Nahor: Patriarch of the Abrahamic Line

Who Was Nahor in the Bible?

Nahor, the brother of Abraham and son of Terah, is introduced in Genesis 11:27.

According to Genesis 11:27, Nahor was the son of Terah and the brother of Abram (later Abraham) and Haran. His family ties position him within the patriarchal lineage, though biblical narratives about him are sparse.

Nahor's Family and Lineage

Nahor played a pivotal role in the patriarchal family as the father of Rebekah, who became the wife of Isaac and the mother of Jacob, central figures in God’s covenantal promises.

Genesis 11:27 notes that Nahor had sons and daughters, with his daughter Rebekah being explicitly named in Genesis 22:23 as the wife of Isaac. Rebekah’s lineage, through her sons Jacob and Esau, directly connects Nahor to the fulfillment of God’s promises to Abraham (Genesis 28:5). Additionally, Nahor’s son Uz is listed in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1:13, underscoring his indirect yet significant place in the Messianic line.

Through Rebekah, Nahor’s family became a conduit for God’s redemptive plan, as Jacob’s descendants formed the nation of Israel. This connection illustrates how even secondary figures like Nahor contributed to the unfolding of divine promises.

What We Can Learn From Nahor

Nahor’s role in Scripture reminds us that God often uses ordinary family lines to advance His redemptive purposes.

Though unnamed in most narratives, his daughter Rebekah (Genesis 22:23) became essential to fulfilling God’s promise to Abraham, and his son Uz appears in Jesus’ genealogy (Matthew 1:13), illustrating how even minor figures participate in God’s covenantal plan.