Who is Abraham from The Bible?

Answer 1

Other answers from our community:

The story of Abraham is worth reading in The Bible.

God told Abraham's father lto leave his home land where the people did not worship the true God. Abraham's father took his family to a new home. When Abraham's father died, God told Abraham to leave that land and He would show Abraham where God wanted Abraham to go.

Abraham took his wife, and his nephew Lot and followed God to what is now Israel and the Palatinian land. Abraham never settled down in this new land but was a nomad who went form place to place to make a living. God told Abraham's descendents woudl own the land.

The following things happened to Abraham.

God changed his name form Abram to Abraham his wife's name from Sara to Sarah to recognize their faith.

Two times Noah told his wife to claim she was his sister to save his life because he thought he would be killed so the 'kings' of the lands he moved to could marry Sarah. What Abraham told his wit to say was partially true because Sarah was his half sister. Both times Abraham was rebuked by the 'kings' Abraham was afraid of for lying to them.

When Abraham's flocks and Lot his nephew's flocks became so large that their shepherds began fight over who got the water and grazing land Abraham allowed Lot to chose between mountain area and the plush valley.

Lot chose the valley. That choice turned out bad because the people there were so wicked God destroyed the cities in the valley. Lot was drug out of the city by angels who were sent to rescue him.

Before the cities in the value God talked to Abraham about destroying the cities and Abraham pleaded for the cities by asking God to not destroy the cities because of the righteous people. Abraham quit asking when he got down to the number of people in Lot's family. Because part of Lot's family was wicked, the cites were destroyed.

Several times Abraham offered sacrifices to God as he was traveling around.

In one of the more interesting events in Abraham's life he gathered a small army from his family and his employees and rescued people who had been captured by a raiding party. After Abraham's victory he paid a tithe of what he had captured to a priest whose story is never told. Even though Abraham is the father of Judaism and Christianity there was a priest of who Abraham submitted to.

God tried Abraham's faith by asking him to sacrifice his son, Isaac (according to Judeo-Christian theology; Muslims believe Abraham was told to sacrifice his oldest son, Ishmael). This was significant for two reasons. If Abraham's son died there would be no heir to inherit the land God promised Abraham. If Abraham sacrificed his son, Abraham must believe in the resurrection of the dead. Once God saw that Abraham was serious (He was driving the knife towards his son) God intervened and pointed out a ram for Abraham to sacrifice.

Abraham fathered Ishmael with Hagar, who was Sarah's maidservant. Sarah who was barren pleaded with Abraham to sleep with Hagar so that he might have a son. After Hagar gave birth to the boy, Sarah chased Hagar and Ishmael away out of jealousy. Muslims consider Abraham the father of Islam through his son Ishmael.

Abraham died before any of the promises God made to him came true. A: Abraham came from ancestry that had been God-fearing a couple of centuries earlier but had slipped into idolatry in recent generations. Nimrod, a lead idolater, had brought Abraham's father (Terah) from the Semitic ancestral seat near the conjunction of the Balikh and the Euphrates, and instated him in the royal city of Ur, the center of his (Nimrod's) idolatrous cult. Once he had secured power, Nimrod persecuted any dissenters.

As a child, Abraham sensed the falsehood of idolatry; and, unlike others, he took the trouble to investigate the subject thoroughly and concluded that there must be one God. He took the risk of teaching his conclusions and was persecuted but he persevered. The rest of his story is in Genesis ch. 12-25, which recounts how Abraham later merited Divine prophecy and taught his disciples and family in the land of Canaan.

A: Abraham (at first "Abram") was born in the Babylonian city of Ur (18th century BCE), where Nimrod the idolatrous tyrant had relocated his (Abraham's) father Terah and given him a position of power in his army. The Kuzari (Rabbi Judah HaLevi, 1075-1141) states that Abraham was gifted with high intelligence; and, as Maimonides (1135-1204) describes, Abraham didn't blindly accept the ubiquitous idolatry which had been foisted upon his countrymen. The whole populace had been duped, but the young Abraham contemplated the matter relentlessly, finally arriving at the conclusion that there is One God and that this should be taught to others as well. This is what is meant by his "calling out in the name of the Lord" (Genesis ch.12). As a young man, he remonstrated with passersby in public, demonstrating to them the falsehood of their idols; and our tradition tells how he was threatened and endangered by Nimrod. Later in life, God said to Abraham in prophecy to move to the Holy Land, which is where Abraham raised his family.

