Abraham

Abraham
Also known as Abram; first of the patriarchs of Israel. His kind of life, depicted in Gen. 11–25, might be that of about 2000 to 1500 BCE, but the Abraham of the stories is an individual merchant from the Hittite [[➝ Hittites]] realm typical of a people who migrated from the urban civilization of Ur into Palestine. So also, the account of Abraham's agreement with Lot (Gen. 13:8) about their respective choice of land (Lot settled for the valley of Sodom) is meant to explain the origin of the Moabites. This story is thought by some scholars to reflect the historical fact that there was a change of occupation when the decline in trade necessitated entry into stock-breeding. But throughout the events recorded of Abraham there runs the theological motif of God's promise of the land of Canaan, and of Abraham's faith in response. This faith was put to the test when he was ordered to sacrifice his son Isaac, who was essential for the fulfilment of the promise; but at the last moment a divine intervention saved Isaac and a ram trapped in an adjacent pile of scrub was offered instead. The Abraham patriarchal history ends with his buying a plot of ground for his burial and with his death (Gen. 25:10). All three strands in Gen. contribute to the saga. For J, he is a father of all nations; for E, a model of faith; for P, the pledge of the nation's survival. After Gen., Abraham is only mentioned in the later parts of the OT. But in the NT Abraham is venerated as a pioneer in the OT of trust in God (e.g. Rom. 4; Heb. 7:1–10), second only to Moses. By Muslims Abraham is revered as a prophet, and throughout the Islamic world Eid al-Adha, commemorating the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son, is the second great annual festival. See also aqeda.
Abraham was acceptable to God in virtue of his faith long before the Law was given (Gal. 3:7), so that his true sons are not the Jews who claim descent from Abraham (Matt. 3:9, John 8:33) and live by the Law, but Christians who live by faith in Christ.

Dictionary of the Bible.

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  • ABRAHAM — (originally Abram; Heb. אַבְרָהָם, אַבְרָם), first patriarch of the people of Israel. The form Abram occurs in the Bible only in Genesis 11:26–17:5, Nehemiah 9:7, and I Chronicles 1:26. Otherwise, Abraham appears invariably, and the name is borne …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Abraham — (). For Muslims, he is a prophet of Islam and the ancestor of Muhammad through his other son Ishmael born to him by his wife s servant, Hagar. Abraham is also a progenitor of the Semitic tribes of the Negev who trace their descent from their… …   Wikipedia

  • Abraham — • Outline of his life, with New and Old Testament views Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Abraham     Abraham     † …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Abraham — V. «seno de Abraham». * * * Abraham. □ V. seno de Abraham. * * * Abraham (en hebreo, אַבְרָהָם, en árabe, ابراهيم, Ibrāhīm), es uno de los patriarcas del pueblo de Israel; según la Biblia, debió de nacer en Ur de los caldeos, en la desembocadura… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • ABRAHAM — La Bible nous présente Abram (Père puissant), surnommé par la suite Abraham (Père d’une multitude de nations, ou selon l’akkadien: Aimant le Père), comme l’ancêtre commun des Ismaélites et des Israélites. L’histoire d’Abraham – le premier… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Abrahám — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Este artículo trata sobre el personaje bíblico. Para el nombre propio, véase Abraham (nombre). Abraham Patriarca de Israel Precedido por Noé Sucedido por …   Wikipedia Español

  • ABRAHAM (K.) — ABRAHAM KARL (1877 1925) Psychanalyste allemand, un des plus fidèles et des plus orthodoxes disciples de Freud. Né à Brême dans une famille juive hanséatique, Karl Abraham reçoit d’abord une formation médicale classique. C’est à Zurich, dans la… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • ABRAHAM — ABRAHAM, family of U.S. merchants. ABRAHAM ABRAHAM (1843–1911), son of a Bavarian immigrant, and Joseph Wechsler, himself an immigrant, established a dry goods store in Brooklyn, New York, in 1865. It became Brooklyn s largest department store,… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Abrahám — (Village) Administration Pays  Slovaquie …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Abraham — Abraham, (Völkervater) Sohn Tarachs zu Ur in Chaldäa, 10. Nachkomme Sems, wanderte mit Vater, Bruder und Familie nach Haran, als in seiner Heimat die Abgötterei einriß, und später nach Palästina und Aegypten. Er erhielt in Haran von Gott die… …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon

  • Abraham — m Biblical: name of the first of the Jewish patriarchs, who entered into a covenant with God that his descendants should possess the land of Canaan. The Hebrew form is Avraham, of uncertain derivation. In Genesis 17: 5 it is explained as ‘father… …   First names dictionary

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