Genesis 11:22
When Serug was 30 years old, he became the father of Nahor.
When Serug was 30 years old
The name "Serug" is derived from the Hebrew root "serug," which means "branch" or "shoot." This can symbolize growth and continuity, reflecting the genealogical line that leads to Abraham, the father of many nations. The age of 30 is significant in biblical terms, often representing maturity and readiness for responsibility. In the context of the patriarchal narratives, reaching the age of 30 signifies a period when individuals were considered mature enough to take on significant roles within their families and communities. This age also prefigures the age at which Jesus began His public ministry, drawing a parallel between the maturation of individuals and the unfolding of God's divine plan.

he became the father of Nahor
The act of becoming a father in biblical times was not only a personal milestone but also a communal and covenantal event. It ensured the continuation of the family line and the fulfillment of God's promises to His people. The name "Nahor" is linked to the Hebrew root "nahar," meaning "to snort" or "to breathe hard," which can imply strength or vigor. Nahor is an important figure in the genealogy leading to Abraham, and his name signifies the vitality and endurance of the line through which God would establish His covenant. This phrase underscores the importance of lineage and heritage in the biblical narrative, emphasizing God's faithfulness in preserving the line through which the Messiah would eventually come.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Serug
A descendant of Shem, Serug is part of the genealogy leading to Abraham. His name is thought to mean "branch" or "shoot," indicating growth or continuation.

2. Nahor
The son of Serug, Nahor is an ancestor of Abraham. His name may mean "snorting" or "breathing hard," possibly indicating strength or vigor.

3. Genealogy
This verse is part of the genealogical record in Genesis 11, which traces the lineage from Shem to Abraham, highlighting the continuity of God's plan through specific family lines.
Teaching Points
The Importance of Genealogy in Scripture
Genealogies in the Bible are not mere historical records; they demonstrate God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises through specific family lines.

God's Sovereignty in History
The genealogical records remind us that God is sovereign over history, orchestrating events and lives to fulfill His divine purposes.

Legacy and Faithfulness
The mention of Serug and Nahor encourages us to consider the legacy we leave behind and the importance of faithfulness in our own family lines.

Continuity of God's Plan
Despite human failures and the passage of time, God's plan continues unbroken, as seen in the lineage from Shem to Abraham and ultimately to Christ.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the genealogy from Shem to Abraham in Genesis 11:10-32 demonstrate God's faithfulness to His promises?

2. In what ways can understanding our own family history and legacy impact our faith and relationship with God?

3. How does the inclusion of Serug and Nahor in the genealogy of Jesus (Luke 3:34-36) enhance our understanding of God's redemptive plan?

4. What can we learn from the genealogies in the Bible about the importance of individual lives in God's overarching plan?

5. How can we apply the concept of leaving a legacy of faithfulness in our own lives and families today?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Genesis 11:10-32
This passage provides the broader genealogical context, showing the lineage from Shem to Abraham, emphasizing the fulfillment of God's promise to Noah and his descendants.

Luke 3:34-36
In the genealogy of Jesus, Serug and Nahor are mentioned, connecting the Old Testament lineage to the New Testament fulfillment in Christ.

Hebrews 11:8-12
This passage highlights the faith of Abraham, a descendant of Nahor, showing the importance of this lineage in the account of faith and God's promises.
LessonsG. Hughes, B. D.Genesis 11:10-26
Post-Diluvial GenealogyG. Hughes, B. D.Genesis 11:10-26
Race of ManMerle D'Aubigne.Genesis 11:10-26
The Generations of ShemT. H. Leale.Genesis 11:10-26
The Order of Grace is -W. Roberts Genesis 11:10-26
Divine TraditionsR.A. Redford Genesis 11:10-32
People
Abram, Arphaxad, Eber, Haran, Iscah, Lot, Milcah, Nahor, Peleg, Reu, Salah, Sarai, Serug, Shelah, Shem, Terah
Places
Babel, Canaan, Haran, Mesha, Shinar, Ur
Topics
30, Begetteth, Begot, Nahor, Serug, Thirty
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Genesis 11:10-25

     5726   old age, attainment

Genesis 11:10-32

     1655   hundreds and thousands
     7230   genealogies

Library
The Church.
FROM THE PREFACE TO THE "HOLY CITY." UPON a certain First-day, I being together with my brethren in our prison-chamber, they expected that, according to our custom, something should be spoken out of the word for our mutual edification; but at that time I felt myself--it being my turn to speak--so empty, spiritless, and barren, that I thought I should not have been able to speak among them so much as five words of truth, with life and evidence: but at last it so fell out that providentially I cast
John Bunyan—The Riches of Bunyan

