Jump to: Smith's • ISBE • Easton's • Webster's • Concordance • Thesaurus • Greek • Hebrew • Library • Subtopics • Terms Topical Encyclopedia In biblical terms, a patriarch is a founding father or male leader of a family or tribe, particularly in the context of the early generations of humanity as described in the Bible. The term is most commonly associated with the figures of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who are considered the patriarchs of the Israelite people. These individuals are central to the narrative of the Old Testament and are revered for their faith and covenantal relationship with God.Abraham: Often referred to as the "father of many nations," Abraham is a seminal figure in the Bible. His account begins in Genesis 12, where God calls him to leave his homeland and promises to make him a great nation. Genesis 12:2-3 states, "I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you." Abraham's faith is exemplified in his willingness to obey God's command to sacrifice his son Isaac, a test of faith that God ultimately halts (Genesis 22). Isaac: The son of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac is the second patriarch. His life is marked by the continuation of God's covenant with Abraham. In Genesis 26:3-4 , God reaffirms this covenant with Isaac, saying, "Stay in this land as a foreigner, and I will be with you and bless you. For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands, and I will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham. I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed." Isaac's account is characterized by his role as a bridge between Abraham and Jacob, maintaining the covenantal promise. Jacob: Also known as Israel, Jacob is the third patriarch and the father of the twelve tribes of Israel. His life is a complex narrative of struggle and divine encounter. In Genesis 28:13-15 , God appears to Jacob in a dream, reiterating the covenant: "I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you now lie. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your offspring." Jacob's name is changed to Israel after wrestling with God, symbolizing his perseverance and the establishment of the nation of Israel (Genesis 32:28). Other Patriarchs: In a broader sense, the term patriarch can also refer to other significant male ancestors in the Bible, such as Noah, who is known for his righteousness and obedience in building the ark (Genesis 6-9), and the twelve sons of Jacob, who are the progenitors of the twelve tribes of Israel. The role of the patriarchs is foundational in the biblical narrative, as they are the recipients of God's promises and the forebears of the Israelite nation. Their lives and faith journeys are pivotal in understanding the unfolding of God's redemptive plan throughout Scripture. Smith's Bible Dictionary Patriarch(father of a tribe), the name given to the head of a family or tribe in Old Testament times. In common usage the title of patriarch is assigned especially to those whose lives are recorded in Scripture previous to the time of Moses, as Adam, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. ("In the early history of the Hebrews we find the ancestor or father of a family retaining authority over his children and his children's children so long as he lived, whatever new connections they might form when the father died the branch families did not break off and form new communities, but usually united under another common head. The eldest son was generally invested with this dignity. His authority was paternal. He was honored as central point of connection and as the representative of the whole kindred. Thus each great family had its patriarch or head, and each tribe its prince, selected from the several heads of the families which it embraced." --McClintock and Strong.) ("After the destruction of Jerusalem, patriarch was the title of the chief religious rulers of the Jews in Asia and in early Christian times it became the designation of the bishops of Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem." --American Cyclopedia .) Easton's Bible Dictionary A name employed in the New Testament with reference to Abraham (Hebrews 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" (Joshua 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). Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary 1. (n.) The father and ruler of a family; one who governs his family or descendants by paternal right; -- usually applied to heads of families in ancient history, especially in Biblical and Jewish history to those who lived before the time of Moses.2. (n.) A dignitary superior to the order of archbishops; as, the patriarch of Constantinople, of Alexandria, or of Antioch. 3. (n.) A venerable old man; an elder. Also used figuratively. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia PATRIARCH; PATRIACHSpa'-tri-ark, patriarches). The word occurs in the New Testament in application to Abraham (Hebrews 7:4), to the sons of Jacob (Acts 7:8, 9), and to David (Acts 2:29). In Septuagint it is used as the equivalent of the head of the fathers' house, or of a tribe (1 Chronicles 24:31; 1 Chronicles 27:32 2 Chronicles 26:12). Commonly now the term is used of the persons whose names appear in the genealogies and covenant-histories in the periods preceding Moses (Genesis 5; Genesis 11, histories of Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc.; compare "patriarchal dispensation"). The problems connected with the longevity ascribed to the patriarchs in the genealogies and narratives in Genesis are dealt with in special articles. Greek 3966. patriarches -- a patriarch ... a patriarch. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: patriarches Phonetic Spelling: (pat-ree-arkh'-ace) Short Definition: a patriarch Definition: a ... //strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3966.htm - 6k 11. Abraam -- Abraham, the Heb. patriarch 5317. Phalek -- Peleg, a patriarch 2984. Lamech -- Lamech, a patriarch and an ancestor of Christ 3091. Lot -- Lot, a patriarch 3575. Noe -- Noah, a patriarch 1802. Enoch -- Enoch, a patriarch 2492a. Iob -- Job, a patriarch 3103c. Mathousala -- Methuselah, a patriarch 2492. Iob -- Job, a patriarch Strong's Hebrew 5146. Noach -- "rest," patriarch who survived the flood... 5145, 5146. Noach. 5147 . "rest," patriarch who survived the flood. Transliteration: Noach Phonetic Spelling: (no'-akh) Short Definition: Noah. ... /hebrew/5146.htm - 6k 347. Iyyob -- a patriarch 4232. Mechuyael -- "smitten of God," great-grandson of Cain 8422. Tubal -- a son of Japheth, also his desc. and their land 4967. Methushael -- "man of God," a descendant of Cain 3392. Yerach -- a son of Joktan, also his desc. 7956. Shelah -- a son of Judah 3290. Yaaqob -- a son of Isaac, also his desc. 8423. Tubal Qayin -- a son of Lamech 8286. Serug -- a descendant of Peleg Library The Answers of Patriarch Jeremiah to the Lutherans, AD 1576. Fragment x. Of the Patriarch Jacob. ... Gregory the Patriarch and the Society at Kunwald, 1457-1473. Letter Lxvi (AD 1135) to the Patriarch of Jerusalem. Epistle vii. To Anastasius, Patriarch of Antioch . Epistle xxxv. To Eulogius, Patriarch of Alexandria. Chrysostom as Patriarch of Constantinople. AD 398-404. Epistle L. To Eulogius, Patriarch of Alexandria. Epistle vi. To Amos, Patriarch of Jerusalem. Epistle Xl. To Cyriacus, Patriarch of Constantinople. Thesaurus Patriarch (2 Occurrences)... But the expression "the patriarch," by way of eminence, is applied to the twelve sons of Jacob, or to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. ...PATRIARCH; PATRIACHS. ... /p/patriarch.htm - 10k Naphtali (51 Occurrences) Job (60 Occurrences) Judah (802 Occurrences) Antediluvian Jacob's (34 Occurrences) Patriachs Chaldees (13 Occurrences) Ephraim (168 Occurrences) Ur (5 Occurrences) Resources Who is the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the Eastern Orthodox Church and what are the beliefs of Orthodox Christians? | GotQuestions.org What does “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” mean in Joshua 24:15? | GotQuestions.org Patriarch: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Concordance Patriarch (2 Occurrences)Acts 2:29 Hebrews 7:4 Subtopics Patriarchal Government: Exercised in Acting As Judges Patriarchal Government: Exercised in Acting As Priests Patriarchal Government: Exercised in Arbitrarily Disinheriting and Putting Away Servants Patriarchal Government: Exercised in Blessing and Cursing Their Children Patriarchal Government: Exercised in Forming Treaties and Alliances Patriarchal Government: Exercised in The Authority of Heads of Families For, Acknowledged Patriarchal Government: Exercised in Training Their Servants for War Patriarchal Government: Exercised in Vindicating Their Wrongs Patriarchal Government: Vested in the Heads of Families Related Terms |
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