Terakh

Terakh (Hebrew: תֶּרַח‎‎, Standard Tiberian Teraḥ; also spelled Terah) is a figure in the Hebrew Bible and a genealogical ancestor of Abraham, a patriarch of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. He is mentioned in the Book of Genesis.

Terakh is described as the son of Nahor and the father of Abraham, Nahor II, and Haran. He is said to have lived in Ur of the Chaldees. According to Genesis 11:31-32, Terakh took his family, including Abraham, Sarah (Abraham's wife), and Lot (Haran's son), and set out for Canaan, but they settled in Haran, where Terakh died at the age of 205.

The significance of Terakh is primarily genealogical. He represents a link in the lineage connecting Noah to Abraham, establishing Abraham's place within the biblical narrative and the ancestry of the Israelite people. Midrashic traditions offer interpretations of Terakh's life and beliefs, often portraying him as an idol maker, contrasting him with Abraham's monotheistic faith. However, the biblical text itself does not explicitly state Terakh's religious practices. His story serves as a prelude to the calling of Abraham and the beginning of the patriarchal narratives.