Genesis 22:20-24
Now after these things it was told to Abraham, “Behold, Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor: Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram, Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.” (Bethuel fathered Rebekah.) These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother. Moreover, his concubine, whose name was Reumah, bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
This verse highlights a subtle, yet crucial, divine orchestration: immediately after Abraham's ultimate test of faith, news arrives about his brother's expanding family. This isn't just random news; it's God preparing the way for Isaac to find a wife among their kin, demonstrating His continued care and foresight even after a monumental trial.
Fresh off the incredible test of faith at Mount Moriah where Abraham nearly sacrificed Isaac, this passage shifts focus to Abraham's family back in Haran. It's a report about his brother Nahor's growing family, specifically noting that Nahor's wife Milcah has had more children, including a granddaughter named Rebekah. This genealogical information is crucial because it sets the stage for the next major event: finding a wife for Isaac from within Abraham's own extended family.
After the monumental test of faith on Mount Moriah, Abraham receives news about his brother's family. What does this seemingly ordinary update reveal about God's ongoing work?
The story of Abraham's near-sacrifice of Isaac is incredibly dramatic. But right after this, the narrative shifts to a genealogy. This isn't just filler. It shows that God's plan isn't confined to the dramatic moments.
God's Consistent Care
Even while Abraham faced his greatest trial, God was also working in the lives of his relatives, ensuring the continuation of the lineage. The birth of children to Nahor and Milcah, though a private family event, is part of God's larger tapestry.
Preparing the Way
This information about Nahor's growing family, particularly the mention of Bethuel and Rebekah, directly sets the stage for the next significant event: finding a wife for Isaac. God's providence works through both the extraordinary tests and the ordinary unfolding of family life.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Genesis 22:20-24 is available in the Sola app.
Why does the Bible include these family trees? What's the significance of listing names like Milcah, Nahor, and their children right after the binding of Isaac?
Genealogies in the Bible aren't just historical records; they are theological statements. They trace the lineage through which God's promises and plans unfold.
Tracing the Promise
In Genesis, tracing the family line is crucial because the promises of God—to Abraham, to his seed, and ultimately through that seed to the nations—are passed down through specific descendants. The list of Nahor's children, culminating in Rebekah, is essential for the continuation of Abraham's line and the fulfillment of God's covenant.
Connecting to Future Events
This specific genealogy serves a narrative purpose. It introduces the family from which Isaac's wife will come, preparing us for the events of Genesis 24. It shows that God's work is a continuous story, with each part intentionally connected to the next.
Understand the original words
bekor · Hebrew Noun
The firstborn son of a family, holding the position of prominence, double inheritance, and leadership over the family line, often carrying special duties and honors.
pilegesh · Hebrew Noun
A woman who, in the ancient Near Eastern context, had a recognized legal status but lacked the full rights and social standing of a wife. Concubines often bore children who were legally acknowledged by the father.
yalad · Hebrew Verb
To bring forth or give birth to children. In Scripture, this often emphasizes the fulfillment of family lines, God's blessing of fruitfulness, and the preservation of genealogy.
c. 2100 BC
Abram leaves Ur
Abram, his father Terah, and nephew Lot leave the city of Ur in Chaldea at God's call. Nahor, Abram's brother, and his family settle in Haran.
c. 2090 BC
Terah dies in Haran
Abram's father, Terah, dies in Haran. This prompts Abram to continue his journey to Canaan, taking Lot with him and leaving Nahor's family behind.
c. 2050 BC— this verse
Test of Abraham's faith
God commands Abraham to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac on Mount Moriah. This supreme test of obedience and trust occurs after Isaac's birth and Sarah's death.
c. 2050 BC
Milcah's sons are born
After the testing of Abraham, news arrives that Abraham's brother Nahor's wife Milcah has given birth to several sons, including Bethuel, father of Rebekah.
c. 2049 BC
Isaac marries Rebekah
Abraham, seeking a wife for Isaac from his own kin, sends his servant to Nahor's descendants, where the servant finds and brings Rebekah back to marry Isaac.
This passage introduces Nahor and his family, providing the immediate context for the genealogy mentioned in Genesis 22:20, showing the lineage Abraham is hearing news about.
Genesis 24:1-67This narrative directly follows and expands upon the information in Genesis 22:20, detailing how Abraham sends his servant to find a wife for Isaac from Nahor's descendants, specifically mentioning Rebekah, Milcah's daughter.
Genesis 25:1-6This section also lists descendants of Abraham's relatives, including children born to Abraham's other half-brother, Jokshan, and the sons of his concubine Keturah, showing the broader family context and scattering of Abraham's lineage.
Job 1:1This verse introduces Job, a descendant of Nahor, highlighting how the lineage mentioned in Genesis 22:20 continues to be significant within biblical history and narrative.
cambridgeGenesis 22:20: "And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah, she hath also born children unto thy brother Nahor;"
20 . after these things ] Cf. Genesis 22:1 . Milcah ] See Genesis 11:27 ; Genesis 11:29 . Nahor’s marriage with his niece probably represents the fusion of two tribes. 20–24. The Genealogy of Nahor (J) In this genealogy it is to be noted, (1) that the home of Nahor and his sons is not Ur, but Aram Naharaim , as in Genesis 24:10 ; (2) that…
gillGenesis 22:20: "And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah, she hath also born children unto thy brother Nahor;"
And it came to pass, after these things,.... Abraham's taking his son Isaac to the land of Moriah, building an altar on one of the mountains there, and laying him on it with an intention to sacrifice him, and offering of a ram in his stead, and the return of them both to Beersheba: that it was told Abraham; by some person very probably wh…
This verse highlights a subtle, yet crucial, divine orchestration: immediately after Abraham's ultimate test of faith, news arrives about his brother's expanding family. This isn't just random news; it's God preparing the way for Isaac to find a wife among their kin, demonstrating His continued care and foresight even after a monumental trial.
Fresh off the incredible test of faith at Mount Moriah where Abraham nearly sacrificed Isaac, this passage shifts focus to Abraham's family back in Haran. It's a report about his brother Nahor's growing family, specifically noting that Nahor's wife Milcah has had more children, including a granddaughter named Rebekah. This genealogical information is crucial because it sets the stage for the next major event: finding a wife for Isaac from within Abraham's own extended family.
Fresh off the incredible test of faith at Mount Moriah where Abraham nearly sacrificed Isaac, this passage shifts focus to Abraham's family back in Haran. It's a report about his brother Nahor's growing family, specifically noting that Nahor's wife Milcah has had more children, including a granddaughter named Rebekah. This genealogical information is crucial because it sets the stage for the next major event: finding a wife for Isaac from within Abraham's own extended family.
"Now after these things it was told to Abraham, “Behold, Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor: Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram, Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.” (Bethuel fathered Reb…" — This verse highlights a subtle, yet crucial, divine orchestration: immediately after Abraham's ultimate test of faith, news arrives about his brother's expanding family. This isn't just random news;…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
