<strong>NAHOR</strong> (nā'hôr, Heb. <em>nāhôr</em>)<br /><br />

<hr />

<hr/>
<strong>NAHOR</strong> <strong>nā’ hôr</strong> (Heb. <span class="hebrew">נָחֹ֖ור</span>, perhaps not to be connected with the root <em>nḥr</em>, <em>to breathe heavily</em>, <em>to snort</em>; <span class="greek">Ναχωρ</span>), the name of two men among the relatives of Abraham and perhaps also a place name. KJV NACHOR, nā’kôr in <bibleref ref="Josh.24.2">Joshua 24:2</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Luke.3.34">Luke 3:34</bibleref>. 1. Son of Serug, of the line of Shem (<bibleref ref="Gen.11.10-Gen.11.25">Gen 11:10-25</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="1Chr.1.26">1 Chron 1:26</bibleref>), father of Terah, grandfather of Abraham, and as such an ancestor of Jesus (<bibleref ref="Luke.3.34">Luke 3:34</bibleref>). After the birth of Terah in his twenty-ninth year, Nahor lived a hundred and nineteen years, and had other sons and daughters.<br /><br />

2. The second son of Terah, brother of Abraham and Haran (<bibleref ref="Gen.11.27-Gen.11.29">Gen 11:27-29</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Josh.24.2">Josh 24:2</bibleref>). A list is given of the twelve children of Nahor (<bibleref ref="Gen.22.20-Gen.22.24">Gen 22:20-24</bibleref>), eight by his wife Milcah, the daughter of his brother Haran (<bibleref ref="Gen.11.29">Gen 11:29</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Gen.24.15">24:15</bibleref>, <bibleref ref="Gen.24.24">24</bibleref>, <bibleref ref="Gen.24.47">47</bibleref>), and four by his concubine Reumah. The contention that these “children” of Nahor must have represented the names of twelve Aram. tribes or places, does not necessarily follow from the text. The statement that Bethuel became the father of Rebekah (<bibleref ref="Gen.24.23">24:23</bibleref>), rather suggests that the names of persons are meant.<br /><br />

Laban is called the “son” of Nahor (<bibleref ref="Gen.29.5">29:5</bibleref>) but the Heb. word for “son” has also the meaning of descendant, thus of grandson.

In concluding the covenant at Mizpah, Laban called upon “the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father” (<bibleref ref="Gen.31.53">31:53</bibleref>). The indication is that Laban distinguishes between the deities of Jacob and himself (cf. <bibleref ref="Gen.31.29">vv. 29</bibleref> and <bibleref ref="Gen.31.42">42</bibleref>). This distinction, however, does not apply to the God of the patriarchs, as was done by A. Alt, “Der Gott der Väter,” BWANT, vol. III, No 12 (1929).

3. A city mentioned in <bibleref ref="Gen.24.10">Genesis 24:10</bibleref>. The reference may be either to a city called Nahor, or else it may be understood as the personal name Nahor (2), and be rendered, “the city where Nahor lived.” <em>Naḫur</em> occurs frequently in the Mari texts, as a city in northern Mesopotamia. It must have been near to Haran (<bibleref ref="Gen.27.43">Gen 27:43</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Gen.28.10">28:10</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Gen.29.4">29:4</bibleref>, <bibleref ref="Gen.29.5">5</bibleref>). Cf. J. Simons, <em>Geographical and Topographical Texts of the <span class="auto-link">[[Old Testament]]</span></em>, Leiden [1959], 219).<br /><br />

<h2>International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915)</h2>

(nachor; in the <span class="auto-link">[[New Testament]]</span> Nachor):e representative of Naphtali among the 12 spies (<bibleref ref="Num.13.14">Nu 13:14</bibleref>).

(1) Son of Serug and grandfather of Abraham (<bibleref ref="Gen.11.22-Gen.11.25">Ge 11:22-25</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="1Chr.1.26">1Ch 1:26</bibleref>).

<hr />

A city of Nahor is mentioned in <bibleref ref="Gen.24.10">Ge 24:10</bibleref>; the God of Nahor in <bibleref ref="Gen.31.53">Ge 31:53</bibleref>. In the <span class="auto-link">[[King James Version]]</span> <bibleref ref="Josh.24.2">Jos 24:2</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Luke.3.34">Lu 3:34</bibleref>, the name is spelled "Nachor."