Follow-Up: Avraham, Nachor, Haran
Question
Follow-Up to Avraham, Nachor, and Haran
Genesis 11:26 And Terah lived SEVENTY YEARS, and he begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran.
One commentary states that Terah was not 70 when Abraham was born, rather Terah was 130.
Terah died at 205 and Abraham was 75 when he left Haran. 205 – 75 = 130.
What is your opinion about Terah’s age at Abraham’s birth – 70 years old or 130 years old?
Answers
I am not sure that I have a definitive view. One problem is that Midrashic texts cannot always be taken at face value. The Rabbis spoke in a very specific language that is sometimes deliberately obtuse and it makes it very difficult to decipher what lesson they are trying to convey. If I absolutely had to make a choice I would probably choose to follow the simple understanding of the verse in Genesis 11:26, that Terach was 70 when Abraham was born.
Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team