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Top 13 Unbelievable Fun Facts About Abraham Lincoln: Discover the Surprising Side of Honest Abe!

illustration of abraham
Dive into the fascinating world of Abraham, the legendary figure whose life is chock-full of unexpected twists, riveting tales, and intriguing trivia sure to make you exclaim, "Honest Abe, I never knew that!"

1. Laughter-Born Baby

In an age before Amazon Prime and Instant Pot, pregnancy was the ultimate in delayed gratification: Abraham and Sarah finally had a baby in record Biblical shipping time and named their long-awaited son Isaac after their new favorite pastime, "laughter"!
Source => nationalshrine.org

2. Holy Hospitality

When he wasn't busy being the founding father of monotheism, Abraham was basically the Martha Stewart of the desert: a true maven in the art of holy hospitality. No detail was too small for Abe's careful attention to comfy tent living: Genesis 18 and 19 highlight how he warmly welcomed three strangers (who turned out to be angels) by offering them water for their dusty feet, homemade bread, and tender meat. In his day, this kind of hospitality wasn't just for show—it was a vital desert survival skill and a sign of honor and bravery among the nomadic Bedouin culture. Even today, Abraham's legendary hosting skills are held up as the gold standard in divinely-inspired graciousness.
Source => thetorah.com

3. Baby Bris Tradition

Turtleneck sweaters and the bris tradition have something in common: they both leave no room for turtlenecks! On a more serious note: Abraham's son Isaac was circumcised at just eight days old, as commanded by God, paving the way for a significant Jewish tradition.
Source => web.mit.edu

4. Ageless Beauty Queen Sarah

Move over, Helen of Troy, there's a new age-defying beauty queen in town: Sarah, wife of Abraham, was still turning heads at 89 years old, charming the sandals off of King Abimelech of Gerar with her stunning good looks, all whilst navigating the complexities of biblical life.
Source => apologeticspress.org

Sarah's Reality Show Life

5. Sarah's Reality Show Life

If Sarah were alive today, she'd probably have her own reality show featuring her beauty routine, heavenly hospitality, and life as a matriarch and prophetess: It turns out, this major figure in Abrahamic religions bore Abraham a son, Isaac, when he was 100 years old, living to the ripe age of 127 before being laid to rest in the Cave of the Patriarchs – the first Israelite-owned property in Canaan.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

6. Abraham the Sibling Wingman

You could say Abraham was the "OG" of ancient wingmen, always ready to play the sibling role for his wife, Sarah: In the Book of Genesis, there are three separate tales where Abraham claimed Sarah was his sister—rather than spouse—to dodge trouble with powerful rulers. But hold your laughter! These were actually variations of a recurring theme in the Patriarchs' oral histories, highlighting Sarah's beauty and divine protection, rather than true accounts of ancient familial fibs.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

7. Idol-Smashing Rebel

Picture Abraham as the biblical "rebel without a cause," causing chaos and smashing his idols as if they were antique - and highly flammable - guitars: Abraham once worked in his father's idol shop but later destroyed the idols and challenged the worship of various elements such as fire, water, and wind. This led to a confrontation with Nimrod, who threw him into a fire only to witness Abraham miraculously saved by God, solidifying his role as the father of four Abrahamic religions.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

8. Abraham's Leap of Faith

Before he was Father Abraham, he was more like Abraham "Leap of Faith" Lincoln, starring in an ancient biblical version of a Buddy Comedy: Abraham trusted in God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, long before he packed his bags and took a divine road trip.
Source => ftc.co

9. Well-Digging Deal-Maker

Well, well, well: Abraham knew a thing or two about securing the bag, or should we say, the water jug! Back in the day, our entrepreneurial patriarch Abraham settled a dispute with King Abimelech by striking a deal over a well he’d dug: securing the water source he needed to keep his business afloat and strengthening ties with the ol' ruler.
Source => theologyofwork.org

Ancient Gossiping Angels

10. Ancient Gossiping Angels

When Father Oak gets a heavenly visit and has some fruitful news: Abraham's Oak, the ancient tree in Hebron where he was visited by gossiping angels bearing news of wife Sarah's impending pregnancy, has become a must-see spot for medieval travelers like Rabbi Petachia of Ratisbon and even a Frankish Bishop named Arculf. Protesting its old age with metal beams and wooden planks for support, this sacred tree still sprouts offspring of its own, but alas, the 1997 Hebron Accords have put its social life on the slow track, now with only rare Israeli visitors allowed.
Source => en.hebron.org.il

11. Trinity Double Bar Order

Abraham walks into a bar and orders a Trinity Double: three drinks for the founder of three faiths! Christianity, Judaism, and Islam all lay the foundation for their religions on Abraham's doorstep: Christianity traces its origins back to him through his son Isaac, Judaism proclaims him their father in faith, while Islam taps into his lineage via his son Ishmael.
Source => faithbible.church

12. Spiritual Multitasker

In a divine game of “Who's Your Daddy?”, it turns out Abraham is the guy to call when it comes to Judaism, Christianity, or Islam: While not being the actual founding father of all three religions, he's considered the first Jew, made a covenant with God, and is also recognized as a prophet in Christianity and Islam – quite the spiritual multitasker, our dear old Abe!
Source => pbs.org

13. Tithing Trendsetter

Before Moses made it cool and before any tax-related kerfuffles: Abraham was already practicing the art of tithing, giving a tenth of his war spoils to Melchizedek, a priest of God, thus laying the groundwork for faithful folks' financial contributions to their divinities for millennia to come.
Source => bibletools.org

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