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Patriarch

Original Hebrew / Aramaic / Greek connected to this term

How to read this: there is rarely one magic “true meaning” hidden behind an English word. A lexicon records a word’s semantic range. The intended meaning is narrowed by grammar, sentence, author, historical usage and context.

GREEK · G3966

πατριάρχης

patriarchēs — patriarch

πατριάρχης, -ου, ὁ (πατριά, ἄρχω), [in LXX: 1Ch.24:31 (אָב), 2Ch.19:8 26:12 (אָב רֹאשׁ), 1Ch.27:12 (שַׂר), 2Ch.23:20 (מֵאָה שַׂר), 4Ma.7:19 4Mac 16:25 * ;] a patriarch: Act.2:29 7:8-9, Heb.7:4.† (AS)

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H3478

יִשְׂרָאֵל

yis.ra.el — Israel

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.26; son of: Isaac (H3327) and Rebekah (H7259); brother of: Esau (H6215); married to Rachel (H7354), Leah (H3812), Zilpah (H2153) and Bilhah (H1090A); father of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074), Dinah (H1783), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); also called Jacob frequently § Israel = "God prevails" 1) the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel 2) the name of the descendants and the nation of the descendants of Jacob 2a) the name of the nation until the death of Solomon and the split 2b) the name used and given to the northern kingdom consisting of the 10 tribes under Jeroboam; the southern kingdom was known as Judah 2c) the name of the nation after the return from exile

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H3063

יְהוּדָה

ye.hu.dah — Judah

A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.29.35; son of: Israel (H3478) and Leah (H3812); brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783); half-brother of: Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); married to Bath-shua (H1323I) and Tamar (H8559); father of: Er (H6147), Onan (H0209), Shelah (H7956), Perez (H6557) and Zerah (H2226I) § Judah = "praised" 1) the son of Jacob by Leah 2) the tribe descended from Judah the son of Jacob 3) the territory occupied by the tribe of Judah 4) the kingdom comprised of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin which occupied the southern part of Canaan after the nation split upon the death of Solomon 5) a Levite in Ezra's time 6) an overseer of Jerusalem in the time of Nehemiah 7) a Levite musician in the time of Nehemiah 8) a priest in the time of Nehemiah

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H3290

יַעֲקֹב

ya.a.qov — Jacob

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.26; son of: Isaac (H3327) and Rebekah (H7259); brother of: Esau (H6215); married to Rachel (H7354), Leah (H3812), Zilpah (H2153) and Bilhah (H1090A); father of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074), Dinah (H1783), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); also called Jacob frequently Another name of yis.ra.el (יִשְׂרָאֵל "Israel" H3478) § Jacob = "heel holder" or "supplanter" son of Isaac, grandson of Abraham, and father of the 12 patriarchs of the tribes of Israel

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H3881

לֵוִי

le.viy.yi — Levi

Someone from the tribe of Levi living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.29.34; son of: Israel (H3478) and Leah (H3812); brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Judah (H3063), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783); half-brother of: Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); father of: Gershon (H1648), Kohath (H6955), Merari (H4847) and Jochebed (H3115) Another name of le.vi (לֵוִי "Levi" H3878) § Levite, of Levi "joined to" 1) the descendants of Levi, the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah 1a) the tribe descended from Levi specially set aside by God for His service

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H6547

פַּרְעֹה

par.oh — Pharaoh

A man of the Egyptians living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.12.15 § Pharaoh = "great house" the common title of the king of Egypt

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H3130

יוֹסֵף

yo.seph — Joseph

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.30.24; son of: Israel (H3478) and Rachel (H7354); brother of: Benjamin (H1144); half-brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783); married to Asenath (H0621); father of: Manasseh (H4519) and Ephraim (H0669); also called Zaphenath-paneah at Gen.41.45; § Joseph = "Jehovah has added" 1) the eldest son of Jacob by Rachel 2) father of Igal, who represented the tribe of Issachar among the spies 3) a son of Asaph 4) a man who took a foreign wife in the time of Ezra 5) a priest of the family of Shebaniah in the time of Nehemiah

