and call

• Genesis 11:27-32
  ²⁷Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot.This is the account of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. And Haran became the father of Lot. ²⁸And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees.During his father Terah’s lifetime, Haran died in his native land, in Ur of the Chaldeans. ²⁹And 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.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. ³⁰But Sarai was barren; she had no child.But Sarai was barren; she had no children. ³¹And 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.And Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai the wife of Abram, and they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans for the land of Canaan. But when they arrived in Haran, they settled there. ³²And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.Terah lived 205 years, and he died in Haran.
  Show context · Read Genesis 11 →
• Genesis 12:1-5
  ¹Now 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 shew thee:Then the LORD said to Abram, “Leave your country, your kindred, and your father’s household, and go to the land I will show you. ²And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. ³And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.” ⁴So 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.So Abram departed, as the LORD had directed him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. ⁵And 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; and into the land of Canaan they came.And Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all the possessions and people they had acquired in Haran, and set out for the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan,
  Show context · Read Genesis 12 →

God's covenant

• Genesis 15:1-6
  ¹After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.After these events, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” ²And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?But Abram replied, “O Lord GOD, what can You give me, since I remain childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” ³And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.Abram continued, “Behold, You have given me no offspring, so a servant in my household will be my heir.” ⁴And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.Then the word of the LORD came to Abram, saying, “This one will not be your heir, but one who comes from your own body will be your heir.” ⁵And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.And the LORD took him outside and said, “Now look to the heavens and count the stars, if you are able.” Then He told him, “So shall your offspring be.” ⁶And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness.
  Show context · Read Genesis 15 →
• Genesis 15:18
  In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land—from the river of Egypt to the great River Euphrates—
  Show context · Read Genesis 15 →
• Genesis 17:1-8
  ¹And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty. Walk before Me and be blameless. ²And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly.” ³And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,Then Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, ⁴As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.“As for Me, this is My covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. ⁵Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.No longer will you be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. ⁶And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.I will make you exceedingly fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will descend from you. ⁷And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.I will establish My covenant as an everlasting covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. ⁸And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.And to you and your descendants I will give the land where you are residing—all the land of Canaan—as an eternal possession; and I will be their God.”
  Show context · Read Genesis 17 →

Birth of Isaac

• Genesis 18:10-14
  ¹⁰And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.Then the LORD said, “I will surely return to you at this time next year, and your wife Sarah will have a son!” Now Sarah was behind him, listening at the entrance to the tent. ¹¹Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.And Abraham and Sarah were already old and well along in years; Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. ¹²Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?So she laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?” ¹³And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?And the LORD asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Can I really bear a child when I am old?’ ¹⁴Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you—in about a year—and Sarah will have a son.”
  Show context · Read Genesis 18 →
• Genesis 21:1-5
  ¹And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken.Now the LORD attended to Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what He had promised. ²For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised. ³And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.And Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore to him. ⁴And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God had commanded him. ⁵And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.
  Show context · Read Genesis 21 →

The offering of Isaac

• Genesis 22:1-14
  ¹And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.Some time later God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he answered. ²And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.“Take your son,” God said, “your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.” ³And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.So Abraham got up early the next morning, saddled his donkey, and took along two of his servants and his son Isaac. He split the wood for a burnt offering and set out for the place God had designated. ⁴Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. ⁵And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.“Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham told his servants. “The boy and I will go over there to worship, and then we will return to you.” ⁶And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac. He himself carried the fire and the sacrificial knife, and the two of them walked on together. ⁷And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?Then Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” “Here I am, my son,” he replied. “The fire and the wood are here,” said Isaac, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” ⁸And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.Abraham answered, “God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two walked on together. ⁹And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.When they arrived at the place God had designated, Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood. He bound his son Isaac and placed him on the altar, atop the wood. ¹⁰And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. ¹¹And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.Just then the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, “Abraham, Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. ¹²And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.“Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him,” said the angel, “for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from me.” ¹³And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.Then Abraham looked up and saw behind him a ram in a thicket, caught by its horns. So he went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son. ¹⁴And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah–jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.And Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. So to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.”
  Show context · Read Genesis 22 →
• Genesis 22:15-18
  ¹⁵And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time, ¹⁶And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:saying, “By Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your only son, ¹⁷That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;I will surely bless you, and I will multiply your descendants like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will possess the gates of their enemies. ¹⁸And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.And through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
  Show context · Read Genesis 22 →

Death

• Genesis 25:7-10
  ⁷And these are the days of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years.Abraham lived a total of 175 years. ⁸Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.And at a ripe old age he breathed his last and died, old and contented, and was gathered to his people. ⁹And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre;His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite. ¹⁰The field which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth: there was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife.This was the field that Abraham had bought from the Hittites. Abraham was buried there with his wife Sarah.
  Show context · Read Genesis 25 →

In the New Testament

• Romans 4:1-3
  ¹What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, has discovered? ²For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.If Abraham was indeed justified by works, he had something to boast about, but not before God. ³For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
  Show context · Read Romans 4 →
• Romans 4:18-22
  ¹⁸Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” ¹⁹And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb:Without weakening in his faith, he acknowledged the decrepitness of his body (since he was about a hundred years old) and the lifelessness of Sarah’s womb. ²⁰He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;Yet he did not waver through disbelief in the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, ²¹And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.being fully persuaded that God was able to do what He had promised. ²²And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”
  Show context · Read Romans 4 →
• Galatians 3:6-9
  ⁶Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.So also, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” ⁷Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.Understand, then, that those who have faith are sons of Abraham. ⁸And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and foretold the gospel to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” ⁹So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
  Show context · Read Galatians 3 →
• Hebrews 11:8-12
  ⁸By 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.By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, without knowing where he was going. ⁹By 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:By faith he dwelt in the promised land as a stranger in a foreign country. He lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. ¹⁰For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. ¹¹Through 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.By faith Sarah, even though she was barren and beyond the proper age, was enabled to conceive a child, because she considered Him faithful who had promised. ¹²Therefore 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.And so from one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.
  Show context · Read Hebrews 11 →
• Hebrews 11:17-19
  ¹⁷By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac on the altar. He who had received the promises was ready to offer his one and only son, ¹⁸Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:even though God had said to him, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.” ¹⁹Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and in a sense, he did receive Isaac back from death.
  Show context · Read Hebrews 11 →
• James 2:21-23
  ²¹Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?Was not our father Abraham justified by what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? ²²Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?You see that his faith was working with his actions, and his faith was perfected by what he did. ²³And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God.
  Show context · Read James 2 →

See also

• Sarah
• Isaac
• Covenant
• Faith

Notes

1. Verses are quoted in the translation chosen in the Translation menu at the top of the page. See Translations for sources and copyright notices.
2. Each reference links to the full chapter so the verse can be read in context.