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Genesis 11:27-32
Now theseare the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot…

Genesis 17:5
Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.

Joshua 24:2
And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time,even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods.

(that is, Abraham)
The name change from Abram to Abraham is significant and occurs inGenesis 17:5. "Abram" means "exalted father," while "Abraham" means "father of a multitude." This change signifies God's promise to make Abraham the father of many nations, a promise that is central to the Abrahamic covenant. This covenant includes the promise of land, descendants, and blessing, and is a key theme throughout the Old Testament. Abraham is also a type of Christ, as he is seen as a model of faith and obedience. In the New Testament, Abraham is frequently referenced as an example of faith (Romans 4:3,Hebrews 11:8-19), and his willingness to sacrifice Isaac is seen as a foreshadowing of God's sacrifice of His own Son, Jesus Christ. Abraham's life and faith journey are foundational for understanding God's redemptive plan throughout Scripture.

•1 Chronicles 1 records the line of Shem, moving quickly through generations until it pauses on “Abram,” signaling a turning point in God’s unfolding plan (Genesis 11:10–26).

• In Hebrew narrative, placement matters; by listing Abram last in this segment, the Chronicler highlights him as the hinge between the primeval world and the covenant story of Israel (Genesis 12:1–3).

• Abram’s appearance reminds readers of God’s promise to bless “all the families of the earth” through him, which the Chronicler’s audience—returned exiles rebuilding their identity—needed to remember (Nehemiah 9:7).

• Key thought: the genealogy is not a dry list; it is God’s living record of how He faithfully preserves a line for His redemptive purposes (Romans 4:1, 13).

• The parenthetical phrase links two names to stress continuity, much likeExodus 6:3 clarifies divine names.

• It tells later readers, “The Abram you know from early Genesis is the Abraham you know from covenant promises,” ensuring no confusion within the post-exilic community who might use different name forms.

• God changed Abram’s name to Abraham—“father of many nations”—when He ratified the covenant of circumcision (Genesis 17:4-5, 9-10).

• By inserting the covenant name here, the Chronicler points to:

– A fresh identity rooted in divine promise, not human effort (Galatians 3:6-9).

– The breadth of blessing that extends beyond ethnic Israel to “many nations,” a subtle encouragement to a community once scattered among the nations (Isaiah 51:1-2).

• Abraham embodies faith that “believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6), a model the Chronicler wants his readers to emulate as they rebuild temple worship (2 Chronicles 20:7).

• The brief note “Abram (that is, Abraham)” therefore compresses an entire theology of covenant, faith, and promise into one verse.

1 Chronicles 1:27 means more than a name update; it declares that the same man God called out of Ur (Abram) is the covenant patriarch (Abraham) through whom blessing, land, and nationhood flow. The Chronicler signals God’s unwavering faithfulness to His promises, reassuring his hearers that the covenant story that began with Abraham continues with them—and, by extension, with all who share Abraham’s faith.

Parallel Commentaries ...