OF all the early Biblical patriarchs, Abram, later renamed Abraham, is unquestionably outstanding. Although the date and even the century of his birth are uncertain, there is good reason to believe that he appeared on the stage of history about 1900 B.C. That he came from Ur, a Babylonian or Chaldean city whose ruins have been identified in Iraq, locates his birthplace some twelve miles from the modern bed of the Euphrates River and about one hundred and fifty miles from its mouth.
Archaeological excavations have brought to light inscriptions showing that in Abram's day Ur was rich and prosperous; many of its public buildings have also been unearthed, notably the ruins of a great temple erected in honor of Sin, the moon deity. An ancient tradition is recorded in the Talmud to the effect that Abram's father, Terah, was a maker of idols and that Abram, even when a child, took his stand against them. Whether or not the literal accuracy of this account be accepted, it would seem to foreshadow the spirit of independence and true religion which the patriarch later manifested despite the apparently pagan background of his family.
In due course Terah planned to emigrate to the land of Canaan; but instead of making his way due west for some six hundred miles across the Syrian desert, he took the longer but more customary route, which followed the valley of the Euphrates River to Haran in Mesopotamia, some five hundred and fifty miles northwest of Ur and perhaps one hundred and twenty-five miles northeast of Aleppo. Among those who accompanied Terah were Abram and his wife, known at this period as Sarai. It was clearly Terah's intention to go to Canaan, but his decease prevented his accomplishing his purpose (see Gen. 11:31, 32).
