Haran

Haran - (Easton's Bible Dictionary)

(1.) Heb. haran; i.e., "mountaineer." The eldest son of Terah, brother of Abraham and Nahor, and father of Lot, Milcah, and Iscah. He died before his father (Gen. 11:27), in Ur of the Chaldees.

(2.) Heb. haran, i.e., "parched;" or probably from the Accadian charana, meaning "a road." A celebrated city of Western Asia, now Harran, where Abram remained, after he left Ur of the Chaldees, till his father Terah died (Gen. 11:31, 32), when he continued his journey into the land of Canaan. It is called "Charran" in the LXX. and in Acts 7:2. It is called the "city of Nahor" (Gen. 24:10), and Jacob resided here with Laban (30:43). It stood on the river Belik, an affluent of the Euphrates, about 70 miles above where it joins that river in Upper Mesopotamia or Padan-aram, and about 600 miles northwest of Ur in a direct line. It was on the caravan route between the east and west. It is afterwards mentioned among the towns taken by the king of Assyria (2 Kings 19:12; Isa. 37:12). It was known to the Greeks and Romans under the name Carrhae.

(3.) The son of Caleb of Judah (1 Chr. 2:46) by his concubine Ephah.

1. The third son of Terah, and therefore youngest brother of Abram. (Genesis 11:26) (B.C. 1926.) Three children are ascribed to him --Lot, vs. (Genesis 11:27,31) and two daughters, viz., Milcah, who married her uncle Nahor, ver. (Genesis 11:29) and Iscah. ver. (Genesis 11:29) Haran was born in Ur of the Chaldees, and he died there while his father was still living. ver. (Genesis 11:28)
2. A Gershonite Levite in the time of David, one of the family of Shimei. (1 Chronicles 23:9)
3. A son of the great Caleb by his concubine Ephah. (1 Chronicles 2:46)
4. HARAN or CHARRAN, (Acts 7:2,4) name of the place whither Abraham migrated with his family from Ur of the Chaldees, and where the descendants of his brother Nahor established themselves. Comp. (Genesis 24:10) with Genesis27:43 It is said to be in Mesopotamia, (Genesis 24:10) or more definitely in Padan-aram, ch. (Genesis 25:20) the cultivated district at the foot of the hills, a name well applying to the beautiful stretch of country which lies below Mount Masius between the Khabour and the Euphrates. Here, about midway in this district, is a small village still called Harran . It was celebrated among the Romans, under the name of Charrae, as the scene of the defeat of Crassus.

Definition

Haran was a younger brother of Abram and the father of Lot.

• Haran was also the name of the town where Abram and his family lived awhile on their journey from the city of Ur to the land of Canaan.
• A different man named Haran was a son of Caleb.
• A third man in the Bible named Haran was a descendant of Levi.

(Translation suggestions: How to Translate Names)

(See also: Abraham, Caleb, Canaan, Levite, Lot, Terah, Ur)

Bible References

• 2 Kings 19:12
• Acts 7:1-3
• Genesis 11:31
• Genesis 27:43-45
• Genesis 28:10-11
• Genesis 29:4-6

Word Data

• Strong’s: H2039