What does Ἰακώβ (Iakṓb) mean in the Bible?
Iakob is Jacob, the patriarch whose name and family stand at the root of Israel's covenant story. Matthew places Jacob in the genealogy that leads to Jesus.
Greek · G2384
Ἰακώβ
Jacob (i.e. Ja`akob), the progenitor of the Israelites
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Ἰακώβ G2384
Pronunciation Iakṓb
What does Ἰακώβ (Iakṓb) mean in the Bible?
Iakob is Jacob, the patriarch whose name and family stand at the root of Israel's covenant story. Matthew places Jacob in the genealogy that leads to Jesus.
Reader summary
Full entry for Ἰακώβ (G2384) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G2384?
The BSB source-word alignment has 27 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include Jacob (20), of Jacob (6), Jacob’s (1).
Where does Ἰακώβ (Iakṓb) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 1:2. Its strongest book concentrations include Acts (8), Matthew (6), Luke (4), Hebrews (3).
What This Word Actually Means
Iakob is Jacob, the patriarch whose name and family stand at the root of Israel's covenant story. Matthew places Jacob in the genealogy that leads to Jesus. Gabriel says the Son born to Mary will reign over the house of Jacob forever. The Samaritan woman appeals to Jacob as the giver of the well, showing how the patriarch's memory shaped contested sacred geography.
Stephen names Jacob in the covenant line from Abraham to the twelve patriarchs. Paul uses Jacob and Esau in Romans 9 to discuss election and promise, and Hebrews remembers Jacob dying in faith and worship. The word therefore opens ancestry, promise, worship, and the reign of Christ over Israel's story.
How the Bible Uses It
Iakob names the patriarch Jacob in genealogy, promise, worship, and theological argument. The New Testament remembers him as Abraham's descendant, father of the patriarchs, a figure claimed in Israel and Samaritan memory, a name tied to the house over which Christ reigns, and an example of dying faith.
- Matt.1.2
Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.
Matthew places Jacob in the genealogy from Abraham toward Jesus. The name carries the covenant family line into the Messiah's human ancestry.
- Luke.1.33
And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end!”
Gabriel says Jesus will reign over the house of Jacob forever. The patriarch's name becomes a way to speak of Christ's promised rule over Israel's hope.
- John.4.12
Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock?”
The Samaritan woman appeals to father Jacob and his well. The reference shows how Jacob's memory functions in disputed worship and identity questions.
- Acts.7.8
Then God gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision, and Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day. And Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.
Stephen names Jacob in the covenant line leading to the twelve patriarchs. The word supports his retelling of Israel's history before the council.
- Rom.9.13
So it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
Paul cites Jacob and Esau in his argument about promise and election. Jacob's name here serves a theological argument larger than biography.
- Heb.11.21
By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.
Hebrews remembers Jacob blessing Joseph's sons and worshiping by faith as he died. The patriarch is presented as a witness to persevering faith.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It Jacob 20× Matthew 1:2, Matthew 1:15, Matthew 1:16, Matthew 8:11
of Jacob 6× Matthew 22:32, Mark 12:26, Luke 1:33, Luke 3:34
Jacob’s 1× John 4:6
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 1:2 Ἰακώβ to Jacob Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular Matthew 1:2 Ἰακὼβ to Jacob Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular Matthew 1:15 Ἰακώβ to Jacob Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular Matthew 1:16 Ἰακὼβ to Jacob Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular Matthew 8:11 Ἰακὼβ to Jacob Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular Matthew 22:32 Ἰακώβ to of Jacob Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular Mark 12:26 Ἰακώβ to of Jacob Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular Luke 1:33 Ἰακὼβ to of Jacob Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular Luke 3:34 Ἰακὼβ to of Jacob Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular Luke 13:28 Ἰακὼβ to Jacob Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 1:2
Aligned rows 27
Books represented 7
Matthew 6 Mark 1 Luke 4 John 3 Acts 8 Romans 2 Hebrews 3
Source forms
Ἰακὼβ 15x Iakōb Matthew 1:2, Matthew 1:16, Matthew 8:11, Luke 1:33
Ἰακώβ 12x Iakōb Matthew 1:2, Matthew 1:15, Matthew 22:32, Mark 12:26
Parsing patterns
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular 13x Matthew 8:11, Matthew 22:32, Mark 12:26, Luke 1:33
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular 7x Matthew 1:2, Matthew 1:15, Luke 13:28, Acts 7:8
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular 7x Matthew 1:2, Matthew 1:16, John 4:5, Acts 7:8
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Use Jacob's name to trace God's promise and mercy, not to flatten complex narratives into moral slogans.
- Let Christ's reign over the house of Jacob govern the canonical movement.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that every mention of Jacob carries the same theological emphasis.
