13 Facts You Should Know About Terah
By Rabbi Yehuda Altein
Art by Sefira Lightstone
Terah (also spelled Terach) was the father of Abraham, the first Patriarch of the Jewish nation. Although Terah was a prodigious idolator, his son Abraham recognized the truth of one G-d. Read on for 13 facts about this unsavory ancestor of ours and his end-of-life turnaround as unpacked in Midrashic sources.
1. He Was Ninth in Line from Noah
Terah’s genealogy is clearly outlined. The Torah lists 10 generations from Adam until Noah, and another 10 from Noah until Abraham. Terah, Abraham’s father, was the ninth generation from Noah and the nineteenth from Adam.
2. He Had Three (or Four) Sons
When Terah was 70 years old, his wife gave birth to Abraham (then known as Abram). He also had two more sons—Nahor and Haran. Interestingly, some say that Terah remarried later in life and had a fourth son named Tzova.
3. His Wife’s Name Was Amathlai
The Torah doesn’t mention Abraham’s mother by name, but Jewish tradition fills in the blanks. According to the Talmud, her name was Amathlai, the daughter of Karnebo. Terah had at least one additional wife, as Haran’s mother was a different woman.
4. He Was Nimrod’s General
Midrashic sources tell us that Terah wasn’t just an average citizen. He was a military general under Nimrod, the powerful ruler of ancient lower Mesopotamia who professed to be a god. But even Terah’s high rank did not grant his family immunity, as seen in the dramatic events to come.