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H669

אֶפְרַ֫יִם

eph.ra.yim — Ephraim

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.41.52; son of: Joseph (H3130) and Asenath (H0621); brother of: Manasseh (H4519); father of: Shuthelah (H7803), Becher (H1071H), Tahan (H8465), Ezer (H5827), Elead (H0496) and Beriah (H1283H); also called Ephrathite (NIV: Ephraimite) at 1Sa.1.1; Ephron (Qere, KJV: Ephrain) at 2Ch.13.19; § Ephraim = "double ash-heap: I shall be doubly fruitful" 1) second son of Joseph, blessed by him and given preference over first son, Manasseh 2) the tribe, Ephraim 3) the mountain country of Ephraim 4) sometimes used name for the northern kingdom (Hosea or Isaiah) 5) a city near Baal-hazor 6) a chief gate of Jerusalem

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H85

אַבְרָהָם

av.ra.ham — Abraham

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.11.26; son of: Terah (H8646); brother of: Nahor (H5152H), Haran (H2039) and Sarah (H8283); married to Sarah (H8283), Hagar (H1904) and Keturah (H6989); father of: Ishmael (H3458), Isaac (H3327), Zimran (H2175), Jokshan (H3370), Medan (H4091), Midian (H4080), Ishbak (H3435) and Shuah (H7744); also called Abram at Gen.11.26--17.5; 2x § Abraham = "father of a multitude" or "chief of multitude" friend of God and founder of Hebrew nation via God's elective covenant

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H1144

בִּנְיָמִין

bin.ya.min — Benjamin

A man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.35.18; son of: Israel (H3478) and Rachel (H7354); brother of: Joseph (H3130); half-brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783); father of: Bela (H1106A), Becher (H1071), Ashbel (H0788), Gera (H1617), Naaman (H5283), Ehi (H0278), Rosh (H7220), Muppim (H4649), Huppim (H2650H), Ard (H0714), Ahiram (H0297) and Jediael (H3043); also called Jamin at 1Sa.9.1,4; 22.7; 1x § Benjamin = "son of the right hand" 1) Jacob's and Rachel's youngest son, Joseph's full brother 2) son of Bilhan, great-grandson of Benjamin 3) a Benjamite, one of the sons of Harim, in the time of Ezra who had taken a strange wife 4) the tribe descended from Benjamin, the son of Jacob

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H4519

מְנַשֶּׁה

me.nash.sheh — Manasseh

A man of the tribe of Manasseh living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.41.51; son of: Joseph (H3130) and Asenath (H0621); brother of: Ephraim (H0669); married to Aramitess (H0761); father of: Machir (H4353) and Asriel (H0844H) § Manasseh = "causing to forget" 1) the eldest son of Joseph and progenitor of the tribe of Manasseh 1a) the tribe descended from Manasseh 1b) the territory occupied by the tribe of Manasseh 2) son of king Hezekiah of Judah and himself king of Judah; he was the immediate and direct cause for the exile 3) a descendant of Pahath-moab who put away a foreign wife in the time of Ezra 4) a descendant of Hashum who put away a foreign wife in the time of Ezra

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H758

אֲרָם

a.ram — Aram

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.10.22; son of: Shem (H8035); brother of: Asshur (H0804H), Elam (H5867C), Arpachshad (H0775) and Lud (H3865); father of: Uz (H5780), Hul (H2343), Gether (H1666) and Mash (H4851) § Aram or Arameans = "exalted" 1) Aram or Syrian nation 2) the Syrian or Aramean people Aram = "exalted" n m 3) fifth son of Shem 4) a grandson of Nahor 5) a descendant of Asher

