H2771a H2771a
Haran — a city in upper Mesopotamia, key waypoint in the patriarchal migrations
The place name חָרָן (Haran) identifies a major ancient city in upper Mesopotamia, located in modern southeastern Turkey near the Syrian border. It served as Terah's settlement after leaving Ur of the Chaldeans and before Abraham's departure for Canaan (Gen 11:31-32; 12:4-5). Jacob fled there to his uncle Laban (Gen 27:43; 28:10; 29:4), and it remained associated with the patriarchal family's Aramean roots. The Assyrian texts confirm Haran (Harranu) as a significant commercial and religious center dedicated to the moon-god Sin. In prophetic contexts, the Assyrians cite its conquest as proof of their power (2 Kgs 19:12; Isa 37:12). Spanish 'Harán' and English 'Haran' preserve the transliteration consistently.
Senses
1. Haran (place name in Mesopotamia) — An ancient city in upper Mesopotamia (modern Harran, Turkey), situated on a major trade route between Nineveh and the Mediterranean. Terah settled there after leaving Ur and died there (Gen 11:31-32). Abraham departed from Haran at age 75 for Canaan (Gen 12:4-5), and Jacob later fled there to escape Esau and find a wife among Laban's household (Gen 27:43; 28:10; 29:4). Ezekiel 27:23 lists it as a trading partner of Tyre. Rabshakeh cites its destruction to intimidate Hezekiah (2 Kgs 19:12; Isa 37:12). Spanish 'Harán' and French 'Charan' both transliterate the Semitic name. 10×
AR["إِلَى-حَارَانَ", "حارانَ", "حَارَانَ", "حَارَانُ", "فِي-حَارَانَ", "مِنْ-حَارَانَ"]·ben["হারণ", "হারন-থেকে", "হারনকে", "হারনে", "হারান", "হারান-থেকে", "হারানকে", "হারানে"]·DE["Charan", "[חרן]", "aus-Charan", "in-Charan", "nach-Charan"]·EN["Charan", "Haran", "Haran-ward", "from-Haran", "in-Haran", "of-Eden"]·FR["Charan", "Charan-garde", "Haran", "[חרן]", "dans-Charan", "de-Charan"]·heb["ב-חרן", "חרן", "חרנה-ה", "מ-חרן"]·HI["खारान", "चरन", "चरन-मे", "चरन-से", "हारान", "हारान-को", "हारान-से"]·ID["Haran", "Haran,", "dari-Haran", "di-Haran", "ke-Haran"]·IT["Caran", "Caran-ward", "Charan", "[חרן]", "da-Caran", "in-Caran"]·jav["Haran", "ing-Haran", "lan-putra-putra", "saking-Haran"]·KO["하란", "하란과", "하란에서", "하란으로"]·PT["Charan", "Charanah", "Haran", "de-Charan", "em-Charan"]·RU["Харан", "Харана", "в-Харан", "в-Харане", "из-Харана"]·ES["Harán", "Jarán", "a-Charan", "de-Harán", "de-Jarán", "en-Harán"]·SW["Harani", "Harrani", "katika-Harani", "kutoka-Harani"]·TR["Haran'i", "Haran'ı", "Harran", "Harran'a", "Harran'da", "Harran'dan"]·urd["حاران", "حاران-سے", "حاران-میں", "حاران-کو"]
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)H1931 1. personal pronoun he/she/it (1431×)G3739 1. relative pronoun who/which/that (1149×)H1732 1. David (proper name) (1075×)H2088 1. this, this one (demonstrative) (1059×)G1063 1. (1047×)G3778 1. this thing, these things (1003×)H???? 2. (1002×)G2424 1. (924×)G3754 1. that (content clause) (881×)H2009 1. presentative particle: behold, look (881×)H0589 1. I (first person singular pronoun) (874×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. חָרָן n.pr.loc. city in northern Mesopotamia (Assyrian ḫarrânu = road, path COTGloss.; cf. DlPa 185; JensenKosmologie 28 ‘junction of trading-routes’ = cross-roads)—mentioned as city of Abram’s sojourn Gn 11:31, where his father Teraḥ died v 32, and whence he departed for Canaan 12:4, 5; where Laban, Jacob’s uncle, lived, and whither Jacob fled 27:43; 28:10 (both חָרָ֫נָה), 29:4; as…