Genesis 11:28

Authorized King James Version

And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees.

Word-by-Word Analysis
#1
וַיָּ֣מָת
died
to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill
#2
הָרָ֔ן
And Haran
haran, the name of two men
#3
עַל
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
#4
פְּנֵ֖י
before
the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi
#5
תֶּ֣רַח
Terah
terach, the father of abraham; also a place in the desert
#6
אָבִ֑יו
H1
his father
father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application
#7
בְּאֶ֥רֶץ
in the land
the earth (at large, or partitively a land)
#8
מֽוֹלַדְתּ֖וֹ
of his nativity
nativity (plural birth-place); by implication, lineage, native country; also offspring, family
#9
בְּא֥וּר
in Ur
ur, a place in chaldaea
#10
כַּשְׂדִּֽים׃
of the Chaldees
a kasdite, or descendant of kesed; by implication, a chaldaean (as if so descended); also an astrologer (as if proverbial of that people

Analysis

The creation and providence theme here intersects with the broader canonical witness to God's character and purposes. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of progressive revelation that finds its culmination in Christ. The phrase emphasizing divine revelation contributes to our systematic understanding of Christian doctrine and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's consistent character and purposes.

Historical Context

This passage must be understood within the tribal and clan-based society of the ancient Near East. The author writes to address the foundational narrative for Israel's identity and relationship with God, making the emphasis on creation and providence particularly relevant. Historical documents from this period show cultural practices and social structures that would have been familiar to the original readers, illuminating the verse's original impact.

Questions for Reflection

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