The Bible says God called Abraham to leave his home and become the father of a great nation. It doesn’t give a specific reason beforehand, but later passages highlight Abraham’s faith.
Biblical account
In Genesis 12:1 to 3, God called Abram (later Abraham) to leave his homeland and go to Canaan. God promised to make him a great nation.
Why him
The text gives no reason. Interpretations differ.
Jewish tradition
Some traditions say Abraham sought God and rejected idols.
Islamic view
Ibrahim is a prophet who submitted to God.
Importance
Abraham is father of faith for Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Covenant
Marked by circumcision.
Biblical account
The call of Abram is in Genesis 12:1 to 3, where God tells him to leave his country and promises to make him a great nation and bless all families of the earth. Abraham is shown as faithful in Genesis 15:6, “he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.” The covenant of circumcision is in Genesis 17.
- The Genesis text does not give an explicit reason for the choice, which has led to commentary through the centuries.
- Jewish midrash tells stories of Abraham rejecting idols, such as in Genesis Rabbah, though these are not in the Torah text.
- In Islam, Ibrahim is a prophet and “khalil Allah” (friend of God) in the Quran 4:125, and is tied to Mecca through building the Kaaba with Ismail.
Importance
Abraham is a common ancestor figure in Judaism, Christianity and Islam, called Abrahamic religions. Paul in Romans 4 uses Abraham as a model of faith. Traditions differ on the reasons, and scholars treat the narrative as part of religious texts rather than historical records that can be verified.
Biblical account
In Genesis 12, God calls Abram (later Abraham) to leave his homeland and promises to make him a great nation. Genesis does not give a reason for the choice. Later passages emphasize faith (Genesis 15:6).
Importance
Abraham is revered in Judaism, Christianity and Islam, with about 4 billion followers combined. Interpretations of the choice differ.
Biblical narrative
Abram’s call occurs in Genesis 12:1 to 3, with promises of land, descendants and blessing to all nations. The covenant is ratified in Genesis 15 and 17, with circumcision as a sign. The binding of Isaac in Genesis 22 tests faith.
Interpretations
Jewish tradition says Abraham recognized one God through reasoning (Midrash). The Quran presents Ibrahim as a monotheist who broke idols (Surah 21). Christian writings, such as Romans 4, treat Abraham as the father of faith. Archaeological evidence for a historical Abraham is not established.
Based on data from the Encyclopaedia Britannica and the Pew Research Center