He continued his contemplations, eventually arriving at the attitudes and forms of behavior which God later incorporated into the Torah given to Moses. Abraham taught disciples (Talmud, Yoma 28b), gave tithes (Genesis ch.14), strove to raise a family (Genesis ch.15, 17, and 24) which would serve God, made a covenant with God (Genesis ch.15 and 17), welcomed guests into his home (Genesis ch.18) unlike the inhospitable Sodomites (Genesis ch.19), prayed for people (Genesis ch.18), rebuked others when necessary (Genesis ch.20), eulogized and buried the deceased (Genesis ch.23), and fulfilled God's will unquestioningly (Genesis ch.22). He became renowned as a prince of God (Genesis 23:6).

It is therefore clear why God expresses His love for Abraham (Isaiah 41:8) and calls Himself the God of Abraham (Genesis 26:24), and says that Abraham obeyed Him fully (Genesis 26:5). And this is why, according to our tradition, Abraham is credited with having founded the religion which became known as Judaism. (However, Abraham and his descendants observed their traditions voluntarily, until the Giving of the Torah to Moses, when God made it obligatory.)

Answer 2

The story of Abraham can be read about in Genesis from chapter 12 to chapter 25. He was a descendant of Noah's son Shem (one of the men who built the ark). Originally his name was Abram but in Genesis 17 verse 5, God changes it to "Abraham", which means "father of many nations", which lines up with the promise that God gives to Abraham, which is that he will be "exceedingly fruitful". This was a really cool promise, because at the time, Abraham and his wife Sarah were old and had no children yet. God also promises that He will give Abraham's family the land of Canaan, which is the promised land. He died at the age of 175 years. He was also called the father of faith and also the father of many nations. From the history of the fulfillment of this promise, we get the stories of Joseph (with the multi-coloured coat) and Moses, to name a few.

Answer:

Abraham, tenth generation descendant of Noah, of Hebrew lineage, was the son of Terah, uncle of Lot, father of Isaac, grandfather of Jacob, and ancestor of the Israelites. Jewish tradition states that he was the first to teach belief in One God; and it is in his merit that Jews continue to exist (Genesis 18:19, and ch.17).

According to tradition, Abraham founded Judaism, and Moses later received the Torah from God.

Abraham (18th century BCE) came from ancestry that had been God-fearing a couple of centuries earlier but had afterwards slipped into idolatry (Joshua 24:2). Nimrod, the idolatrous tyrant, had brought Abraham's father (Terah) from the Semitic ancestral seat near the conjunction of the Balikh and the Euphrates, and instated him in a position of power in his army in the royal Babylonian city of Ur, where Abraham was born. Nimrod persecuted any who would question his idolatrous cult.

The Kuzari (Rabbi Judah HaLevi, 1075-1141) states that Abraham was gifted with high intelligence; and, as Maimonides (1135-1204) describes, Abraham didn't blindly accept the ubiquitous idolatry. The whole populace had been duped, but the young Abraham contemplated the matter relentlessly, finally arriving at the conclusion that there is One God and that this should be taught to others as well. This is what is meant by his "calling out in the name of the Lord" (Genesis ch.12). As a young man, he remonstrated with passersby in public, demonstrating to them the falsehood of their idols; and our tradition tells how he was threatened and endangered by Nimrod.

Subsequently, Terah relocated to Harran; and it is here that Abraham began to develop a circle of disciples (Rashi commentary, on Genesis 12:5).

Later, God told Abraham in prophecy to move to the Holy Land, which is where Abraham raised his family.

He continued his contemplations, eventually arriving at the attitudes and forms of behavior which God later incorporated into the Torah given to Moses. Abraham taught disciples (Talmud, Yoma 28b), gave tithes (Genesis ch.14), strove to raise a family (Genesis ch.15, 17, and 24) which would serve God (Genesis 18:19), made a covenant with God (Genesis ch.15 and 17), welcomed guests into his home (Genesis ch.18) unlike the inhospitable Sodomites (Genesis ch.19), prayed for people (Genesis ch.18), rebuked others when necessary (Genesis ch.20), eulogized and buried the deceased (Genesis ch.23), and fulfilled God's will unquestioningly (Genesis ch.22). He became renowned as a prince of God (Genesis 23:6).

All of these forms of behavior were based upon the ways of God, which Abraham comprehended through his contemplations. These, and similar personality traits, were the teachings of Abraham and his descendants.

It is therefore clear why God expresses His love for Abraham (Isaiah 41:8) and calls Himself the God of Abraham (Genesis 26:24), and says that Abraham obeyed Him fully (Genesis 26:5). And this is why, according to our tradition, Abraham is credited with having begun the religion which became known as Judaism. However, Abraham and his descendants observed their traditions voluntarily, until the Giving of the Torah to Moses 3325 years ago, when God made it obligatory.

Answer 3

Abram was called by God to leave Ur of the Chaldees (part of present day Iraq). Abram followed God's instruction and came to what is present-day Israel. There he settled and was given the name of Abraham by God and he and God entered into the Abrahamic covenant. This covenant between God and Abraham is that Abraham accepts God as the only God and God accepts Abraham and his descendants as His people. This covenant was sealed by God passing through the blood sacrifices of animals (Genesis ch.15). It was the practice in those days for the stronger of the two parties entering into the covenant to go first and then the weaker. Because God did not want Abraham or his descendants to be covenant breakers and therefore subject to His wrath, he caused Abraham to fall into a deep sleep so that Abraham could not make the passage through the sacrifices. This is a fascinating bit of biblical history and you can read more about it in the Bible and a book called Our Father Abraham.

Answer:

Abraham, tenth generation descendant of Noah, of Hebrew lineage, was the son of Terah, uncle of Lot, father of Isaac, grandfather of Jacob, and ancestor of the Israelites. His story is in Genesis ch.11 (end), through ch.25. Jewish tradition states that he was the first to teach belief in One God; and it is in his merit that Jews continue to exist (Genesis 18:19, and ch.17).

According to tradition, Abraham founded Judaism, and Moses later received the Torah from God.

Abraham (18th century BCE) came from ancestry that had been God-fearing a couple of centuries earlier but had afterwards slipped into idolatry (Joshua 24:2). Nimrod, the idolatrous tyrant, had brought Abraham's father (Terah) from the Semitic ancestral seat near the conjunction of the Balikh and the Euphrates, and instated him in a position of power in his army in the royal Babylonian city of Ur, where Abraham was born. Nimrod persecuted any who would question his idolatrous cult.

The Kuzari (Rabbi Judah HaLevi, 1075-1141) states that Abraham was gifted with high intelligence; and, as Maimonides (1135-1204) describes, Abraham didn't blindly accept the ubiquitous idolatry. The whole populace had been duped, but the young Abraham contemplated the matter relentlessly, finally arriving at the conclusion that there is One God and that this should be taught to others as well. This is what is meant by his "calling out in the name of the Lord" (Genesis ch.12). As a young man, he remonstrated with passersby in public, demonstrating to them the falsehood of their idols; and our tradition tells how he was threatened and endangered by Nimrod.

Subsequently, Terah relocated to Harran; and it is here that Abraham began to develop a circle of disciples (Rashi commentary, on Genesis 12:5).

Later, God told Abraham in prophecy to move to the Holy Land, which is where Abraham raised his family.

He continued his contemplations, eventually arriving at the attitudes and forms of behavior which God later incorporated into the Torah given to Moses. Abraham taught disciples (Talmud, Yoma 28b), gave tithes (Genesis ch.14), strove to raise a family (Genesis ch.15, 17, and 24) which would serve God (Genesis 18:19), made a covenant with God (Genesis ch.15 and 17), welcomed guests into his home (Genesis ch.18) unlike the inhospitable Sodomites (Genesis ch.19), prayed for people (Genesis ch.18), rebuked others when necessary (Genesis ch.20), eulogized and buried the deceased (Genesis ch.23), and fulfilled God's will unquestioningly (Genesis ch.22). He became renowned as a prince of God (Genesis 23:6).

