Lexical Summary acharon: Last, latter, end, future Original Word: אַחֲרוֹן Strong's Exhaustive Concordance afterward, to come, following, hinder last, latter, rewardOr (shortened);acharon {akh-ar-one'}; from 'achar; hinder; generally, late or last; specifically (as facing the east) western -- after (-ward), to come, following, hind(-er, -ermost, -most), last, latter, rereward, ut(ter)most. see HEBREW 'achar NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom achar Definition coming after or behind NASB Translation afterward (2), afterwards (1), come (5), come later (1), end (1), future* (1), last (23), last one (1), last ones (1), last time (1), later (2), later things (1), latter (3), next (2), ones who (1), rear (1), west (1), western (4). Brown-Driver-Briggs אַחֲרוֺן51 feminine אַחֲרוֺנָה plural אַחֲרֹנִים (also אַחֲרוֺנִים adjective from אַחַר, coming after or behind (as a comparative or superlative, according to the context); hence a. of place, behind, hindermost Genesis 33:2 (twice in verse); הָאַחֲרוֺן הַיָּם the hinder (= the Western) sea (i.e. the Mediterranean: opposed to הַיָּם הַקַּדְמוֺנִי the front sea = the Dead Sea, the Semites, in defining the quarters of the heavens, turning naturally to the East, compare קֶדֶם of the East, יָמִין, תֵּימָן of the South, above under the word אָחוֺר d. and Assyrian mat a—arru 'the Western land,' of Phoenicia & Palestine) Deuteronomy 11:24; Deuteronomy 34:2; Joel 2:20; Zechariah 14:8; Job 18:20 poetic אַחֲרֹנִים Ew Hi Di De the dwellers in the West (opposed to קַדְמוֺנִים). More commonly b. of time, latter or last (according to context) Exodus 4:8; Deuteronomy 24:3; 2 Samuel 19:12; Isaiah 8:23, of God Isaiah 44:6 ("" רִאשׁוֺן) Isaiah 48:12 (do.) compare Isaiah 41:4; in Genl. subsequent (vaguely), ׳יוֺם א = time to come Isaiah 30:8; Proverbs 31:25 (but Nehemiah 8:18 הַיוֺם ׳הָאַ = the last day), ׳(הָ)אַ (הַ)דּוֺר the following Generation Deuteronomy 29:21; Psalm 48:14; Psalm 78:4; Psalm 78:6; Psalm 102:19, (הָ)אַחֲרֹנִים they that come after Job 18:20 (Ges Schl) Ecclesiastes 1:11; Ecclesiastes 4:16, but Isaiah 41:4 the last, Job 19:25 וְאַחֲרוֺן עַלעָֿפָר יָקוּם and as one coming after (me) (and so able to establish my innocence when I am dead) will he (גָֹּֽאֲלִי my Vindicator) arise upon the dust. — The feminine is used adverbially (compare רִאשֹׁנָה) = afterwards or at the last (according to context): (a) absolute Daniel 11:29; (β) בָּאַחֲרוֺנָה (opposed to בָּרִאשֹׁנָה) Deuteronomy 13:10; Deuteronomy 17:7; 1 Samuel 29:2; 2 Samuel 2:26; 1 Kings 17:13; Daniel 8:3; (γ) ׳לָאַ Numbers 2:31 (P) Ecclesiastes 1:11. Topical Lexicon Range of Meaning and Distribution אַחֲרוֹן (akharon) appears roughly fifty-one times across the Old Testament, describing what is “last,” “latter,” “rear,” or “western.” Its breadth covers spatial (back, west), temporal (end, final), sequential (later, after), and qualitative (ultimate, decisive) ideas. The word is regularly paired with רִאשׁוֹן “first” to create an antithetic or complementary frame that anchors God’s revelation in beginnings and endings. Spatial Orientation: West and Rear Guard Because Israel envisioned the world while facing the sunrise, west was “behind.” Thus akharon frequently identifies the western side of structures or camps. For the tabernacle, “For the rear of the tabernacle, the west side, make six frames” (Exodus 26:22). When the tribes broke camp, Dan’s standard “shall set out last” behind the others (Numbers 2:31); this protected Israel from surprise assault, portraying God’s concern that no one be left exposed (Deuteronomy 25:17-18). The same term marks “the rear of the army” in Joshua 6:9, stressing ordered, defended progress in holy war. Chronological and Generational Usage Akharon often contrasts former and latter marriages (Deuteronomy 24:3-4), generations (Job 42:12), or days. Moses warns, “I know that after my death you will surely act corruptly… disaster will befall you in the latter days” (Deuteronomy 31:29). The prophets pick up the idiom: “The anger of the Lord will not turn back until He has performed… the latter days you will understand it” (Jeremiah 23:20). Here akharon frames history as purposeful, moving toward an appointed divine reckoning. Prophetic and Eschatological Significance Isaiah twice places akharon on God’s lips: “I, the Lord, am the first, and with the last I am He” (Isaiah 41:4); “I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God but Me” (Isaiah 44:6). The title anticipates Revelation’s “Alpha and Omega,” yet already in the Hebrew text proclaims Yahweh’s sovereign containment of history from origin to consummation. Job’s confession, “I know that my Redeemer lives, and in the end He will stand upon the earth” (Job 19:25), projects resurrection hope into that same akharon horizon. Cultic, Legal, and Wisdom Contexts Leviticus 5:24 requires restitution of the principal plus a fifth, “and give it to him to whom it belongs on the day he presents his guilt offering.” Although akharon is not used there, texts like Deuteronomy 29:21 link covenant curses to “the last generation,” urging every age to renew fidelity. Ecclesiastes 1:11 laments, “There is no remembrance of those who came before, and of those who will follow, there will also be no remembrance by those who come after later still.” Wisdom literature thus warns that without God, later outcomes may be emptiness, yet with Him they are fulfillment (Proverbs 5:11; 23:32). Narrative Theology: Reversal and Redemption Scripture repeatedly shows God saving the “last.” Ruth, an impoverished Moabite widow, stands among “those who came later,” yet becomes ancestress of David and Messiah. David himself is the youngest, overlooked until the prophet calls for the one behind the flock (1 Samuel 16:11-12). These narratives embody Jesus’ maxim, “Many