נָחוֹר
Nochor, the name of the grandfather and a brother of Abraham
Definition
Nahor (נָחוֹר) is a proper name referring to two distinct individuals in the Old Testament. First, it is the name of Abraham's grandfather, the son of Serug (Genesis 11:22-25). Second, and more prominently, it is the name of Abraham's brother, the son of Terah and brother of Haran (Genesis 11:26-27). This brother Nahor becomes the grandfather of Rebekah, thus linking him directly to the patriarchal lineage of Isaac (Genesis 22:20-23). The name appears exclusively in Genesis, anchoring the early genealogy of the chosen family.
Biblical Usage
The name Nahor is used 17 times, all within the book of Genesis. Its primary usage is genealogical, establishing family connections in the narratives of Abraham and his ancestors. It appears in the Terahite genealogy (Genesis 11:22-27), in the account of Abraham's servant seeking a wife for Isaac from 'the city of Nahor' (a reference to the region associated with Abraham's brother, Genesis 24:10), and in the list of Nahor's descendants through his wife Milcah (Genesis 22:20-24). The pattern is consistently one of familial identity and ancestral location.
Etymology
The name Nahor derives from the root נָחַר (nāchar, H5170), meaning 'to snort' or 'to snore.' It is related to the noun נַחַר (nachar, H5170), meaning 'nostril' or 'snorting.' As a personal name, its meaning is likely 'Snorter' or 'Snorer.' While the exact symbolic significance is unclear, it follows a common ancient Near Eastern practice of using animal characteristics or bodily functions in personal names.
Semantic Range
Nahor is a theologically significant name as it represents the faithful preservation of the chosen line outside the land of promise. While Abraham is called to Canaan, his brother Nahor remains in Mesopotamia. Yet, God providentially uses Nahor's line to provide Rebekah as a wife for Isaac (Genesis 24), ensuring the continuation of the covenant promises through a woman from within the extended family. Nahor represents the branch of the family from which the covenant people will draw wives, maintaining ethnic and religious continuity.
In the patriarchal narratives, names were not merely labels but often carried meaning related to circumstances, hopes, or characteristics. A name like 'Snorer' might seem peculiar today, but it fit within a cultural context where names could reference common physical traits or behaviors without negative connotation. Furthermore, the 'city of Nahor' (Genesis 24:10) refers to the region where Abraham's kin settled, highlighting the tribal and geographic identity tied to a patriarch's name.
Terah (תֶּרַח, H8646) — Nahor's father and Abraham's father. Haran (הָרָן, H2039) — Another brother of Nahor and Abraham.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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