אוֹן
𐤀𐤅𐤍
On
H204 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper name referring to an ancient Egyptian city known as 'On.' In biblical contexts, it denotes an important urban center in Lower Egypt, associated with sun worship and priestly activity. The word does not carry intrinsic meaning in Hebrew apart from being the name of this city. The term occurs primarily in genealogical or narrative passages identifying certain persons or locations related to Egypt.
Semantic Range
proper name of an Egyptian city, On; Heliopolis (in later texts); place associated with priesthood and sun worship in Egypt
Root / Etymology
Etymology uncertain. The term אוֹן is of Egyptian derivation, representing the Egyptian city of 'On' (Egyptian Iunu), later known in Greek as Heliopolis. It is not derived from a standard Hebrew root, and its spelling in Hebrew reflects a transliteration of the Egyptian toponym.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The city of On (אוֹן) appears in the Hebrew Bible as a major Egyptian city northeast of Memphis, famously associated with sun worship (Ra) and temples. The father's name Poti-phera (Potiphera), 'priest of On,' situates Joseph's wife Asenath's family in this prominent priestly city (Genesis 41:45, 50; 46:20). The Septuagint renders אוֹן as 'Heliopolis,' following its Greek period identification. English versions often leave the name untranslated as 'On,' but some reference its later Greek designation. The location played a significant religious and political role in ancient Egypt, but the term as used in the Hebrew Bible carries only toponymic significance, without reference to Israelites, Judahites, or Judeans. Standard translations do not attempt to render meaning beyond the city's proper name. This 'On' should not be confused with similarly spelled Hebrew common nouns (e.g., אֹן meaning 'strength' or 'vigor'), which derive from a distinct root and have a separate lexical history.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or (shortened); אֹן; of Egyptian derivation; On, a city of Egypt; On.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
uncertain (uncertain) — not applicable (Egyptian toponym)
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1085 | בִּלְדַּד | Bildad |
| H1095 | בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר | Belteshatsar |
| H1114 | בִּלְשָׁן | Bilshan |
| H1150 | בִּנְעָא | Bin'a |
| H116 | אֱדַיִן | and then |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H204-01 |
אֹ֖ן | on | HNp |
of On | On | 3 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H204-01 |
Genesis 41:45 | אֹ֖ן | on | HNp |
of On | On |
H204-01 |
Genesis 41:50 | אֽוֹן | on | HNp |
On | On |
H204-01 |
Genesis 46:20 | אֹ֑ן | on | HNp |
of On | On |