Abraham
traditional patriarch founding patriarch in biblical tradition
The founding patriarch of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam in scripture; a traditional figure whose historicity is not supported by external evidence and is doubted by most scholars.
- Religion
- regarded as the first monotheist in tradition
Abraham is the founding patriarch of the biblical narrative, described as called by God to leave Mesopotamia for the land of Canaan and to become the ancestor of a great people. He is revered across Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. He is a scriptural and traditional figure rather than a documented historical person. There is no contemporary evidence for him outside the Bible, the narratives were written down long after the events they describe, and most modern scholars regard the patriarchal stories as later theological literature rather than reliable history. This record presents him as the tradition portrays him, and does not treat the biblical account as documented history.
In the timeline
- 1996 BCE Birth of Abraham the patriarch of the narrative
- 1921 BCE The Call of Abraham the patriarch of the narrative
- 1872 BCE The Offering of Isaac the patriarch of the narrative
- 1801 BCE Abraham and the patriarchal tradition central figure
- 1842 Publication of the Book of Abraham central figure
- 2020 Abraham Accords central figure