Meditations to Stir us up to Morning Prayer.
1. If, when thou art about to pray, Satan shall suggest that thy prayers are too long, and that therefore it were better either to omit prayers, or else to cut them shorter, meditate that prayer is thy spiritual sacrifice, wherewith God is well pleased (Heb. xiii. 15, 16;) and therefore it is so displeasing to the devil, and so irksome to the flesh. Bend therefore thy affections (will they, nill they) to so holy an exercise; assuring thyself, that it doth by so much the more please God, by how much
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

He Does Battle for the Faith; He Restores Peace among those who were at Variance; He Takes in Hand to Build a Stone Church.
57. (32). There was a certain clerk in Lismore whose life, as it is said, was good, but his faith not so. He was a man of some knowledge in his own eyes, and dared to say that in the Eucharist there is only a sacrament and not the fact[718] of the sacrament, that is, mere sanctification and not the truth of the Body. On this subject he was often addressed by Malachy in secret, but in vain; and finally he was called before a public assembly, the laity however being excluded, in order that if it were
H. J. Lawlor—St. Bernard of Clairvaux's Life of St. Malachy of Armagh

The First Chaldaean Empire and the Hyksos in Egypt
Syria: the part played by it in the ancient world--Babylon and the first Chaldaean empire--The dominion of the Hyksos: Ahmosis. Some countries seem destined from their origin to become the battle-fields of the contending nations which environ them. Into such regions, and to their cost, neighbouring peoples come from century to century to settle their quarrels and bring to an issue the questions of supremacy which disturb their little corner of the world. The nations around are eager for the possession
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 4

The Promise to the Patriarchs.
A great epoch is, in Genesis, ushered in with the history of the time of the Patriarchs. Luther says: "This is the third period in which Holy Scripture begins the history of the Church with a new family." In a befitting manner, the representation is opened in Gen. xii. 1-3 by an account of the first revelation of God, given to Abraham at Haran, in which the way is opened up for all that follows, and in which the dispensations of God are brought before us in a rapid survey. Abraham is to forsake
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

The Book of the First Generations of Man, and the Glory of the Cainites.
I. THE BOOK OF THE FIRST GENERATIONS OF MAN, AND THE GLORY OF THE CAINITES. A. THE BOOK OF THE FIRST GENERATIONS OF MAN. 1. The reasons why Moses records the generations of Adam 1. 2. Why he so particularly gives the years, and in the case of each patriarch adds "and he died" 1-2. 3. Why Enoch is placed in the records of the dead 3-4. * Was Enoch a sinner, and do sinners have hope of eternal life 4. * Of death. a. How we are to comfort ourselves against death 5. b. How reason views death, and how
Martin Luther—Commentary on Genesis, Vol. II

Appendix xii. The Baptism of Proselytes
ONLY those who have made study of it can have any idea how large, and sometimes bewildering, is the literature on the subject of Jewish Proselytes and their Baptism. Our present remarks will be confined to the Baptism of Proselytes. 1. Generally, as regards proselytes (Gerim) we have to distinguish between the Ger ha-Shaar (proselyte of the gate) and Ger Toshabh (sojourner,' settled among Israel), and again the Ger hatstsedeq (proselyte of righteousness) and Ger habberith (proselyte of the covenant).
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Cain Murders his Brother; Called to Account.
IV. CAIN MURDERS HIS BROTHER; CALLED TO ACCOUNT. A. HOW CAIN MURDERED HIS BROTHER. 1. What moved Cain to commit murder 107. 2. Cain's hypocritical actions in concealing his anger that he might the more easily commit the murder 108-109. * Cain the picture of all hypocrites 110-129. * The attitude of hypocrites to their neighbors. Also, how we are to view the efforts of the pope and bishops in behalf of peace and unity 111-112. * Against what people we should most guard 112. 3. How Cain listened to
Martin Luther—Commentary on Genesis, Vol. II

An Exposition on the First Ten Chapters of Genesis, and Part of the Eleventh
An unfinished commentary on the Bible, found among the author's papers after his death, in his own handwriting; and published in 1691, by Charles Doe, in a folio volume of the works of John Bunyan. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR Being in company with an enlightened society of Protestant dissenters of the Baptist denomination, I observed to a doctor of divinity, who was advancing towards his seventieth year, that my time had been delightfully engaged with John Bunyan's commentary on Genesis. "What,"
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Genesis
The Old Testament opens very impressively. In measured and dignified language it introduces the story of Israel's origin and settlement upon the land of Canaan (Gen.--Josh.) by the story of creation, i.-ii. 4a, and thus suggests, at the very beginning, the far-reaching purpose and the world-wide significance of the people and religion of Israel. The narrative has not travelled far till it becomes apparent that its dominant interests are to be religious and moral; for, after a pictorial sketch of
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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