All of these forms of behavior were based upon the ways of God, which Abraham comprehended through his contemplations. These, and similar personality traits, were the teachings of Abraham and his descendants.

It is therefore clear why God expresses His love for Abraham (Isaiah 41:8) and calls Himself the God of Abraham (Genesis 26:24), and says that Abraham obeyed Him fully (Genesis 26:5). And this is why, according to our tradition, Abraham is credited with having begun the religion which became known as Judaism. However, Abraham and his descendants observed their traditions voluntarily, until the Giving of the Torah to Moses 3325 years ago, when God made it obligatory.

Answer 4

He is the head of a tribe. God tells Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac. Abraham takes him to the mountain to do God's will. But God stops him, and tells him to sacrifice a lamb instead.

Additional Answer:

Abraham is called "the father of the faithful."

Hebrews 11:8-12New International Version (NIV) 8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.11 And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12 And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

Jewish answer:

Abraham, tenth generation descendant of Noah, of Hebrew lineage, was the son of Terah, uncle of Lot, father of Isaac, grandfather of Jacob, and ancestor of the Israelites. His story is in Genesis ch.11 (end), through ch.25. Jewish tradition states that he was the first to teach belief in One God; and it is in his merit that Jews continue to exist (Genesis 18:19, and ch.17).

Abraham (18th century BCE) came from ancestry that had been God-fearing a couple of centuries earlier but had afterwards slipped into idolatry (Joshua 24:2). Nimrod, the idolatrous tyrant, had brought Abraham's father (Terah) from the Semitic ancestral seat near the conjunction of the Balikh and the Euphrates, and instated him in a position of power in his army in the royal Babylonian city of Ur, where Abraham was born. Nimrod persecuted any who would question his idolatrous cult.

The Kuzari (Rabbi Judah HaLevi, 1075-1141) states that Abraham was gifted with high intelligence; and, as Maimonides (1135-1204) describes, Abraham didn't blindly accept the ubiquitous idolatry. The whole populace had been duped, but the young Abraham contemplated the matter relentlessly, finally arriving at the conclusion that there is One God and that this should be taught to others as well. This is what is meant by his "calling out in the name of the Lord" (Genesis ch.12). As a young man, he remonstrated with passersby in public, demonstrating to them the falsehood of their idols; and our tradition tells how he was threatened and endangered by Nimrod.

Subsequently, Terah relocated to Harran; and it is here that Abraham began to develop a circle of disciples (Rashi commentary, on Genesis 12:5). Later, God told Abraham in prophecy to move to the Holy Land, which is where Abraham raised his family. He continued his contemplations, eventually arriving at the attitudes and forms of behavior which God later incorporated into the Torah given to Moses.

Abraham, with God's help, singlehandedly trounced the supremacy of the evil Nimrod. He received God's promise of inheriting the Holy Land (Genesis 13). He strove to raise a family (Genesis ch.15, 17, and 24) which would serve God (Genesis 18:19); and God eventually blessed his efforts, granting him many children (ibid., ch.16, 21 and 25), as He had promised (Genesis ch.17). Abraham founded the Jewish people and lived to see his work live on in the persons of Isaac and Jacob; and he taught many other disciples as well (Talmud, Yoma 28b). He saved the population of the south of Canaan from invading foreign kings (Genesis 14); and he was feared by neighboring kings (ibid., ch.12 and 20). Abraham gave tithes (Genesis ch.14), entered into a covenant with God (Genesis ch.15 and 17), welcomed guests into his home (Genesis ch.18) unlike the inhospitable Sodomites (Genesis ch.19), prayed for people (Genesis ch.18), rebuked others when necessary (Genesis ch.20), eulogized and buried the deceased (Genesis ch.23), and fulfilled God's will unquestioningly (Genesis ch.22). He became renowned as a prince of God (Genesis 23:6).