who are last will be first” (Matthew 19:30), tying New Testament teaching to theHebrew concept rooted in akharon. The Lord of the Last Things Akharon vocabulary sustains biblical eschatology. Daniel foretells “the end of the indignation” (Daniel 8:19) when divine wrath finishes its course. Hosea 3:5 promises, “Afterward the Israelites will return and seek the Lord… they will come trembling to the Lord and to His goodness in the last days.” Each usage insists that history’s terminus is not chaos but covenant restoration under David’s greater Son. Implications for Ministry Today 1. Perspective: Believers navigate present trials by the certainty that God governs the akharon. In sum, אַחֲרוֹן binds together geography, chronology, liturgy, and prophecy to announce that the God who inaugurated creation will also close it in righteousness, vindicating His people and His Name. Forms and Transliterations אַ֭חֲרוֹן אַֽחֲרֹנִ֔ים אַחֲר֑וֹן אַחֲר֔וֹן אַחֲר֗וֹן אַחֲרֹנִ֑ים אַחֲרֹנִ֔ים אַחֲרֹנִ֖ים אַחֲרֹנִֽים׃ אַחֲרֹנִים֒ אַחֲרֽוֹן׃ אחרון אחרון׃ אחרנים אחרנים׃ בָּאַחֲרֹנָ֑ה בָּאַחֲרֹנָ֖ה בָּאַחֲרֹנָֽה׃ בָּאַחֲרוֹנָ֑ה באחרונה באחרנה באחרנה׃ הָֽאַחֲר֔וֹן הָֽאַחֲר֗וֹן הָאַ֣חֲרֹנִ֔ים הָאַֽחֲר֑וֹן הָאַֽחֲרֹנִ֑ים הָאַֽחֲרוֹן֙ הָאַחֲר֑וֹן הָאַחֲר֔וֹן הָאַחֲר֖וֹן הָאַחֲרֽוֹן׃ הָאַחֲרוֹן֒ הָאַחֲרוֹן֙ הָאַחֲרוֹנִ֖ים האחרון האחרון׃ האחרונים האחרנים וְ֝אַחֲר֗וֹן וְהָאֲ֣חַרוֹנִ֔ים וְהָאֲחֲרֹנִ֑ים וְהָאֲחֲרוֹנִ֑ים וְהָאֲחרֹנִ֑ים וְהָאַחֲר֖וֹן וְהָאַחֲרֹנִ֑ים וְהָאַחֲרוֹנִ֑ים וְכָאַחֲרֹנָֽה׃ ואחרון והאחרון והאחרונים והאחרנים וכאחרנה׃ לָאַחֲרֹנִ֜ים לָאַחֲרֹנָ֥ה לָאַחֲרֹנָֽה׃ לאחרנה לאחרנה׃ לאחרנים ’a·ḥă·rō·nîm ’a·ḥă·rō·wn ’aḥărōnîm ’aḥărōwn achaRon acharoNim bā’aḥărōnāh bā’aḥărōwnāh bā·’a·ḥă·rō·nāh bā·’a·ḥă·rō·w·nāh baacharoNah hā’aḥărōnîm hā’aḥărōwn hā’aḥărōwnîm hā·’a·ḥă·rō·nîm hā·’a·ḥă·rō·w·nîm hā·’a·ḥă·rō·wn haachaRon haacharoNim lā’aḥărōnāh lā’aḥărōnîm lā·’a·ḥă·rō·nāh lā·’a·ḥă·rō·nîm laacharoNah laacharoNim veachaRon vechaacharoNah vehaachaRon vehaacharoNim vehaachroNim wə’aḥărōwn wə·’a·ḥă·rō·wn wə·hā·’ă·ḥ·rō·nîm wə·hā·’a·ḥă·rō·nîm wə·hā·’ă·ḥă·rō·nîm wə·hā·’a·ḥă·rō·w·nîm wə·hā·’ă·ḥa·rō·w·nîm wə·hā·’ă·ḥă·rō·w·nîm wə·hā·’a·ḥă·rō·wn wə·ḵā·’a·ḥă·rō·nāh wəhā’aḥărōnîm wəhā’ăḥărōnîm wəhā’aḥărōwn wəhā’aḥărōwnîm wəhā’ăḥarōwnîm wəhā’ăḥărōwnîm wəhā’ăḥrōnîm wəḵā’aḥărōnāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 33:2 HEB: לֵאָ֤ה וִֽילָדֶ֙יהָ֙ אַחֲרֹנִ֔ים וְאֶת־ רָחֵ֥ל NAS: and her children next, and Rachel KJV: and her children after, and Rachel INT: and Leah children next and Rachel and Joseph Genesis 33:2 Exodus 4:8 Numbers 2:31 Deuteronomy 11:24 Deuteronomy 13:9 Deuteronomy 17:7 Deuteronomy 24:3 Deuteronomy 24:3 Deuteronomy 29:22 Deuteronomy 34:2 Ruth 3:10 1 Samuel 29:2 2 Samuel 2:26 2 Samuel 19:11 2 Samuel 19:12 2 Samuel 23:1 1 Kings 17:13 1 Chronicles 23:27 1 Chronicles 29:29 2 Chronicles 9:29 2 Chronicles 12:15 2 Chronicles 16:11 2 Chronicles 20:34 2 Chronicles 25:26 51 Occurrences |
    |