Ur of the Chaldeans, also called “Ur of the Chaldees,” is the city from which Abram (later Abraham) was called by God. It is first mentioned in Genesis 11:28, where it states that Abram’s father, Terah, lived in Ur, and that Haran, Abram’s brother, died there. Genesis 11:31 says, “And Terah took his son Abram… and they went out with them from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan.”
God’s specific call to Abram is described in Genesis 12:1, “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you.” This call to leave Ur and follow God’s direction marks the beginning of God’s covenant relationship with Abraham and his descendants. In Acts 7:2–4, Stephen recounts that God appeared to Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran, and told him to depart from Ur.
Ur was a prominent city in southern Mesopotamia, known for its advanced culture and idol worship. According to Joshua 24:2, “Your fathers, including Terah… served other gods.” Therefore, Abraham’s departure from Ur was not only geographical but also spiritual, leaving behind idolatry to follow the one true God.
This calling out of Ur signifies the beginning of the Hebrew nation and the fulfillment of God’s plan to bless all nations through Abraham’s seed. Hebrews 11:8 highlights Abraham’s faith: “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out… not knowing where he was going.”
Ur of the Chaldeans thus represents both the starting point of Abraham’s journey of faith and the contrast between a world of idolatry and a life of covenant with the living God.