All of these forms of behavior were based upon the ways of God, which Abraham comprehended through his contemplations. These, and similar personality traits, were the teachings of Abraham and his descendants (unlike idolatry, which had tended to go hand in hand with cruel, licentious and excessive behavior, since the caprices which were narrated concerning the idols were adopted as an excuse to imitate those types of behavior).

It is therefore clear why God expresses His love for Abraham (Isaiah 41:8) and calls Himself the God of Abraham (Genesis 26:24), and says that Abraham obeyed Him fully (Genesis 26:5). And this is why, according to our tradition, Abraham is credited with having begun the religion which became known as Judaism. However, Abraham and his descendants observed their traditions voluntarily, until the Giving of the Torah to Moses 3325 years ago, when God made it obligatory.

Answer 5

The story of Abraham is a story of a man who had great faith in the God, and obeyed him, he left his homeland to the land where God told him to go.He was ready to sacrifice his only son Issac as God told him to do.

AnswerThe Bible says that Abraham was originally named Abram, which in Hebrew means 'Exalted father' or 'The father is exalted'. God later named him Abraham, which means 'Father of many', saying that he would be the father of many nations. His wife was first called Sarai, which means 'Princess', but God changed her name to Sarah, another Hebrew word for Princess.

Genesis 11:31 reports that Abraham's father, Terah took Abraham, and his grandson Lot the son of Haran, from Ur in Chaldea to Haran (or Harran) in southeastern Turkey, on the way to Canaan. Abraham and Sarah later made their own way to the land of the Canaanites.

When three anthropomorphic 'elohim (Hebrew: gods) appeared to Abraham in the plains of Mamre (Genesis 18), Abraham negotiated with one of them, the Lord, to spare the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah if good men could be found to live there. The Lord was the God of the Israelites. Consistent with strict monotheism, the English translation of 'elohim is given as 'angels', but the story does not back this up.

Genesis gives two parallel stories of Abraham where he got tangled up in his deviousness. First he told the Pharaoh that his wife Sarah was his sister, for fear that the Pharaoh would kill him in order to have sex with her (Genesis 12:13), only to be found out and banished from Egypt. Later (Genesis 20:2ff), for the same reason, he told the king of Gerar that his by now quite elderly wife (Sarah was now over 90 years old and stricken with age) really was his sister.

Sarah was both elderly and barren, so she gave Abraham her female slave so that he could have a son. From this union was born Ishmail. Later, Sarah herself bore a son to Abraham, Isaac.

When Isaac was grown, God decided to test Abraham, by telling him to sacrifice Isaac to him. Genesis says that Abraham unquestioningly proceeded to sacrifice his son and was stopped only at the last minute. Leon R. Kass (The Beginning of Wisdom: Reading Genesis) says that in a strange way the passage about Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son speaks more about God's faith in Abraham than Abraham's faith in God.

Much of what people believe about Abraham does not come from the Bible at all. Bruce Feiler (Abraham) says that probably less than one per cent of the stories told about Abraham appear in the Bible, with an explosion of detail beginning to appear in Jewish tradition from the third century BCE onwards.

A well known Jewish midrash of the common era has it that Abraham, while still a young boy, realised that his father's idols had no power, and perceived that there is but one God. If we give this legend any credence, we should be surprised that it was left to a young boy to reveal the truth about God, in the face of such overwhelming evidence as the quite recent Flood and the reliable, still living witnesses to that event. In contrast to the midrash, the Bible itself never credits Abraham with monotheistic beliefs.

Finally, Abraham is said to have lived to the quite impressive age of 175 years old and his sons, Ishmail and Isaac, buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field that Abraham had bought. however, the lifespans that Genesis attributes to Abraham and to his son and grandson, Isaac and Jacob are not only improbable for physical reasons, but because they fit so well into a clearly artificial numerological pattern:

1. Abraham lived to 175 (5 X 5 X 7)
2. Isaac lived to 180 (6 X 6 X 5)
3. Jacob lived to 147 (7 X 7 X 3)

• Each lifespan involves a perfect square (5, 6, then 7 in a numeric series),
• the third factor also forms a series (7, 5, 3)
• in each case the sum of the factors is 17.