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H3327

יִצְחָק

yits.chaq — Isaac

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.17.19; son of: Abraham (H0085) and Sarah (H8283); half-brother of: Ishmael (H3458), Zimran (H2175), Jokshan (H3370), Medan (H4091), Midian (H4080), Ishbak (H3435) and Shuah (H7744); married to Rebekah (H7259); father of: Esau (H6215) and Israel (H3478) § Isaac = "he laughs" son of Abraham by Sarah his wife and father of Jacob and Esau

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H6215

עֵשָׂו

e.sav — Esau

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.25; son of: Isaac (H3327) and Rebekah (H7259); brother of: Israel (H3478); married to Oholibamah (H0173), Judith (H3067), Adah (H5711H) and Mahalath (H4258); father of: Eliphaz (H0464), Reuel (H7467), Jeush (H3266), Jalam (H3281) and Korah (H7141); also called Edom at Gen.25.30; 36.1,8,19,21; 1x,54; Also named: e.dom (אֱדוֹם "Edom" H0123H) § Esau = "hairy" eldest son of Isaac and Rebecca and twin brother of Jacob; sold the birthright for food when he was hungry and the divine blessing went to Jacob; progenitor of the Arab peoples

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H1410

גָּד

gad — Gad

A man of the tribe of Gad living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.30.11; son of: Israel (H3478) and Zilpah (H2153); brother of: Asher (H0836); half-brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074), Dinah (H1783), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); father of: Ziphion (H6837), Haggi (H2291), Shuni (H7764), Ezbon (H0675), Eri (H6179), Arod (H0720) and Areli (H0692) § Gad = "troop" 1) seventh son of Jacob by Zilpah, Leah's handmaid, and full brother of Asher. 2) the tribe descended from Gad 3) a prophet during the time of David; appears to have joined David when in the hold; reappears in connection with the punishment for taking a census; also assisted in the arrangements for the musical service of the "house of God"

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H7205

רְאוּבֵן

re.u.ven — Reuben

A man of the tribe of Reuben living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.29.32; son of: Israel (H3478) and Leah (H3812); brother of: Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783); half-brother of: Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); father of: Hanoch (H2585J), Pallu (H6396), Hezron (H2696) and Carmi (H3756) § Reuben = "behold a son" 1) the eldest son of Jacob by Leah 2) the tribe descended from Reuben 3) the territory inhabited by the tribe of Reuben

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H40

אֲבִימֶ֫לֶךְ

a.vi.me.lekh — Abimelech

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.20.2 § Abimelech = "Melek is father" or "my father is king" 1) king of Gerar in Abraham's time 2) king of Gath in David's time; maybe title of Philistine kings 3) son of Gideon by a concubine 4) priest, son of Abiathar

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H3878

לֵוִי

le.vi — Levi

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.29.34; son of: Israel (H3478) and Leah (H3812); brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Judah (H3063), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783); half-brother of: Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); father of: Gershon (H1648), Kohath (H6955), Merari (H4847) and Jochebed (H3115) § Levi = "joined to" the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah and progenitor of tribe of Levites

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H4080

מִדְיָן

mid.yan — Midian

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.2; son of: Abraham (H0085) and Keturah (H6989); half-brother of: Ishmael (H3458) and Isaac (H3327); brother of: Zimran (H2175), Jokshan (H3370), Medan (H4091), Ishbak (H3435) and Shuah (H7744); father of: Ephah (H5891), Epher (H6081), Hanoch (H2585I), Abida (H0028) and Eldaah (H0420) § Midian or Midianite = "strife" 1) son of Abraham by Keturah and progenitor of the tribe of Midianites or Arabians 2) the tribe descended from Midian 3) the territory of the tribe descended from Midian; located principally in the desert north of the Arabian peninsula; land to which Moses went when he fled from Pharaoh

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H347

אִיּוֹב

iy.yov — Job

A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Job.1.1 Also named: Iōb (Ἰώβ "Job" G2492) § Job = "hated" a patriarch, the subject of the book of Job

