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Genesis 11:29

EOB (Eastern / Greek Orthodox Bible):

Abram and Nahor both got married. Abram’s wife was named Sarai, and Nahor’s wife was named Milcah; she was the daughter of Haran, the father of both Milcah and Iscah.

EOB Footnote:

The MT includes the phrase “the father of Milcah and the father of Iscah” at the end of the verse, specifying that Haran was father to both women. The LXX omits “and the father of Iscah,” not mentioning Iscah at all. This represents a meaningful difference in genealogical detail.

Other Translations:

KJV (King James Version):

And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor’s wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah.

WEB (World English Bible):

Abram and Nahor took wives. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah, the daughter of Haran who was also the father of Iscah.

Benton LXX (Vaticanus):

And Abram and Nachor took to themselves wives, the name of the wife of Abram was Sara, and the name of the wife of Nachor was Melcha, daughter of Aram, father of Melcha, and father of Jescha.

Douai-Rheims (Vulgate):

And Abram and Nachor married wives: the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nachor’s wife, Melcha, the daughter of Aran, father of Melcha, and father of Jescha.

Apostoliki Diakonia (LXX):

Abram and Nahor took wives for themselves; the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah, daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah and Iscah.

YLT (Young Literal Translation )(MT):

Abram and Nahor take wives for themselves; the name of Abram’s wife is Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife is Milcah, daughter of Haran, father of Milcah and father of Iscah.

BBE (Bible in Basic English):

And Abram and Nahor took wives for themselves: the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor’s wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah and Iscah.

EOB COMMENTARY:

EOB Commentary:

Commentary on Genesis 11:29

This verse introduces two women who will become pivotal figures in salvation history: Sarai (later Sarah) and Milcah. While appearing as a simple genealogical notice, the verse carries profound theological weight for Orthodox understanding of God’s providential preparation for the Incarnation.

The Barrenness of Sarai and Divine Providence: The mention of Sarai here anticipates the revelation in the following verse of her barrenness. The Church Fathers consistently saw in Sarah’s barrenness and subsequent miraculous conception of Isaac a prefiguration of the Virgin Mary. Saint John Chrysostom draws this parallel explicitly, noting that just as Sarah conceived beyond natural possibility, so too would the Theotokos conceive in a manner transcending nature entirely. The barren womb that God opens becomes a recurring biblical type pointing toward the virginal womb that would bear the Savior.

Christological Significance: The genealogical placement of this verse is significant because it establishes the lineage through which the promises to Abraham would flow, ultimately reaching their fulfillment in Christ. Orthodox hymnography, particularly in the Sunday of the Forefathers celebrated before the Nativity, commemorates these ancestors of Christ according to the flesh. Sarah is numbered among the holy foremothers whose faith prepared the way for the Incarnation.

Patristic Interpretation: Saint Ephrem the Syrian comments on the marriages recorded here as part of God’s careful ordering of history toward redemption. The Fathers noted that Milcah would become the grandmother of Rebekah, thus both women mentioned in this verse contribute to the messianic lineage. This demonstrates the Orthodox understanding that no detail in Scripture is without purpose.

Liturgical Connections: In the Orthodox funeral service and memorial prayers, Abraham’s bosom represents the place of righteous rest. Sarah, as the matriarch who shared in Abraham’s faith and hospitality, participates in this blessed state. The Akathist hymn to the Theotokos draws typological connections between the tent of Sarah, where the three angelic visitors were received, and Mary as the living tabernacle of God.

Spiritual Themes: For Orthodox spirituality, Sarah represents faithful patience in awaiting God’s promises. Her journey from Ur, her years of barrenness, and her eventual joy in Isaac model the Christian life of trust amid apparent impossibility. The verse reminds believers that God works through ordinary marriages and family structures to accomplish extraordinary salvation, sanctifying domestic life as a path toward theosis.

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