Answer 6

You will find Abraham written in the book of Genesis. Abraham was a direct descendant of Adam, the 8th day man formed to till the soil (Genesis 2). The covenant written in Genesis 17 is based upon the identification of this 8th day man, Adam.

Pay attention to Abraham's wives (3) and what sons were born to those wives, and to which son the covenant was to be bestowed upon (Isaac). There is a direct link between that knowledge and understanding Luke 1, where Mary was chosen because of her unbroken generational link to Aaron, then Jacob (Israel) then Isaac then Abraham then Noah and finally Adam. Knowing this fact becomes the key to understanding all that is occurring today.

Answer 7

The Kuzari (Rabbi Judah HaLevi,1075-1141) states that Abraham was gifted with high intelligence; and, as Maimonides (1135-1204) describes, Abraham didn't blindly accept the ubiquitous idolatry. The whole populace had been duped, but the young Abraham contemplated the matter relentlessly, finally arriving at the conclusion that there is One God and that this should be taught to others as well. This is what is meant by his "calling out in the name of the Lord" (Genesis ch.12). As a young man, he remonstrated with passersby in public, demonstrating to them the falsehood of their idols; and our tradition tells how he was threatened and endangered by Nimrod.
Subsequently, Terah relocated to Harran; and it is here that Abraham began to develop a circle of disciples (Rashi commentary, on Genesis 12:5). Later, God told Abraham in prophecy to move to the Holy Land, which is where he raised his family. He continued his contemplations, eventually arriving at the attitudes and forms of behavior which God later incorporated into the Torah given to Moses.
Abraham became the greatest thinker of all time. His originality, perseverance, strength of conviction, and influence, cannot be overestimated.
He founded the Jewish people and lived to see his work live on in the persons of Isaac and Jacob; and he taught many other disciples (Talmud, Yoma 28b).
Abraham entered into a covenant with God (Genesis ch.15 and 17), welcomed guests into his home (Genesis ch.18) unlike the inhospitable Sodomites (Genesis ch.19), prayed for people (Genesis ch.18), eulogized and buried the deceased (Genesis ch.23), and fulfilled God's will unquestioningly (Genesis ch.22). He became renowned as a prince of God (Genesis 23:6).
The practices of Abraham were based upon the ways of God. These were the teachings of Abraham and his descendants (unlike idolatry, which had no moral character; with worship of the gods accompanied by things such as human sacrifice, "sacred" prostitution, and animal worship). It is therefore clear why God expresses His love for Abraham (Isaiah 41:8) and calls Himself the God of Abraham (Genesis 26:24), and says that Abraham obeyed Him fully (Genesis 26:5).
The gravesite of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their wives (Genesis 49:29-32) is located in Hebron and has been known and attested to for many centuries.

Answer 8

Genesis ch.12 to 25 describes how Abraham was called by God to leave Babylonia and come to the land of Canaan; how God promised Canaan to him and his children; how Abraham traveled and called out (taught) in the name of God; how he was victorious in battle; how Ishmael was born; how God gave him (Abraham) the command of circumcision and promised that he'd have a son through Sarah; the exemplary manner in which Abraham customarily received guests; how he tried to intercede for the Sodomites but their wickedness sealed their divine destruction; the birth of Isaac; the test of the Akeidah (see ch.22), how Abraham bought the Makhpelah-site; and how he had a wife sought for Isaac.

Answer 9

The biblical stories about Abraham can be foud in the Book of Genesis from chapter 11. However, there are many stories of Abraham that are not in the Bible and are of much more recent origin.

Bruce Feiler (Abraham) says that probably less than one per cent of the stories told about Abraham appear in the Bible, with an explosion of detail beginning to appear in Jewish tradition from the third century BCE onwards. The most famous of these fabled stories tells of Abraham as a young child proving that the idols had no power.

