← H2204 H2206 →

זָקֵן

𐤆𐤒𐤍

zâqên

H2205 adjective

SILEX Entry

Definition

Primarily, an individual who is advanced in age; by extension, one recognized for seniority, experience, or social standing. In many contexts, refers specifically to men who are elders within a family, clan, or community, not merely by age but also by role and status. The term can denote both the physical state of old age and the dignified social position of an 'elder.'

Semantic Range

old, aged (person); elder (as respected or authoritative adult male in a community); senior leader, member of a ruling council; one advanced in age (without formal office); ancient (of people)

Root / Etymology

From the root ז-ק-ן, which at the root level means 'to be old' or 'to grow old.' The term זָקֵן derives from this root, and as a noun and adjective, refers to an old person or elder. Although originally descriptive of age, the noun evolved to denote a recognized figure of authority or advisor in the community.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, זָקֵן is frequently used for men who serve as leaders or authorities in the Israelite community, often functioning as council members, judges, or heads of clans ('elders'). In patriarchal and monarchic periods, 'elders' held real power in governance, legal matters, and decision-making. The term is less commonly applied to women. In some contexts, it simply denotes advanced age without connotations of office or status. In later periods, the role of elders shifted to more defined judicial or communal positions, eventually influencing the formation of organized bodies like the Sanhedrin. English translations as 'elder,' 'old man,' or 'senator' often miss the social and communal authority inherent in the term during much of the biblical period. The transition from physical age to communal leadership is parallel to but distinct from other Hebrew terms indicating nobility or officials.

Translation Consistency

primary "elder" 41 occurrences

Most occurrences in the P2 data are rendered as “elders,” and the SILEX emphasizes both age and the social/authoritative role. Choosing “elder” captures the typical biblical sense (a respected/senior person or leader) while remaining natural and consistent across all forms.

Alternatives (9 occurrences):
"elder-men of" (4x) "old" (2x) "elderly" (1x) "old man" (1x) "aged man" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from זָקֵן; old; aged, ancient (man), elder(-est), old (man, men and...women), senator.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

זקן (zâqên) — to be old, to grow old, to become aged

Root זקן to be old, to grow old, to become aged
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2204 זָקֵן and he grew old
H2206 זָקָן in the beard of
H2207 זֹקֶן from old age
H2208 זָקֻן to his old-age years
H2209 זִקְנָה old age

Word Forms

30 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H2205-28 זִקְנֵ֨י ziqeney HAampc elders elders of elders of 62
H2205-03 הַ/זְּקֵנִים֙ hazeqenim HTd/Aampa the elders the aged men the elders 21
H2205-21 זָקֵ֔ן zaqen HAamsa old he grew old old 20
H2205-26 זְקֵנִ֔ים zeqenim HAampa elders aged men elders 12
H2205-09 מִ/זִּקְנֵ֣י miziqeney HR/Aampc of the elders from elders of from elders of 10
H2205-19 וְ/זִקְנֵ֥י veziqeney HC/Aampc and the elders of and elder-men of and elder-men of 8
H2205-02 הַ/זָּקֵ֖ן hazaqen HTd/Aamsa the old man the aged man the elder 6
H2205-17 וְ/הַ/זְּקֵנִ֛ים vehazeqenim HC/Td/Aampa and the elders and the elder men and the elder men 5
H2205-06 לְ/זִקְנֵ֥י leziqeney HR/Aampc to the elders to aged-elders of to the elders of 4
H2205-15 וּ/זְקֵנִ֖ים uzeqenim HC/Aampa and elders and aged men and aged men 4