- Do not claim that Jacob's personal story proves every doctrine apart from the passages that use his name.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. Jacob (i.e. Ja`akob), the progenitor of the Israelites
Strong's G2384
Lexical occurrences 27 verses Greek text appearances 27 times 16 shown below Word forms 3 forms 27 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Jeremiah 30:4-7 Source Gloss
Jacob (i.e. Ja`akob), the progenitor of the Israelites
Extended definition
:--also an Israelite:--Jacob.
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 27 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 1:2 Proper name
Ἰακώβ· iakwb
Jacob
Read verse Matthew 1:2 Proper name
Ἰακὼβ iakwb
Jacob
Read verse Matthew 1:15 Proper name
Ἰακώβ· iakwb
Jacob
Read verse Matthew 1:16 Proper name
Ἰακὼβ iakwb
Jacob
Read verse Matthew 8:11 Proper name
Ἰακὼβ iakwb
Jacob
Read verse Matthew 22:32 Proper name
Ἰακώβ; iakwb
Jacob
Read verse Mark 12:26 Proper name
Ἰακώβ; iakwb
Jacob
Read verse Luke 1:33 Proper name
Ἰακὼβ iakwb
Jacob
Read verse Luke 3:34 Proper name
Ἰακώβ, iakwb
Jacob
Read verse Luke 13:28 Proper name
Ἰακὼβ iakwb
Jacob
Read verse Luke 20:37 Proper name
Ἰακώβ. iakwb
Jacob
Read verse John 4:5 Proper name
Ἰακὼβ iakwb
Jacob
Read verse John 4:6 Proper name
Ἰακώβ. iakwb
Jacob
Read verse John 4:12 Proper name
Ἰακώβ, iakwb
Jacob
Read verse Acts 3:13 Proper name
Ἰακώβ, iakwb
Jacob
Read verse Acts 7:8 Proper name
Ἰακώβ, iakwb
Jacob
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
This word appears as a noun across 3 case and number patterns. The form changes show how the word functions in a sentence; they do not change the basic lexical meaning by themselves.
Form patterns 3 Aligned forms 27 Case pattern Genitive (13) Number pattern Singular (27)
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Nominative · Singular · Masculine Matt 1:2 · Matt 1:16 · John 4:5 · Acts 7:8 · Acts 7:12 · Acts 7:15 · Heb 11:21 7×
Genitive · Singular · Masculine Matt 8:11 · Matt 22:32 · Mark 12:26 · Luke 1:33 · Luke 3:34 · Luke 20:37 · John 4:6 · John 4:12 · Acts 3:13 · Acts 7:32 · Acts 7:46 · Rom 11:26 · Heb 11:9 13×
Accusative · Singular · Masculine Matt 1:2 · Matt 1:15 · Luke 13:28 · Acts 7:8 · Acts 7:14 · Rom 9:13 · Heb 11:20 7×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
The patriarch as progenitor of Israel, referenced in prophecy about restoration
The patriarch referenced in eschatological context, sitting in kingdom with Abraham and Isaac
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 27 lexical occurrence verses.
Cross-Language Connections
Hebrew roots and equivalents that share conceptual or etymological ground with this Greek word.
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
Iakob matters because the New Testament does not treat the patriarchs as ornamental background. Jacob's name carries a story of promise, family, struggle, blessing, and covenant continuity into the coming of Christ. Matthew and Luke place Jesus within the line and hope of Jacob. John 4 shows Jacob's memory still shaping questions of worship and identity. Acts 7 uses Jacob in a historical defense that exposes Israel's repeated resistance and God's faithfulness.
Romans 9 uses Jacob to speak about promise and election, while Hebrews 11 remembers his dying worship. The word therefore helps teachers connect ancestry to promise and promise to Christ's reign.
Anchor passage
Luke.1.33
Doctrinal connections
- Matthew 1:2: Jacob belongs to the genealogy that leads from Abraham to Christ.
- Luke 1:33: Jesus' everlasting reign is announced over the house of Jacob.
- John 4:12-26: Jacob's well sits inside a larger conversation about living water and true worship.
- Acts 7:8-16: Jacob stands in Stephen's covenant-history retelling before the council.
- Romans 9:10-13: Jacob and Esau support Paul's argument about promise and God's electing purpose.
- Hebrews 11:21: Jacob's final blessing and worship show faith looking beyond death.
Iakob is a proper name, not a theological abstraction. Its significance comes from the patriarchal story and the specific New Testament contexts where that story is invoked.
From Old to New Testament
Genesis tells Jacob's story of promise, conflict, exile, return, blessing, and the birth of Israel's tribes. The New Testament receives that story as covenant history fulfilled and governed by Christ, the Son who reigns forever over the house of Jacob.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain