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Painting/photo of Jerusalem Temple-Casual English Bible

First Jew was an Iraqi

Stephen M. Miller
FIRST JEW. Abraham, father of the Jewish people, came from what is now Iraq. He moved with his father to Haran, a city in what is now Turkey. Then, at age 75, Abraham moved on to Canaan, in what is now Israel and Palestinian Territories. Map by Stephen M. Miller.

I’M NOT SURE MOST FOLKS KNOW that Abraham, father of the Jewish race of people, was an Iraqi.

At least according to today’s map. He grew up in Ur, a city in what is now southern Iraq.

Afterward, he moved with his dad, Terah, to Haran, a city just north of the Iraqi border, in what is now Turkey.

He stayed there until age 75. That’s when he finally moved to what is now Israel and the Palestinian Territories.

He settled in ancient Shechem, now known as the predominately Palestinian West Bank city of Nablus.

I hope you like the map I created and just posted. It’s an attempt to emphasize where Abraham came from.

Like the Jews, Arab folks hold Abraham in high regard as their father, too. Many historians say the Arab tribes descended from Abraham’s first son, Ishmael.

Abraham’s second son, Isaac, had a son, Jacob, who produced a dozen sons. Their extended families became the famous 12 tribes of Israel.

Besides adding a map to Genesis 11, I just added another for Genesis 12, showing a possible route of Abraham from Haran to Canaan, and then on to Egypt to escape a drought.

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About Stephen M. Miller

STEPHEN M. MILLER is an award winning bestselling Christian author of easy-reading books about the Bible and Christianity and author of the Casual English Bible® paraphrase. His books have sold over two million copies and include The Complete Guide to the Bible and Who’s and Where’s Where in the Bible.

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Comments

  1. Chantal

    October 10, 2017 at 8:42 am

    No need to post this comment!

    You wrote: “Abraham’s second son, Jacob, produced a dozen sons whose extended families became the famous 12 tribes of Israel.” Isn’t it Abraham’s second grandson?

    I do appreciate all your blog entries. And I understand why you are a proud granddad!

    Have a blessed day!

    Reply
  2. Stephen M. Miller

    October 10, 2017 at 10:25 am

    Right you are. That’s what I get for writing a blog article late at night.

    Reply
  3. George Stuart

    October 10, 2017 at 11:34 am

    Haha sometimes I get so confused at all the begetting too and make the same mistake.

    Reply

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