JOURNEYS OF ABRAHAM

A Ralph Johnson

Father of the Faithful

MESOPOTAMIA  (“Land Between The Rivers”)  Gen. 11:27-32; cf. Ac. 7:1-5

(This is the broad plain through which the Tigris and Euphrates rivers flow)

Ur    (In the land of the Chaldees, near Babylon.)

After the death of his brother, Haran, Abram, is called by God to Canaan.  (Gen. 12:1-3 cf. Ac. 7:1-5)   He takes his wife, Sarai, Terah, Nahor and Lot.

Haran  (In North-western end of Mesopotamia, or Chaldea.) (Gen. 11:31)

His father, Tereh, dies (11:32).  Abraham  leaves his brother, Nahor, and moves on with Sarai and Lot (his brother, Haran's son).  (Abraham is now age 75)

CANAAN   (Gen. 12:1-9)

Shechem  (or Sichem)  --in the plain of Moreh.  Jehovah promises the land.  Alter built.

Bethel  Altar built on a mountain East of Bethel.

EGYPT   (Gen. 12:10-20).  Abram tells Pharaoh, Sarai is his sister (She is half-sister by his father).  Pharaoh is plagued until he discovers the deception.

CANAAN

Bethel  (Gen. 13:3,4) (Age 76) Strife with Lot's herdsmen over grazing area.

Lot chooses fertile Jordan plain.  Abram accepts hill-country. (13:5-17).

Hebron  (13:18 -- Chapter 14)

Lot is carried off by league of kings led by Chedorlaomer, king of Elam.

Abram defeats them at Laish (later called, Dan Jdg 18:29) and pursues them to Hobah, by Damascus.

Returns towards Hebron, Met by Melchizidek, king of Salem and priest of  God.

Abram is blessed and pays him tithes. (14:17-24)

The land and son promised.  Egyptian sojurn foretold.  Sacrifice accepted (ch. 15)

Chapter 16 (Age 86)

Ishmael born of Hagar.

Hagar fled after strife with Sarai.

Hagar Returns.  Ishmael to be a great people.

Chapter 17 (Age 99)

National and land covenants reaffirmed. 

Circumcision ordained. 

Names changed: Abram (“Exalted Father”) to Abraham (“Father of a multitude”). 

Sarai (“Princess”) changed to Sarah.(“Noblewoman”). 

Ishmael to become a great nation (ch. 17)

Chapter 18: 

Three angels announce Isaac's birth.  Sarah laughs. 

Nations to be blessed in him. 

Abraham seeks to have Sodom spared.

Chapter 19:

Sodom destroyed. 

Lot and two daughters spared. 

Moab & Ammon conceived of Lot by his two daughters.

THE NEGEB (South and West of Canaan in the area of Gaza)

Gerar  (Gen. 20)  Note: Probably intended to include the land of the Negeb.

Abimelech, king of Philistines, told Sarah is Abraham's sister.  God reveals the truth. 

Chapter 21

Isaac born to Sarah (age 90) and Abraham (age 100)

Ishmael and Hagar cast out for mocking Isaac.  Promised to be a great nation.

They are cared for by God.

Beersheba   (Gen. 21, 22)

Abimelech covenants with Abraham (21:22-34)

Abraham travels to Jerusalem to sacrifice Isaac on Mt. Moriah (temple site).  God provides substitutionary ram and Abraham promised that his seed will bless the nations of the earth.

Return to Beersheba (Gen.  22:19).

CANAAN

Hebron  (or, “Kirjatharba”) 

Chapter 23:

Sarah dies at age 127 and is buried in cave of Machpelah.

Chapter 24: (age 140)

Abraham's ervant sent to Haran to get Rebekah (granddaughter of  Nahor) as a wife for Isaac (age 40. cf. 25:20).

Chapter 25:

Abraham marries Keturah and has more children.

Sends away the children of his concubines.

He dies (age 175) and is buried beside Sarah in cave of Machpelah.