Genesis 14:13

Genesis 14 :13

A man who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the great trees of Mamre the Amorite, a brother of Eshkol and Aner, all of whom were allied with Abram.

— NIV

Context

The first use of the term "Hebrew" in the Bible, applied to Abraham.

Genesis 14:13

The first biblical occurrence of the term “Hebrew” (Ivri), applied to Abraham.

Etymology and Significance

The term “Hebrew” may derive from “Eber,” an ancestor of Abraham, or from a root meaning “one who crosses over”—fitting for Abraham who crossed the Euphrates to enter Canaan. This designation becomes the ethnic identifier for Abraham’s descendants through Isaac and Jacob.

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