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Abraham

The man through whom God promises blessing to all nations, and the ancestor of Israel.

Chart of the line of promise from Noah through Shem, Arphaxad, Shelah, Eber, Peleg, Reu, Serug, Nahor, and Terah to Abraham, with Genesis references.
Teaching chart. Dates are approximate. The portraits are imagined illustrations, not likenesses. Select the image to view it full size.

What the sources say, and how sure we are

  • The text says

    Abram is called and promised a land, descendants, and blessing (Gen 12). God makes a covenant with him (Gen 15, 17), Isaac is born (Gen 21), and Abraham’s faith is tested (Gen 22).Gen 12; Gen 15; Gen 17; Gen 21–22

  • Outside evidence

    No inscription outside the Bible names Abraham.

  • Debated

    Names, customs, and travel in Genesis fit the wider world of the second millennium BC at many points. Scholars disagree about how closely, and about whether a fit of that kind supports the stories as history.

  • Christian conclusion

    Christians read Abraham’s trust in God as the pattern of faith and the promise to him as fulfilled in Jesus.Rom 4; Gal 3:16

A shared ancestor

Jews, Christians, and Muslims each honor Abraham, and each reads his story differently. The Bible’s own claim is that God’s promise to him is where the story of redemption begins.

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