יַעֲקֹב
𐤉𐤏𐤒𐤁
Yaaqov
H3290 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Yaʿăqōb is a proper noun referring to an individual in early Israelite tradition, notably the third patriarch, the son of Isaac and Rebekah, and the father of the twelve figures regarded as ancestral to the Israelite tribes. The name's primary lexical meaning relates to the image of grasping the heel, often associated with the narrative of his birth. In literary and historical contexts, 'Yaʿăqōb' can also serve metonymically to refer to the collective descendants of this patriarch—the Israelite people—as a nation or people group, especially in poetic or prophetic passages.
Semantic Range
personal name of the patriarch Jacob, ancestor of the Israelites; by extension, the Israelite people as a nation; individual name, eponym, symbolic/metonymic reference to the people
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root עָקַב (ʿqb), 'to seize by the heel, overreach, circumvent.' The name is likely a theophoric or descriptive personal name employing a participial or nominal formation, possibly meaning 'he grasps the heel' or 'may he protect.' Some interpretations see a play on the root's sense of overreaching or supplanting, based on narrative explanation in Genesis. The etymology ultimately connects to the Semitic root ע-ק-ב, though the precise nuance in personal names can be difficult to determine.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the patriarchal narratives, יַעֲקֹב (Yaʿăqōb) is presented as the younger twin of Esau, receiving his name from the act of grasping his brother's heel at birth (Genesis 25:26) and later associated with themes of rivalry and succession. The biblical narrative provides a folk etymology (Genesis 27:36) linking the name with the idea of 'supplanting.' Over time, 'Yaʿăqōb' becomes a term signifying the whole Israelite nation, particularly in poetic, prophetic, and oracular discourse (e.g., Isaiah, Psalms), sometimes contrasted with 'Israel' (the alternative name given to the same patriarch) depending on context. Later translations and traditions rendered the name as 'Jacob,' eventually developing into English 'Jacob.' The term 'Jew' is anachronistic for this context; in the earliest sources, 'Yaʿăqōb' refers specifically to the patriarch and the nation descended from him, not to later religious or ethnic identities. Care should be taken not to conflate the name's use for the ancestor with its later application as a poetic designation for the Israelites.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from עָקַב; heel-catcher (i.e. supplanter); Jaakob, the Israelitish patriarch; Jacob.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
עקב (ʿ-q-b) — seize by the heel, overreach, circumvent
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3291 | יַעֲקֹבָה | and Yaʿaqobah |
| H6117 | עָקַב | he supplanted |
| H6118 | עֵקֶב | consequence |
| H6119 | עָקֵב | heel |
| H6120 | עָקֵב | my heels |
Word Forms
6 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3290-06 |
יַעֲקֹ֑ב | yaaqov | HNp |
Jacob | Heel-Grasper | 274 |
H3290-02 |
לְ/יַעֲקֹֽב | leyaaqov | HR/Np |
to Jacob | to Heel-Grasper | 36 |
H3290-05 |
וְ/יַעֲקֹב֙ | veyaaqov | HC/Np |
and Jacob | and Heel-Grasper | 15 |
H3290-04 |
וּֽ/לְ/יַעֲקֹֽב | uleyaaqov | HC/R/Np |
and to Jacob | and to Heel-Grasper | 11 |
H3290-01 |
בְּ/יַעֲקֹ֔ב | beyaaqov | HR/Np |
in Jacob | in Yaʿaqov the Heel-Grasper | 10 |
H3290-03 |
מִֽ/יַּעֲקֹ֗ב | miyaaqov | HR/Np |
from Jacob | from Heel-Grasper | 3 |
Occurrences in Scripture
349 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3290-06 |
Genesis 25:26 | יַעֲקֹ֑ב | yaaqov | HNp |
Jacob | Heel-Grasper |
H3290-05 |
Genesis 25:27 | וְ/יַעֲקֹב֙ | veyaaqov | HC/Np |
but Jacob | and Heel-Grasper |
H3290-06 |
Genesis 25:28 | יַעֲקֹֽב | yaaqov | HNp |
Jacob | Heel-Grasper |
H3290-06 |
Genesis 25:29 | יַעֲקֹ֖ב | yaaqov | HNp |
Jacob | Heel-Grasper |
H3290-06 |
Genesis 25:30 | יַעֲקֹ֗ב | yaaqov | HNp |
Jacob | Heel-Grasper |
H3290-06 |
Genesis 25:31 | יַעֲקֹ֑ב | yaaqov | HNp |
Jacob | Heel-Grasper |
H3290-06 |
Genesis 25:33 | יַעֲקֹ֗ב | yaaqov | HNp |
Jacob | Heel-Grasper |
H3290-02 |
Genesis 25:33 | לְ/יַעֲקֹֽב | leyaaqov | HR/Np |
to Jacob | to Heel-Grasper |
H3290-05 |
Genesis 25:34 | וְ/יַעֲקֹ֞ב | veyaaqov | HC/Np |
Jacob | and Heel-Grasper |
H3290-06 |
Genesis 27:6 | יַעֲקֹ֥ב | yaaqov | HNp |
Jacob | Heel-Grasper |