The Meaning of Genesis 11:26 Explained

Genesis 11:26

KJV: And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

YLT: And Terah liveth seventy years, and begetteth Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

Darby: And Terah lived seventy years, and begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

ASV: And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Terah  lived  seventy  years,  and begat  Abram,  Nahor,  and Haran. 

What does Genesis 11:26 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 11:10-32 - The Generations Until Abram
The inwardness of the movement of Terah's clan from Ur is given in Acts 7:3. Apparently his father was unwilling for Abram to go alone on his far-pilgrimage, and so the whole family moved along the valley of the Euphrates to the famous ford of Haran. There was no other practicable way by which travelers could strike the route for Canaan. But Terah never advanced beyond that point; and it was only when his father was dead that Abram resumed his march. See Acts 7:4. Let us beware lest the ties of human affection withhold us from entire obedience to the call of God. The word Hebrew means "one who has crossed over." It was especially applicable to Abraham. See Genesis 14:13. It may be that you are living on the world's side of the Cross. Come over, though you should have to break dear associations. Be one who has passed through death to resurrection. See Colossians 3:1-4. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 11

1  One language in the world
2  The building of Babel
5  It is interrupted by the confusion of tongues, and the builders dispersed
10  The generations of Shem
27  The generations of Terah, the father of Abram
31  Terah, with Abram and Lot, move from Ur to Haran

What do the individual words in Genesis 11:26 mean?

And lived Terah seventy years and he begat - Abram Nahor and Haran
וַֽיְחִי־ תֶ֖רַח שִׁבְעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֙וֹלֶד֙ אֶת־ אַבְרָ֔ם נָח֖וֹר וְאֶת־ הָרָֽן

וַֽיְחִי־  And  lived 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָיָה  
Sense: to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health.
תֶ֖רַח  Terah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: תֶּרַח 
Sense: the father of Abraham Tarah = “delay”.
שִׁבְעִ֣ים  seventy 
Parse: Number, common plural
Root: שִׁבְעִים  
Sense: seventy.
שָׁנָ֑ה  years 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
וַיּ֙וֹלֶד֙  and  he  begat 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָלַד 
Sense: to bear, bring forth, beget, gender, travail.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אַבְרָ֔ם  Abram 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַבְרָם  
Sense: original name of Abraham.
נָח֖וֹר  Nahor 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: נָחֹור  
Sense: son of Serug, father of Terah, and grandfather of Abraham.
הָרָֽן  Haran 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: הָרָן  
Sense: youngest son of Terah, brother of Abraham, father of Lot, Milcah, and Iscah; born and died in Ur of the Chaldees.