Genesis 11:29Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

When Abraham reached adulthood, his father arranged for him to marry a beautiful woman named Sarah, who later received the name Sarah from God, as she recognized her husband’s faith and virtues. The renowned Apostle Paul speaks of her faith (Hebrews 11:11), and St. Peter holds her up as a model for wives due to her purity, humility, and submission to her husband (1 Pet. 3:6). This sacred pair, Abraham and Sarah, united in body and spirit, were like thorns among thorns, sparks among ashes, and gold in the mud. While the nations around them fell into idolatry and deep immorality, they adhered to the truth, worshiping the one true God and serving Him with faithfulness, engaging in good works to please Him. They proclaimed His holy name to all they could, teaching the truth of God. Therefore, God guided them from one place to another—from Chaldea to Harran, then to Canaan, and later to Egypt, before bringing them back to Canaan—so that His name could be recognized among the unfaithful Gentiles and His glory exalted. In this way, Abraham and Sarah became vessels of God's purpose, bearing His name to Gentiles and rulers alike, and leaving behind a legacy of holiness as a foundation for faith, righteousness, and godly conduct. Consequently, the Lord, in Isaiah's prophecy, calls the wayward Jewish people back to righteousness by presenting Abraham and Sarah as models, urging, "Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who bore you" (Isaiah 51:2). The Lord appears to encourage emulation of the faith and lifestyle exhibited by Abraham and Sarah. Scholarly interpreters and historians commonly consider Abraham the youngest son of Terah, despite his mention at the beginning of the scriptural genealogy. They suggest Arran was Terah’s firstborn by one wife, followed by Nahor, with Abraham born to another wife, also proposing that Sarah was Arran's daughter. Arran had three children: his son Lot and two daughters, Melchah and Eschah. The scripture states, "This is the father of Melchah and the father of Eschah" (Genesis 11:29). Scholars believe Eschah refers to Sarah, given the narrative. Melchah was wed to Nahor, while Abraham married Eschah, his brother’s daughter. The reason Abraham renamed Eschah to Sarah was because she revered her husband (as affirmed by the Apostle Peter — 1 Pet. 3:6), referring to him as "master," while Abraham honored her with the title "mistress." Thus, he called her Sarah, which translates to "mistress" in Hebrew. If Abraham was married to Eschah, daughter of his brother, and later named her Sarah, it confirms that Abraham was indeed younger than Arran. Abraham was only ten years older than Sarah, as indicated in Genesis 17, where he questions God, "Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?" (Genesis 17:17). If he were older than his brothers, he would need to be much older than just ten years. It would contradict natural law for a younger brother to marry before his elders. When Arran raised his daughter to marriageable age, Abraham had not married Sarah. Therefore, it follows that Arran was the elder, followed by Nahor, with Abraham as the youngest. Saint Moses may have listed Abraham first among Terah's sons because he focused solely on Abraham's faith and pious life, clarifying he would be the forebear of the promised Messiah. Thus, we should seek favor not in the years of age but in the virtuous lives that have pleased God. George Kedrin recounts how Abraham's faith in God developed. At twenty-four, he recognized the living God of heaven, the omnipresent Creator who governs all, and worshiped Him. He grasped the truth of the Creator through observation of the world around him, having been trained by his father in the knowledge of the heavenly bodies, earthly nature, and Chaldean wisdom. Despite their intelligence, his forebears failed to understand the true God, instead devoting themselves to the works of human hands—idols. Blessed Abraham, in his youth, reflected deeply on the origins of all creation, who governs everything. On a starry night, he pondered these questions, and at that moment, divine enlightenment filled his mind. According to Kedrin’s account, an angel of the Lord became his instructor—certainly an esteemed guide for such a disciple. As he gained understanding of the one true God and faith, he tirelessly sought to lead his family, including his father and brothers, to this truth but was met with resistance, finding only his beloved wife Sarah to share his faith. At sixty, realizing he could not sway anyone from idolatry, Abraham zealously devoted himself to God. One night, he secretly set fire to the idol temple. As the flames consumed the structure, his brothers rushed in to save the idols. Arran, more devoted than the rest, entered the burning temple, suffered grave injuries, and consequently passed away. It is noted that he was the first to die before his parents; no son had died before a father previously. The Moscow Sobornik records an account in ‘The Word about the Court and a Serpent,’ attributed to St. John Chrysostom. The Chaldeans are said to have been furious at Abraham for destroying the idols, attempting to cast him into the fire, yet divine protection ensured he emerged unscathed. Witnessing this miracle, Farrah recognized the one true God, abandoning idols to worship the Lord alongside Abraham. Following this, Abraham experienced a vision in which God instructed him to leave, as noted by St. Stephen before the Jewish assembly: "The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Harran, and said to him, Depart from your land and kindred, and go to the land that I will show you" (Acts 7:2-3). After receiving this divine directive, Abraham persuaded his father Farrah to leave the idolatrous city, where they had faced much hostility owing to their devout worship. Thus, they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans, accompanied by Abraham, his son Lot—whose father was Harran—and his daughter-in-law Sarah, intending to reach Canaan (Nahor remained in Chaldea with the idolaters). Upon reaching Harran, Farrah chose to settle there. The Ammonite governor Ahior recounted to the Assyrian commander: "These men are of the tribe of the Chaldeans, who formerly dwelt in Mesopotamia; and because they refused to worship the gods of their fathers and turned away from idolatry, they sought to dwell in Canaan, as commanded by God" (Judith 5:6-9). Although Farrah did not reach Canaan due to age and fatigue, he lived in Harran until his death at the age of two hundred and five. Nahor arrived in Harran as his father neared death, and together with Abraham, they buried Farrah. After this, Nahor settled there with his household, but he and his family continued in idolatry, as demonstrated by his grandson Laban in the future.