יַעֲקָן
𐤉𐤏𐤒𐤍
Yaaqan
H3292 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Ya'aqan — A personal name referring to a descendant of Seir the Horite, found in genealogical lists. The word functions as a proper noun and does not carry meaning beyond being an individual or clan name.
Semantic Range
proper name (individual or clan), Horite ancestor, ancestor of an Edomite group
Root / Etymology
From the Hebrew root עָקָן (‘aqan), though the etymology and original meaning of this root are uncertain. It is possibly related to a root meaning 'to twist' or 'to be crooked', but no clear evidence affirms this as the source for the personal name. Thus, the precise etymology of יַעֲקָן is uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Ya'aqan appears in genealogical contexts as a son of Ezer, himself a descendant of Seir the Horite (Genesis 36:27; 1 Chronicles 1:42). The name designates an ancient clan or tribal ancestor of the Horites, a non-Israelite group inhabiting the region of Seir. The meaning of the name is obscure, and it is possible that, like many other personal or clan names in the genealogies, its significance was mainly idiosyncratic or lost by the time of its recording. Later traditions sometimes attempted to associate the name with Hebrew roots (e.g., עָקָן 'twist, be crooked'), but no secure linguistic connection can be established, and the name's primary function is as a marker of identity within these genealogies. Some English translations render it 'Jaakan' or 'Jaakanites.' The plural form in 'Bene Ya'aqan' (בְּנֵי יַעֲקָן), 'sons of Ya'aqan,' highlights the use of the name as a clan ancestor rather than an individual. No evidence supports the use of the later term 'Jew' for these figures, who were not Israelites but Horites of Edomite territory.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from the same as עָקָן; Jaakan, an Idumaean; Jaakan. Compare בְּנֵי יַעֲקָן.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
עקן (ʿ-q-n) — to twist, to be crooked (uncertain)
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H6130 | עָקָן | and Aqan |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3292-01 |
יַעֲקָ֑ן | yaaqan | HNp |
Jaakan | Yaʿaqan | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3292-01 |
1 Chronicles 1:42 | יַעֲקָ֑ן | yaaqan | HNp |
Jaakan | Yaʿaqan |