找到了原文，该句应为：it sprouted about the time Abraham left the city of Ur, one of the first towns ever built in the world。 
Ur：吾珥或作乌尔，位于现今伊拉克南部的Tell Muqqayyar。
  此句的意思就是说明该树的年代久远。
注：
《圣经》旧约中的创世纪记载亚伯拉罕（Abraham） 的儿子以撒是犹太民族的祖先、儿子以实玛利是阿拉伯民族的祖先。在基督教信仰中，亚伯拉罕是信心的楷模，他愿意服从上帝、把自己的独生子以撒献祭，预表了上帝献出耶稣。
  在伊斯兰教里，亚伯拉罕同样是信仰之楷模，顺服上帝把儿子以实玛利献出。
早在公元前 2300 年 , 美索不达米亚文化就达到了相当发达的程度。当美索不达米亚文明已经趋于衰败时 , 亚伯拉罕从两河流域南部的乌尔 (Ur) 经巴比伦 (Babylon) 、马利 (Mari) 、哈兰 (Haran) 迁徙到被称作迦南 (Canaan) 的地方 ( 即现在的巴勒斯坦地方 ), 几经辗转后定居在别是巴 (Beersheba) 。
  
附原文：
For centuries historians and scientists have been searching for the oldest living thing。 Some turtles live more than a century。
   But the oldest living things we know are trees。 
There are Sequoia Trees growing in California which sprouted 1000 B。C。
   Many of them are still healthy and may live to be the oldest things living on earth。 For a long time they were thought to be the oldest, but recently a bristlecone pine, found in California at an elevation of 10,000 feet, showed 4600 rings。
   This tells us that the tree is 4600 years old。 In other words, it sprouted about the time Abraham left the city of Ur, one of the first towns ever built in the world。
   
Scientists are searching for the oldest tree alive because it can teach them a great deal about many matters。 It will tell them about the climate during the past thousands of years。
   The amount of rainfall each year is told by the size of each ring。 Also, by matching rings in an old tree with those in trees cut and used by Indians who once lived nearby, it is possible to learn how long ago Indians lived in various areas。
  
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