Interesting Facts

• Milca was the daughter of Haran.
• She was the niece of Abraham and sister to Sarah (Abram’s wife).
• She married Nahor, who was Abraham’s brother.
• Milca bore eight sons to Nahor.

Genealogy

• Milca was the daughter of Haran. Her parentage is explicitly stated.
• Her siblings included Sarah (Abram’s wife).
• She married Nahor, the brother of Abraham. This establishes a key familial tie within Abram’s immediate family.
• Milca bore eight sons to Nahor: Uz, Buz, Kemuel, Kesed, Chazo, Pildash, Tidlaf, and Bethuel. Bethuel was the father of Rebekah, who later married Isaac, Abram’s son. This makes Milca the grandmother of Rebekah and a key ancestor in the lineage of Isaac.

Historical Context

Milca lived during the time of Abram and his immediate family. The texts place her within the generation that followed Terah. According to Jasher, Nahor married Milca the daughter of Haran, Abram’s oldest brother. Genesis 11:29 also states that Nahor took Milcah, the daughter of Haran, as his wife. This period is marked by the narrative of Abram’s early life, his encounters with Nimrod, his separation from his father’s idolatrous practices, and his eventual journey to Canaan. While Milca herself does not participate directly in these events, her marriage to Nahor and the subsequent birth of their children establish a significant branch of Abram’s extended family that continues to play a role in the unfolding narrative, particularly through her granddaughter Rebekah’s marriage to Isaac. The cultural context likely involved established familial structures and the importance of lineage, as seen in the detailed genealogical records provided.

Narrative

Milca’s presence in the narrative is primarily genealogical. She is identified as the wife of Nahor and the mother of his eight sons, including Bethuel. Her significance within the broader story emerges through her descendants. Bethuel’s daughter, Rebekah, becomes Isaac’s wife, a pivotal union in the continuation of Abram’s lineage and the fulfillment of the divine promises made to him. The detailed recording of Milca’s offspring underscores the importance of family and heritage in these ancient texts. While Milca herself has no direct actions or dialogues recorded in these excerpts, her role as a matriarch, specifically as the grandmother of Rebekah, positions her as an important, albeit indirect, figure in the ancestral narrative leading to the subsequent generations of Abram’s descendants. The mention of her children following the account of Abram learning about them suggests the ongoing connection and awareness of family ties within Abram’s immediate circle.