Occurrences in Scripture

179 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H2205-26 Genesis 18:11 זְקֵנִ֔ים zeqenim HAampa were old aged men elderly
H2205-21 Genesis 19:4 זָקֵ֑ן zaqen HAamsa old man he grew old he eldered
H2205-22 Genesis 24:2 זְקַ֣ן zeqan HAamsc oldest elder of elder of
H2205-21 Genesis 25:8 זָקֵ֣ן zaqen HAamsa an old man he grew old he eldered
H2205-21 Genesis 35:29 זָקֵ֖ן zaqen HAamsa old he grew old old
H2205-02 Genesis 43:27 הַ/זָּקֵ֖ן hazaqen HTd/Aamsa the old man the aged man the elder
H2205-21 Genesis 44:20 זָקֵ֔ן zaqen HAamsa an old man he grew old old
H2205-28 Genesis 50:7 זִקְנֵ֣י ziqeney HAampc elders elders of elders of
H2205-28 Genesis 50:7 זִקְנֵ֥י ziqeney-2 HAampc elders elders of elders of
H2205-28 Exodus 3:16 זִקְנֵ֣י ziqeney HAampc the elders of elders of elders of
H2205-19 Exodus 3:18 וְ/זִקְנֵ֨י veziqeney HC/Aampc and the elders of and elder-men of and elder-men of
H2205-28 Exodus 4:29 זִקְנֵ֖י ziqeney HAampc the elders of elders of elders of
H2205-12 Exodus 10:9 וּ/בִ/זְקֵנֵ֖י/נוּ uvizeqeneynu HC/R/Aampc/Sp1cp and with our old and with our elders and with our elders
H2205-28 Exodus 12:21 זִקְנֵ֥י ziqeney HAampc elders elders of elders of
H2205-09 Exodus 17:5 מִ/זִּקְנֵ֣י miziqeney HR/Aampc some of the elders from elders of from elders of
H2205-28 Exodus 17:6 זִקְנֵ֥י ziqeney HAampc elders elders of elders of
H2205-28 Exodus 18:12 זִקְנֵ֣י ziqeney HAampc elders elders of elders of
H2205-06 Exodus 19:7 לְ/זִקְנֵ֣י leziqeney HR/Aampc to the elders to aged-elders of to the elders of
H2205-09 Exodus 24:1 מִ/זִּקְנֵ֣י miziqeney HR/Aampc of the elders from elders of from elders of
H2205-09 Exodus 24:9 מִ/זִּקְנֵ֥י miziqeney HR/Aampc of the elders from elders of from elders of
H2205-03 Exodus 24:14 הַ/זְּקֵנִ֤ים hazeqenim HTd/Aampa the elders the aged men the elders
H2205-28 Leviticus 4:15 זִקְנֵ֨י ziqeney HAampc the elders of elders of elders of
H2205-10 Leviticus 9:1 וּ/לְ/זִקְנֵ֖י uleziqeney HC/R/Aampc and to the elders and to elders of and to the elders of
H2205-21 Leviticus 19:32 זָקֵ֑ן zaqen HAamsa the old man he grew old the old man
H2205-09 Numbers 11:16 מִ/זִּקְנֵ֣י miziqeney HR/Aampc from the elders from elders of from elders of
H2205-28 Numbers 11:16 זִקְנֵ֥י ziqeney HAampc elders elders of elders of
H2205-09 Numbers 11:24 מִ/זִּקְנֵ֣י miziqeney HR/Aampc from elders of from elders of from elders of
H2205-03 Numbers 11:25 הַ/זְּקֵנִ֑ים hazeqenim HTd/Aampa the elders the aged men the elders
H2205-19 Numbers 11:30 וְ/זִקְנֵ֥י veziqeney HC/Aampc and elders of and elder-men of and elder-men of
H2205-28 Numbers 16:25 זִקְנֵ֥י ziqeney HAampc elders of elders of elders of
H2205-28 Numbers 22:4 זִקְנֵ֣י ziqeney HAampc the elders of elders of elders of
H2205-28 Numbers 22:7 זִקְנֵ֤י ziqeney HAampc elders of elders of elders of
H2205-19 Numbers 22:7 וְ/זִקְנֵ֣י veziqeney HC/Aampc and elders of and elder-men of and elder-men of
H2205-20 Deuteronomy 5:23 וְ/זִקְנֵי/כֶֽם veziqeneykhem HC/Aampc/Sp2mp and your elders and your elders and your elders
H2205-28 Deuteronomy 19:12 זִקְנֵ֣י ziqeney HAampc the elders of elders of elders of
H2205-25 Deuteronomy 21:2 זְקֵנֶ֖י/ךָ zeqeneykha HAampc/Sp2ms your elders your elders your elders
H2205-28 Deuteronomy 21:3 זִקְנֵי֩ ziqeney HAampc elders of elders of elders of
H2205-28 Deuteronomy 21:4 זִקְנֵי֩ ziqeney HAampc the elders of elders of elders of
H2205-28 Deuteronomy 21:6 זִקְנֵי֙ ziqeney HAampc the elders elders of elders of
H2205-28 Deuteronomy 21:19 זִקְנֵ֥י ziqeney HAampc elders of elders of elders of
H2205-28 Deuteronomy 21:20 זִקְנֵ֣י ziqeney HAampc the elders of elders of elders of
H2205-28 Deuteronomy 22:15 זִקְנֵ֥י ziqeney HAampc elders of elders of elders of
H2205-03 Deuteronomy 22:16 הַ/זְּקֵנִ֑ים hazeqenim HTd/Aampa the elders the aged men the elders
H2205-28 Deuteronomy 22:17 זִקְנֵ֥י ziqeney HAampc the elders elders of elders of
H2205-28 Deuteronomy 22:18 זִקְנֵ֥י ziqeney HAampc the elders elders of elders of
H2205-03 Deuteronomy 25:7 הַ/זְּקֵנִ֗ים hazeqenim HTd/Aampa the elders the aged men the elders
H2205-28 Deuteronomy 25:8 זִקְנֵי ziqeney HAampc the elders of elders of elders of
H2205-03 Deuteronomy 25:9 הַ/זְּקֵנִים֒ hazeqenim HTd/Aampa the elders the aged men the elders
H2205-19 Deuteronomy 27:1 וְ/זִקְנֵ֣י veziqeney HC/Aampc and the elders and elder-men of and elder-men of
H2205-05 Deuteronomy 28:50 לְ/זָקֵ֔ן lezaqen HR/Aamsa elderly to an aged man of an aged man
← H2204 Hebrew Lexicon H2206 →