Abraham

Abraham, originally Abram (Avram), came from a race of people thought to be named after the place/region they lived in, Eber (Ivri). Eber was the great grandson of Noah's son Shem (from which the term 'semites' come from). According to Jewish tradition, Eber was the only guy who refused to join the Tower of Babel consortium, and hence his language was preserved as the original hebrew. ( hehheh.. :) , don't take it too seriously). Subsequently however, the term became associated with another word 'hapiru' which apparently meant something like 'the people from over there'. Later , the Egyptians would refer to these foreigners as the hapirus, or hebrews.

Abram apparently came from Mesopotamia, a city call Ur. Later He would be renamed Abraham (Ibrahim in Malay/Arabic) meaning 'Father of Many'. While God's covenant with Noah, was for him to go forth and multiply. God's covenant with Abraham was for him to be the conduit through which 'all families of the earth will be blessed'.

So we begin this series of readings recognizing the pivotal point in history when God called Abram out from his people and begins His covenantal relationship with one man, through which the earth will be blessed. Ironically, through him also arose the seeds of global conflict between the Jews and Arabs.