Encyclopedie , Jewish Encyclopedia, , Father
of Abraham, Nahor, and Haran (Gen. xi. 26). His original home was Ur of
the Chaldees; but later he emigrated with his sons to Haran, where he
died (Gen. xi. 32). According to Joshua's remarks at the assembly of
the Israelites at Shechem, he was an idolater (Josh. xxiv. 2). Modern
exegetes do not agree as to the etymology of the name "Terah," some
identifying it with the Assyrian "turahu" (wild goat), with which the
name of the Mesopotamian town Til-sha-turakhi might be compared, while
others suppose it to be identical with the Syriac "taṛḥa." Recently the
name "Terah" has been regarded as a mutilation of "yeraḥ" (moon); in
this case it would refer to a mythological person.
According
to the Midrash (Gen. R. xxxviii.), Terah, in addition to being an
idolater himself, made and sold idols; and during his absence he
compelled Abraham to act as a merchant for him. The "Sefer ha-Yashar"
(ed. Leghorn, 1876, pp. 14b et seq.) regards him as a great
general of Nimrod, whom he accompanied on all his campaigns. Angry at
Abraham for the destruction of his idols, Terahaccused
his son before Nimrod, who condemned him to be burned to death.
Thereupon Abraham persuaded his father to emigrate to Canaan.