Haran

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

HARAN. 1. Son of Terah, younger brother of Abram, and father of Lot,   Genesis 11:26 (P [Note: Priestly Narrative.] ), also father of Milcah and Iscah,   Genesis 11:29 (J [Note: Jahwist.] ). 2. A Gershonite Levite (  1 Chronicles 23:9 ).

HARAN . A city in the N. W. of Mesopotamia, marked by the modern village of Harran , situated on the Bçlikh, a tributary of the Euphrates, and about nine hours’ ride S. E. of Edessa ( Urfa ). Terah and his son Abram and his family dwelt there on their way from Ur of the Chaldees to Canaan (  Genesis 11:31;   Genesis 12:4-5; cf.   Acts 7:2 ), and Terah died there (  Genesis 11:32; cf.   Acts 7:4 ). Nahor, Abram’s brother, settled there; hence it is called ‘the city of Nahor’ in the story of Isaac and Jacob (cf.   Genesis 24:10;   Genesis 27:43 ). Its position on one of the main trade-routes between Babylonia and the Mediterranean coast rendered it commercially of great importance (cf.   Ezekiel 27:23 ). It was the chief seat of the worship of Sin, the moon-god, and the frequent references to the city in the Assyrian inscriptions have to do mainly with the worship of this deity and the restoration of his temple. It is probable that Haran rebelled along with the city of Ashur in b.c. 763, and a reference to its subsequent capture and the suppression of the revolt may be seen in   2 Kings 19:12; Sargon later on restored the ancient religious privileges of which the city had been then deprived. The worship of the moon-god at Haran appears to have long survived the introduction of Christianity.

L. W. King.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

 Ha'ran.  (a mountaineer).

1. The third son of Terah, and, therefore, the youngest brother of Abram.  Genesis 11:26. (B.C. 1926). Three children are ascribed to him - Lot,  Genesis 11:27;  Genesis 11:31, and two daughters, namely, Milcah, who married her uncle Nahor,  Genesis 11:29, and Iscah.  Genesis 11:29. Haran was born in Ur of the Chaldees, and he died there, while his father was still living.  Genesis 11:28.

2. A Gershonite Levite, in the time of David, one of the family of Shimei.  1 Chronicles 23:9.

3. A son of the great Caleb, by his concubine, Ephah.  1 Chronicles 2:46.

4.  Haran or  Charran,  Acts 7:2;  Acts 7:4, name of the place whither Abraham migrated, with his family, from Ur of the Chaldees, and where the descendants of his brother, Nahor, established themselves. Compare  Genesis 24:10 with  Genesis 27:43.

It is said to be in Mesopotamia,  Genesis 24:10, or more definitely in Padan-aram,  Genesis 25:20, the cultivated district at the foot of the hills, a name well applying to the beautiful stretch of country which lies below Mount Masius between the Khabour and the Euphrates. Here, about midway in this district, is a small village still called  Harran. It was celebrated among the Romans, under the name of  Charrae, as the scene of the defeat of Crassus.

People's Dictionary of the Bible

 Haran ( hâ'ran),  a mountaineer. 1. The brother of Abraham, and the father of Lot.  Genesis 11:26. 2. A Levite.  1 Chronicles 23:9.

 Haran ( hâ'ran),  parched, dry; called  Charran ( kăr'ran).  Acts 7:2. 4 A. V. The place to which Terah removed from Ur of the Chaldees. Terah died there,  Genesis 11:31-32; Abram and Lot moved to Canaan,  Genesis 12:4, while Nahor remained at Haran, which was called the city of Nahor.  Genesis 24:10. It was the early home of Rebekah, and Jacob afterward resided there with Laban.  Genesis 27:43. The city was in Mesopotamia, and more definitely in Padanaram,  Genesis 24:10;  Genesis 25:20, and also in western Assyria. It is generally identified with the modern Haran, the Roman Carræ, situated on the river Belik—the ancient Bilichus—about 60 miles above its entrance into the Euphrates.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

1. The eldest son of Terah, brother of Abraham, and father of Lot, Milcah, and Iscah. He died before his father Terah,  Genesis 11:26 -  31 .

2. An ancient city called in the New Testament Charran, in the northwest part of Mesopotamia. Here, after leaving Ur, Abraham dwelt till is father Terah died; and to this old homestead Isaac sent for a wife, and Jacob fled from the wrath of Esau,  Genesis 11:31,32;  12:5;  24:1-67;  27:43;  28:10;  29:4 . Haran was ravaged by the Assyrians in the time of Hezekiah,  2 Kings 19:12;  Isaiah 37:12 . Here also Crassus the Roman general was defeated and killed by the Parthiuated on a branch of the Euphrates, in 36 degrees 52' north latitude, and 39 degrees 5' east longitude, in a flat and sandy plain, and is only peopled by a few wandering Arabs, who select it for the delicious water it furnishes.

Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary

the eldest son of Terah, and brother to Abraham and Nahor. He was the father of Lot, Milcah, and Iscah,  Genesis 11:26 , &c. Haran died before his father Terah.

2. HARAN, otherwise called Charran, in Mesopotamia, a city celebrated for having been the place to which Abraham removed first, after he left Ur,   Genesis 11:31-32 , and where Terah was buried. Thither it was likewise that Jacob repaired to Laban, when he fled from Esau,  Genesis 27:43;  Genesis 28:10 . &c. Haran was situated in the north-western part of Mesopotamia on a river of the same name running into the Euphrates. Mr. Kinneir says, that Haran, which is still so called, or rather Harran, is now peopled by a few families of wandering Arabs, who have been led thither by a plentiful supply of good water from several small streams. It is situated in 36 52' north latitude, and 39 5' east longitude; in a flat and sandy plain. Some think that it was built by Terah, or by Haran, his eldest son.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

HARAN was Terah's firstborn son, oldest brother of Abram (who is named first in  Genesis 11:27, because heir of the promises), father of Lot, and Milcah who married her uncle Nahor, and Iscah or Sarai who married her uncle Abram, being "daughter (i.e. granddaughter) of his father not of his mother" ( Genesis 20:12). That Haran was oldest brother appears from his brothers marrying his daughters, Sarai being only ten years younger than Abram ( Genesis 17:17). Haran died in Ur, his native place, before his father. In the Hebrew the country Haran begins with 'ch', the man Haran with 'h', as also the Haran the Gershonite Levite under David of Shimei's family ( 1 Chronicles 23:9). Hara begins with 'h'; Caleb's son by Ephah ( 1 Chronicles 2:46) begins with 'ch'. Jewish tradition makes Haran to have been cast into Nimrod's furnace for wavering during Abram's fiery trial.

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Genesis 11:26-29 11:31 2 1 Chronicles 2:46 3 1 Chronicles 23:9 4 Genesis 11:31-32 Genesis 12:4-5 Genesis 27:43 Genesis 28:10 Genesis 29:4 2 Kings 19:12 Isaiah 37:12 Ezekiel 27:23

David M. Fleming

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

(Authorized Version  ‘Charaan,’  Acts 7:2;  Acts 7:4)

Haran was a city of some importance, on a tributary of the Euphrates. From Ur the ancestors of Abraham emigrated to Haran ( Genesis 11:31). Here one division, under Nahor, remained. Hence it is called ‘the city of Nahor’ ( Genesis 24:10). It was a famous seat of the worship of Sin, the moon-god. Abram left it to enter Canaan.

J. W. Duncan.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

The son of Caleb of Judah ( 1 Chronicles 2:46 ) by his concubine Ephah.

 Copyright StatementThese dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain.

 Bibliography InformationEaston, Matthew George. Entry for 'Haran'. Easton's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ebd/h/haran.html. 1897.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

1. Son of Terah, and brother of Abraham, and father of Lot.  Genesis 11:26-31 .

 2. Son of Shimei a Gershonite.   1 Chronicles 23:9 .

 3. Son of Caleb and Ephah.   1 Chronicles 2:46 . The Hebrew of this differs from Nos. 1 and 2.

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Haran, 1

Haran, eldest son of Terah, brother of Abraham and Nahor, and father of Lot, Milcah, and Iscah. He died before his father Terah, which, from the manner in which it is mentioned, appears to have been a much rarer case in those days than at present (, sq.).

Haran, 2

Ha´ran, or rather Charan, called by the Greeks Charran, and by the Romans Charræ. It was situated in the north-western part of Mesopotamia, on a river of the same name running into the Euphrates. It is supposed to have been so called from Haran, the father of Lot and brother of Abraham; but there appears no ground for this conclusion except the identity of names. Abraham, after he had been called from Ur of the Chaldees tarried here till his father Terah died, when he proceeded to the land of Canaan (;; ). The elder branch of the family still remained at Haran, which led to the interesting journeys thither described in the patriarchal history—first, that of Abraham's servant to obtain a wife for Isaac (Genesis 24), and next, that of Jacob when he fled to evade the wrath of Esau . The plain bordering on this town is celebrated in history as the scene of a battle in which the Roman army was defeated by the Parthians, and the Triumvir Crassus killed.

Haran still retains its ancient name in the form of Harran, and is only peopled by a few families of wandering Arabs, who are led thither by a plentiful supply of water from several small streams. It is situated in a flat and sandy plain, in 36° 40´ N. lat., 39° 2´ 45˝ E. long.