Dictionary Article

City of northern Mesopotamia, first mentioned in Genesis 11:31 as the destination of Terah, Abraham’s father, in migrating from Ur of the Chaldees, and his home until his death. At age 75, Abraham was commanded by God to move to a land that God had for him (Gn 12:1-4). There were relatives who remained in Haran, however, to whom Jacob, Abraham’s grandson, fled in fear of Esau (27:42-43). Jacob stayed in Haran many years while serving his Uncle Laban and acquiring Leah and Rachel as wives, as well as many sheep and goats, servants, camels, and donkeys (30:43).

Show passage in OET: GEN 11:31

OET-RV GEN 11:31

31 Then one day, Terah gathered his son Avram and his grandson Lot (who was Haran’s son), and his daughter-in-law Saray (who was Avram’s wife), and they all left from the city of Ur (where the Kasdim lived), to travel to the region of Kena’an (Canaan), but when they arrived at the city of Haran, they decided to live there.

OET-LV GEN 11:31

31 And_ Teraḩ _he/it _took DOM ʼAⱱrām his/its_son and_DOM Lōţ the _son _of Ḩārān the _son _of his/its_son and_DOM Sarai his/its_daughter-in-law the _wife _of ʼAⱱrām his/its_son and_they _went _out with_them from_ʼŪr of_the_ones_from _Kasdiy to_go towards_land of _Kənaˊan/(Canaan) and_they _came to Ḩārān and_they _lived there.

Show passage in OET: GEN 12:1–4

OET-RV GEN 12:1

12 Then Yahweh said to Avram, “You must leave your land and your relatives and your father’s house and go to the land that I’ll show you.

OET-RV GEN 12:2

2 I’ll bless you and make you into a great nation. I’ll make you famous and you’ll be a blessing to others.

OET-RV GEN 12:3

3 I’ll bless everyone who blesses you, but I’ll curse anyone who curses you. All the families on the earth will be blessed because of you.

OET-RV GEN 12:4

4 So Avram left there just as Yahweh had told him, and Lot also went with him. Avram was seventy-five years old when he left the city of Haran.

OET-LV GEN 12:1

12 And_ YHWH _he/it _said to ʼAⱱrām go to/for_yourself(m) from_your(ms)_land and_from_your(ms)_descendants and_from_household your _father _of_your to the_earth/land which I _will _show_you(ms).

OET-LV GEN 12:2

2 And_I _will _make_you(ms) to_(a)_nation great and_I _will _bless_you(ms) and_I _will _make _big/great your(ms)_name and_be a _blessing.

OET-LV GEN 12:3

3 And_I _will _bless (those _who)bless_you(ms) and_despises_you(ms) I _will _curse and_they _will _be _blessed in_you(ms) all _of the _clans _of the_soil.

OET-LV GEN 12:4

4 And_ ʼAⱱrām _he/it _went just_as he _had _said to_him/it YHWH and_he/it _went with_him/it Lōţ and_Avram was_a _son _of five years and_seventy year[s] in_his/its_coming _out from_Ḩārān.

Show passage in OET: GEN 27:42–43

OET-RV GEN 27:42

42 But Rivkah got to hear about Esav’s plans, so she sent for her younger son Ya’akov and told him, “Listen, your brother Esav is coping with what happened by planning to kill you.

OET-RV GEN 27:43

43 So my son, listen to what I’m saying: for your own sake, pack up and flee to my brother Lavan’s (Laban) place in Haran

OET-LV GEN 27:42

42 And_it _was _told to_Riⱱqāh DOM the _words/messages _of ˊĒsāv son _of_her the_big/great(sg) and_she _sent and_she/it _called/named (to)_Yaˊₐqoⱱ son _of_her (the)_young and_she/it _said to_him/it HERE ˊĒsāv your(ms)_brother/kindred is_comforting _himself to/for_yourself(m) by_killing_you.

OET-LV GEN 27:43

43 And_now my _son _of_my listen to_voice _of_my and_arise flee to/for_yourself(m) to Lāⱱān my_brother/kindred to_Ḩārān.

Show passage in OET: GEN 30:43

OET-RV GEN 30:43

43 so he became very wealthy, and he owned large flocks as well as male and female slaves, and camels and donkeys.

OET-LV GEN 30:43

43 And_ the_man _he _increased very very and_he/it _was to_him/it sheep many and_female _servants and_male_servants and_camels and_donkeys.

Jump to OET GEN 11:31 section.

Jump to OET GEN 12:1–4 section.

Jump to OET GEN 27:42–43 section.

Jump to OET GEN 30:43 section.

This “city of Nahor” (Gn 11:27-29; 24:10; 27:43) was established in the third millennium BC, and its location on a branch of the Euphrates soon made it an important commercial center. Perhaps the ancient trade route that linked Damascus, Nineveh, and Carchemish passed by Haran. Ezekiel mentions trade between Haran and Tyre (Ez 27:23). Haran was an Aramean city and was famous for its worship of the lunar Sin and Nikkal. This system was an offspring of the cult found in Sumerian Ur. Sin and his consort Nikkal were revered not only here but throughout Canaan and even in Egypt. The cult persisted past NT times, its temple finally being destroyed by Mongols in the 13th century AD. It is little wonder that God commanded Abraham to leave this seat of idolatry. Modern Harran preserves the ancient cuneiform spelling of the name (cf. KJB “Charran,” Acts 7:2, 4 OET ACT 7:2 · OET ACT 7:4).

Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary