God’s Word Translation
Genesis 11:31
31Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot (son of Haran), and his daughter-in-law Sarai, wife of his son Abram. They set out together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. When they came as far as Haran, they stayed there.
Genesis 11:31 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there.
- New International Version (NIV)Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Harran, they settled there.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Terah took Abram his son and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram's wife, and they went forth together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan, but when they came to Haran, they settled there.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And Terah took his son Abram and his grandson Lot, the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram’s wife, and they went out with them from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan; and they came to Haran and dwelt there.
Context of Genesis 11:31
29Both Abram and Nahor married. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah, daughter of Haran. (Haran was the father of Milcah and Iscah.) 30Sarai was not able to have children. Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot (son of Haran), and his daughter-in-law Sarai, wife of his son Abram. They set out together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. When they came as far as Haran, they stayed there. 32Terah lived 205 years and died in Haran.
Read all of Genesis 11Genesis 11:31 word by word
וַיִּקַּ֨ח תֶּ֜רַח אֶת־אַבְרָ֣ם בְּנ֗וֹ וְאֶת־ל֤וֹט בֶּן־הָרָן֙ בֶּן־בְּנ֔וֹ וְאֵת֙ שָׂרַ֣י כַּלָּת֔וֹ אֵ֖שֶׁת אַבְרָ֣ם בְּנ֑וֹ וַיֵּצְא֨וּ אִתָּ֜ם מֵא֣וּר כַּשְׂדִּ֗ים לָלֶ֙כֶת֙ אַ֣רְצָה כְּנַ֔עַן וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ עַד־חָרָ֖ן וַיֵּ֥שְׁבוּ שָֽׁם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Terahתֶּ֫רַחterach · TerahH8646
- tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- Abramאַבְרָם'abrâm · AbramH87
- his sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- and Lotלוֹטlôţ · LotH3876
- of Haranהָרָןhârân · HaranH2039
- and Saraiשָׂרַיώâray · SaraiH8297
- his daughter in lawכַּלָּהkallâh · daughter-in-lawH3618
- wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
- and they went forthיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
- with them from Urאוּר'ûr · UrH218
- of the Chaldeesכַּשְׂדִּיםkaώdîy kaώdîymâh · ChaldeaH3778
- to goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- into the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- of Canaanכְּנַ֫עַןkena‛an · CanaanH3667
- and they cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- unto Haranחָרָןchârân · HaranH2771
- and dweltיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
Cross-references for Genesis 11:31
- Genesis 11:26Terah was 70 years old when he became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran.
- Genesis 12:1The Lord said to Abram, “Leave your land, your relatives, and your father’s home. Go to the land that I will show you.
- Genesis 11:28While his father Terah was still alive, Haran died in Ur of the Chaldeans, his native land.
- Joshua 24:2Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: Long ago your ancestors, Terah and his sons Abraham and Nahor, lived on the other side of the Euphrates River and served other gods.
- Hebrews 11:8Faith led Abraham to obey when God called him to go to a place that he would receive as an inheritance. Abraham left his own country without knowing where he was going.
- Nehemiah 9:7You are the Lord, the God who chose Abram and took him from Ur of the Chaldeans and gave him the name Abraham.
- Acts 7:2Stephen answered, “Brothers and fathers, listen to me. The God who reveals his glory appeared to our ancestor Abraham in Mesopotamia. This happened before Abraham lived in Haran.
- Genesis 10:19The border of the Canaanites extended from Sidon toward Gerar as far as Gaza and then toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim as far as Lasha.
- Genesis 24:10Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and left, taking with him all of his master’s best things. He traveled to Aram Naharaim, Nahor’s city.
- Genesis 11:32Terah lived 205 years and died in Haran.
- Genesis 12:4So Abram left, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran.
- Genesis 27:43So now, Son, obey me. Quick! Run away to my brother Laban in Haran.
- Genesis 29:4Jacob asked some people, “My friends, where are you from?” “We’re from Haran,” they replied.
Commentaries on Genesis 11:31
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 31They went forth - front Ur of the Chaldees - Chaldea is sometimes understood as comprising the whole of Babylonia; at other times, that province towards Arabia Deserta, called in Scripture The land of the Chaldeans. The capital of this place was Babylon, called in Scripture The beauty of the Chaldees' excellency, Isaiah 13:19. Ur appears to have been a city of some considerable consequence at that time in Chaldea; but where situated is not well known. It…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 27-32Verses 27-32 - Section X - Abraham - XXXVI. The Father of Abram 27. לוט lôṭ Lot, “veil;” verb: “cover.” 28. אוּר 'ûr Ur, “light, flame.” כשׂדים kaśdı̂ym Kasdim, Cardi, Kurds, ͂ Kaldaioi כסד kesed “gain?” Arabic. Ur Kasdim has been identified with Hur, now called Mugheir (the bitumened), a heap of ruins lying south of the Euphrates, nearly opposite its jucnction with the Shat el-Hie. Others place it at Edessa, now Orfa, a short way north of Carrhae. 29…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 27-32Verses 27-32 Here begins the story of Abram, whose name is famous in both Testaments. Even the children of Eber had become worshippers of false gods. Those who are through grace, heirs of the land of promise, ought to remember what was the land of their birth; what was their corrupt and sinful state by nature. Abram's brethren were, Nahor, out of whose family both Isaac and Jacob had their wives; and Haran, the father of Lot, who died before his father…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 31Terah took: Abram left Ur because God called him (see study note on 11:28). Yet, the story relates from Terah’s viewpoint, reflecting the ancient Near Eastern culture where the oldest male led the family. This respect for elders is probably why Abram did not go to Canaan alone at that time (see Acts 7:2–4). Haran was 885 kilometers (550 miles) northwest of Ur, near the Syrian-Turkish border. Despite the similar name, there is no connection to Terah’s son…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3131. Sarai his daughter-in-law--the same as Iscah [Ge 11:29], granddaughter of Terah, probably by a second wife, and by early usages considered marriageable to her uncle, Abraham. they came unto Haran--two days' journey south-southeast from Ur, on the direct road to the ford of the Euphrates at Rakka, the nearest and most convenient route to Palestine.Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 11:31
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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