Biblical Abraham Family Tree: Unraveling 4,000 Years of Genealogy

Introduction

Abraham, the patriarch of the Israelite nation, stands as a towering figure in biblical history. His legacy has shaped the course of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and his family tree remains an intriguing subject of scholarly and theological exploration.

Abraham's Ancestry

1. Shem: Abraham was descended from Shem, one of the three sons of Noah (Genesis 11:10).
2. Terah: Abraham's father was Terah, an idolater who lived in the city of Ur in Mesopotamia (Genesis 11:26-32).

Abraham's Family

1. Sarah: Abraham's wife was his half-sister, Sarah (Genesis 20:12).
2. Isaac: Sarah and Abraham's son, Isaac, became the heir to the Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 21:1-5).
3. Ishmael: Abraham had a son, Ishmael, with Hagar, his Egyptian servant (Genesis 16:15-16).

Isaac's Descendants

1. Jacob: Isaac's son, Jacob, renamed Israel, had twelve sons who became the founders of the twelve tribes of Israel (Genesis 35:22-26).
2. Leah: Jacob's first wife, Leah, bore him six sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun (Genesis 29:31-35).
3. Rachel: Jacob's second wife, Rachel, had two sons: Joseph and Benjamin (Genesis 30:22-23).
4. Bilhah and Zilpah: Jacob's concubines, Bilhah and Zilpah, also bore him sons: Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher (Genesis 30:3-13).

Jacob's Grandchildren

1. Joseph's Sons: Joseph, Jacob's eleventh son, had two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, who were adopted by Jacob and received their own tribal inheritance (Genesis 48:5-6).
2. Judah's Descendants: Judah, Jacob's fourth son, had five sons: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (Genesis 46:12).
3. Levi's Descendants: Levi, Jacob's third son, became the father of the priestly tribe (Genesis 29:34).
4. Benjamin's Descendants: Benjamin, Jacob's youngest son, had five sons: Bela, Becher, Jediael, Ashbel, and Gera (Genesis 46:21).

Notable Figures in the Abraham Family Tree

• Isaac: The son of Abraham and the father of Jacob, Isaac played a crucial role in the continuity of the Abrahamic covenant.
• Jacob: Also known as Israel, Jacob received the name "prince of God" after wrestling with an angel and prevailing (Genesis 32:28-29).
• Joseph: Jacob's favorite son, Joseph was sold into slavery in Egypt but rose to prominence as the Pharaoh's right-hand man and saved the Israelite nation from famine (Genesis 45-50).
• Moses: A descendant of Levi, Moses led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt and received the Ten Commandments from God at Mount Sinai (Exodus 3-20).
• David: A descendant of Judah, David became the second king of Israel and is considered one of the greatest kings in biblical history (2 Samuel 5-12).
• Jesus: According to the New Testament, Jesus Christ is a descendant of Abraham through his lineage to Joseph (Matthew 1:1-16).

Genealogical Tables

FAQs

1. Who was the first ancestor of Abraham? Shem
2. How many sons did Jacob have? Twelve
3. Who became the father of the priestly tribe? Levi
4. Who was the son of Joseph who saved the Israelite nation from famine? Joseph
5. Which tribe did King David belong to? Judah
6. Is Jesus mentioned in the genealogical account of Abraham? Yes, in Matthew 1:1-16