Haran was a city in Mesopotamia where Abraham and his family settled after leaving Ur, and from where Abraham later departed for Canaan (Genesis 11:31-32; 12:4-5; 27:43; 28:10; 29:4; Act.7.2, 4).
Also known as Harran · Charran
Haran, also known as Charan, was a significant city in Mesopotamia, located in modern-day Turkey. It played a crucial role in the life of Abraham and his family. After leaving Ur of the Chaldeans, Abraham, his father Terah, and his nephew Lot settled in Haran (Genesis 11:31). It was in Haran that Terah died (Genesis 11:32), and from there, Abraham departed for Canaan in response to God's call (Genesis 12:4-5). Later, when Israel (or 'Jacob') fled from his brother Esau, he sought refuge in Haran with his uncle Laban (Genesis 27:43; 28:10). Jacob lived in Haran for many years, marrying Laban's daughters, Leah and Rachel, and working for Laban (Genesis 29:4). Haran was known for its association with the worship of the moon god, Sin. In the Old Testament, Haran is mentioned as one of the places conquered by the Assyrian kings (2Ki.19.12; Isaiah 37:12) and as a trading partner of Tyre (Ezk.27.23). The city's strategic location along major trade routes contributed to its importance in the ancient Near East.
Approximate location: 36.864, 39.032 · view on a map · on the Bible atlas
12 verses in 5 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H2771
And Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai the wife of Abram, and they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans for the land of Canaan. But when they arrived in Haran, they settled there.
Terah lived 205 years, and he died in Haran.
So Abram departed, as the Lordhad directed him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.
And Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all the possessions and people they had acquired in Haran, and set out for the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan,
So now, my son, obey my voice and flee at once to my brother Laban in Haran.
Meanwhile Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran.
“My brothers,” Jacob asked the shepherds, “where are you from?” “We are from Haran,” they answered.
Did the gods of the nations destroyed by my fathers rescue those nations—the gods of Gozan, Haran, and Rezeph, and of the people of Eden in Telassar?
Did the gods of the nations destroyed by my fathers rescue those nations—the gods of Gozan, Haran, and Rezeph, and of the people of Eden in Telassar?
Haran, Canneh, and Eden traded with you, and so did the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad.
And Stephen declared: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,
So Abraham left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After his father died, God brought him out of that place and into this land where you are now living.
Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.