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H87

אַבְרָם

av.ram — Abram

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.11.26; son of: Terah (H8646); brother of: Nahor (H5152H), Haran (H2039) and Sarah (H8283); married to Sarah (H8283), Hagar (H1904) and Keturah (H6989); father of: Ishmael (H3458), Isaac (H3327), Zimran (H2175), Jokshan (H3370), Medan (H4091), Midian (H4080), Ishbak (H3435) and Shuah (H7744); also called Abram at Gen.11.26--17.5; 2x Another name of av.ra.ham (אַבְרָהָם "Abraham" H0085) § Abram = "exalted father" original name of Abraham

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H3837

לָבָן

la.van — Laban

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.24.29; son of: Bethuel (H1328A); brother of: Rebekah (H7259); father of: Rachel (H7354) and Leah (H3812) § Laban = "white" son of Bethuel, brother of Rebekah, and father of Leah and Rachel

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H2850

חִתִּי

chit.ti — Hittite

Someone descended from Heth who was a man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.10.15; son of: Canaan (H3667); brother of: Sidon (H6721), Jebusite (H2983), Amorite (H0567), Girgashite (H1622), Hivite (H2340), Arkite (H6208), Sinite (H5513), Arvadite (H0721), Zemarite (H6786) and Hamathite (H2577); also called Hittite (KJV: "of Heth") frequently Group of chet (חֵת "Heth" H2845) § Hittite = "descendant of Heth" the nation descended from Heth, the 2nd son of Canaan; once inhabitants of central Anatolia (modern Turkey), later in north Lebanon

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H3458

יִשְׁמָעֵאל

yish.ma.el — Ishmael

A man of Arabia living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.16.11; son of: Abraham (H0085) and Hagar (H1904); half-brother of: Isaac (H3327), Zimran (H2175), Jokshan (H3370), Medan (H4091), Midian (H4080), Ishbak (H3435) and Shuah (H7744); father of: Nebaioth (H5032), Kedar (H6938), Adbeel (H0110), Mibsam (H4017), Mishma (H4927), Dumah (H1746), Massa (H4854), Hadad (H2301), Tema (H8485), Jetur (H3195), Naphish (H5305), Kedemah (H6929) and Mahalath (H4258) § Ishmael = "God will hear" 1) son of Abraham and Sarah's handmaid Hagar and the progenitor of the Arabian peoples 2) son of Nethaniah and the murderer of Gedaliah 3) a Benjamite, one of the sons of Azel a descendant of Saul through Meribbaal or Mephibosheth 4) a Judaite, father of Zebadiah 5) a Judaite, son of Johanan and one of the captains who aided Jehoiada in restoring Joash to the throne 6) a priest of the family of Pashur with a foreign wife whom he was forced to put away by Ezra

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Historical dictionary entry

A name employed in the New Testament with reference to Abraham (Heb. 7:4), the sons of Jacob (Acts 7:8, 9), and to David (2:29). This name is generally applied to the progenitors of families or “heads of the fathers” (Josh. 14:1) mentioned in Scripture, and they are spoken of as antediluvian (from Adam to Noah) and post-diluvian (from Noah to Jacob) patriachs. But the expression “the patriarch,” by way of eminence, is applied to the twelve sons of Jacob, or to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. “Patriachal longevity presents itself as one of the most striking of the facts concerning mankind which the early history of the Book of Genesis places before us...There is a large amount of consentient tradition to the effect that the life of man was originally far more prolonged than it is at present, extending to at least several hundred years. The Babylonians, Egyptians, and Chinese exaggerated these hundreds into thousands. The Greeks and Romans, with more moderation, limited human life within a thousand or eight hundred years. The Hindus still farther shortened the term. Their books taught that in the first age of the world man was free from diseases, and lived ordinarily four hundred years; in the second age the term of life was reduced from four hundred to three hundred; in the third it became two hundred; in the fourth and last it was brought down to one hundred” (Rawlinson’s Historical Illustrations).

Scripture references

Source: Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897). Historical dictionary wording reflects the scholarship and language of its era.

Compare other reference traditions

Look up Patriarch in Smith’s Bible Dictionary and ISBE →