Genesis 11:31 - "They went from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan..."

Map of Ur of the Chaldees (2,000 BC)


Ur of the Chaldees. The Bible mentions that Abraham, the first Hebrew, was called by God to leave Ur of the Chaldees and to journey to a land that God would show him. Archaeologists have determined exactly where the city of Ur was located in ancient times. The southernmost portion of ancient Sumer was called Chaldea, and the most important Sumerian city was located on the western portion of the Euphrates River and it was called Ur. The land of Chaldea contain riches beyond imagination, and Ur was the wealthiest city. The history in this region exceeds that of the land of Egypt and its pyramids.

Mesopotamia. The word Mesopotamia means the land "between the rivers" which were the Tigris and Euphrates. Although the courses have changed dramatically since ancient times we know the area was nearly 700 - 1000 miles long and nearly 300 miles across. The rivers were so large that the land was considered an "island" that was between them. But the heart of ancient Mesopotamia was in the northwest where the Euphrates made a huge bend at the northern portion of the Tigris as shown in the map above. The Bible records Mesopotamia as the city of Nahor, Abraham's brother (Genesis 24:10).

Genesis 24:10 - "The servant took ten camels, of his master's camels, and departed, having a variety of good things of his master's with him. He arose, and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor."

Also see: Ur of the Chaldees and Ziggurat at Ur of the Chaldees - Free Bible

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