Answer 10

Abraham, tenth-generation descendant of Noah, of Hebrew lineage, was the son of Terah, uncle of Lot, father of Isaac, grandfather of Jacob, and forefather of the Israelites. His story is in Genesis ch.11 (end), through ch.25. Jewish tradition states that he was the first to actively spread belief in One God; and it is in his merit that Jews continue to exist (Genesis 18:19, and ch.17).

• Link: Abraham's Hebrew ancestry
  

Abraham came from ancestry that had been aware of God a couple of centuries earlier but had afterwards slipped into idolatry (Joshua 24:2).

By the time of Abraham, the area where he lived was full of pagan cults; they were polytheistic, worshiping multiple deities.

• Link: How polytheism began
  

Abraham became the first to advance the idea of ethical monotheism: the worship of One God, and the appropriate ethical code of conduct.

Nimrod, the idolatrous tyrant, had brought Abraham's father (Terah) from the Semitic ancestral seat near the confluence of the Balikh and the Euphrates, and instated him in a position of power in his army in the royal Babylonian city of Ur, where Abraham was born. Nimrod persecuted any who would question his idolatrous cult.

The Kuzari (Rabbi Judah HaLevi, 1075-1141) states that Abraham was gifted with high intelligence; and, as Maimonides (1135-1204) describes, Abraham didn't blindly accept the ubiquitous idolatry. The whole populace had been duped, but the young Abraham contemplated the matter relentlessly, finally arriving at the conclusion that there is One God and that this should be taught to others as well. This is what is meant by his "calling out in the name of the Lord" (Genesis ch.12).

As a young man, he remonstrated with passersby in public, demonstrating to them the falsehood of their idols; and our tradition tells how he was threatened and endangered by Nimrod.
Subsequently, Terah relocated to Harran; and it is here that Abraham began to develop a circle of disciples (Rashi commentary, on Genesis 12:5).

Later, God told Abraham in prophecy to move to the Holy Land, which is where he raised his family.

He continued his contemplations, eventually arriving at the attitudes and forms of behavior which God later incorporated into the Torah given to Moses.

Abraham became the greatest thinker of all time. His originality, perseverance, strength of conviction, and influence, cannot be overestimated.

Abraham, with God's help, trounced the supremacy of the evil Nimrod.

He received God's promise of inheriting the Holy Land (Genesis ch.13).

He strove to raise a family (Genesis ch.15, 17, and 24) which would serve God (Genesis 18:19); and God eventually blessed his efforts, granting him numerous descendants (ibid., ch.16, 21 and 25), in keeping with His promise (Genesis ch.17).

Abraham founded the Jewish people and lived to see his work live on in the persons of Isaac and Jacob; and he taught many other disciples as well (Talmud, Yoma 28b).

He saved the population of the south of Canaan from invading foreign kings (Genesis 14); and he was feared by neighboring kings (ibid., ch.12 and 20).

Abraham gave tithes (Genesis ch.14), entered into a covenant with God (Genesis ch.15 and 17), welcomed guests into his home (Genesis ch.18) unlike the inhospitable Sodomites (Genesis ch.19), prayed for people (Genesis ch.18), rebuked others when necessary (Genesis ch.20), eulogized and buried the deceased (Genesis ch.23), and fulfilled God's will unquestioningly (Genesis ch.22).

He became renowned as a prince of God (Genesis 23:6).

The gravesite of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their wives (Genesis 49:29-32) is located in Hebron and has been known and attested to for many centuries.

• Link: Archaeology
  

All of the above practices of Abraham were based upon the ways of God, which Abraham understood through his contemplations. These, and similar personality traits, were the teachings of Abraham and his descendants (unlike idolatry, which had no moral character; with worship of the gods accompanied by things such as human sacrifice, "sacred" prostitution, and animal worship).

• Link: Pagan practices
  

It is therefore clear why God expresses His love for Abraham (Isaiah 41:8) and calls Himself the God of Abraham (Genesis 26:24), and says that Abraham obeyed Him fully (Genesis 26:5). And this is why Abraham is credited with having begun the religion which became known as Judaism. (However, Abraham and his descendants observed their traditions voluntarily, until the Giving of the Torah to Moses 3325 years ago, when God made it obligatory.)