The name Abraham means “father of many.” In the Bible, Abraham lived up to his name. Abraham’s story begins in Chapter 11 of Genesis. It is not clear why God singled out Abraham, but he did. God entered into another covenant, or formal agreement, with humankind. God commanded Abraham to pack up and leave his hometown Ur, the thriving port city along the Euphrates River, and cross some six hundred miles of desert to Canaan. If Abraham obeyed, God promised to make Abraham “the father of a great nation.” (NLT, Genesis 12:2) God expanded on the promise: “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you.” (NLT, Genesis 12:3)