בְּנֵי יַעֲקָן
𐤁𐤍𐤉 𐤉𐤏𐤒𐤍
Bᵉnêy Yaʻăqân
H1142 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A place-name in the wilderness, meaning 'sons (descendants or people) of Ya‘aqan.' Refers both to a group descended from an individual named Ya‘aqan and to the encampment or locality associated with this group. Most often appears as a geographical designation for a stopping point during the Israelites' journey through the wilderness.
Semantic Range
descendants of Ya‘aqan (clan or people), place-name for an encampment or locality associated with that clan, designation for a wilderness station
Root / Etymology
Compound of בְּנֵי (b'nei, 'sons of, descendants of, members of') and the personal name יַעֲקָן (Ya‘aqan). Ya‘aqan is given as a descendant of Seir the Horite (Genesis 36:27; 1 Chronicles 1:42). Thus, the toponym means 'the descendants or clan of Ya‘aqan.' Derived directly from the root בן (b-n, to be a son or descendant) combined with a personal name.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical usage, בְּנֵי יַעֲקָן is mentioned as a station during the wilderness wanderings (Numbers 33:31-32; Deuteronomy 10:6). The name combines a patronymic marker (בְּנֵי) with a personal or clan name (יַעֲקָן), a common pattern for places named after ancestral figures. The term distinguishes the site as associated with the group descended from Ya‘aqan, likely a clan dwelling in a specific region. English translations sometimes transliterate the name (Bene-jaakan); 'jaakanites' or similar forms also appear in some translations or commentaries, but these reflect attempts to express the group as a people, not merely a place. The linkage to the wilderness journey emphasizes its role as a geographic marker rather than a sovereign polity. Later geographic identifications are uncertain; the exact site is unknown. The Hebrew construction clarifies that it refers to a group identity, not an individual. In genealogical lists, the Ya‘aqan referenced is of Horite descent, not an Israelite or Judahite.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from the plural of בֵּן and יַעֲקָן; sons of Yaakan; Bene-Jaakan, a place in the Desert; Bene-jaakan.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
בנה (b-n-h) — to build, construct, establish family
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1004 | בַּיִת | in the houses |
| H1005 | בַּיִת | the built-house |
| H1006 | בַּיִת | the house |
| H1007 | בֵּית אָוֶן | house-of |
| H1008 | בֵּית־אֵל | in house of |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1142-03 |
יַעֲקָֽן | yaaqan | HNp |
Bene-jaakan | Ya‘aqan | 2 |
H1142-02 |
מִ/בְּנֵ֣י | mibeney | HR/Np |
from | from sons of | 1 |
H1142-01 |
בִּ/בְנֵ֥י | biveney | HR/Np |
in Benei | among sons of | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1142-01 |
Numbers 33:31 | בִּ/בְנֵ֥י | biveney | HR/Np |
in Benei | among sons of |
H1142-03 |
Numbers 33:31 | יַעֲקָֽן | yaaqan | HNp |
Jaakan | Ya‘aqan |
H1142-02 |
Numbers 33:32 | מִ/בְּנֵ֣י | mibeney | HR/Np |
from | from sons of |
H1142-03 |
Numbers 33:32 | יַעֲקָ֑ן | yaaqan | HNp |
Bene-jaakan | Ya‘aqan |