What does זָקֵן mean in the Bible?
זָקֵן is a Hebrew word meaning "to be old".
Hebrew · H2204
זָקֵן
To be old
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זָקֵןH2204
What does זָקֵן mean in the Bible?
זָקֵן is a Hebrew word meaning "to be old".
Full entry for זָקֵן (H2204) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H2204?
The BSB source-word alignment has 27 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include old (7), was old (5), am old (3), is old (3), are old (2).
Where does זָקֵן appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 18:12. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Samuel (6), Genesis (6), Joshua (4), 1 Kings (2).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itold7×Genesis 18:13, Genesis 27:1, Genesis 27:2, 1 Samuel 2:22
was old5×Genesis 24:1, Joshua 13:1, Joshua 23:1, 1 Kings 1:1
am old3×Joshua 23:2, 1 Samuel 12:2, Psalms 37:25
is old3×Genesis 18:12, Genesis 19:31, 2 Kings 4:14
are old2×Joshua 13:1, 1 Samuel 8:5
[Jesse] was old1×1 Samuel 17:12
grew old1×1 Samuel 8:1
grow old1×Job 14:8
he is old1×Proverbs 22:6
I am too old1×Ruth 1:12
she is old1×Proverbs 23:22
When Jehoiada was old1×2 Chronicles 24:15
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 18:12זָקֵֽן׃tois oldVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularGenesis 18:13זָקַֽנְתִּי׃tooldVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularGenesis 19:31זָקֵ֑ןtois oldVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularGenesis 24:1זָקֵ֔ןtowas oldVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularGenesis 27:1זָקֵ֣ןtooldVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularGenesis 27:2זָקַ֑נְתִּיtooldVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularJoshua 13:1זָקֵ֔ןtowas oldVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularJoshua 13:1זָקַ֙נְתָּה֙toare oldVerb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singularJoshua 23:1זָקֵ֔ןtowas oldVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularJoshua 23:2זָקַ֔נְתִּיtoam oldVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 18:12
Aligned rows27
Books represented12
Genesis6Joshua4Ruth11 Samuel62 Samuel11 Kings22 Kings11 Chronicles12 Chronicles1Job1Psalms1Proverbs2
Source forms
זָקֵ֔ן4xzā·qênGenesis 24:1, Joshua 13:1, Joshua 23:1, 1 Kings 1:1
זָקֵ֣ן4xzā·qênGenesis 27:1, 1 Samuel 2:22, 2 Samuel 19:32, 1 Kings 1:15
זָקֵ֖ן3xzā·qên1 Samuel 8:1, 1 Samuel 17:12, 1 Chronicles 23:1
זָקֵֽן׃2xzā·qênGenesis 18:12, 2 Kings 4:14
וַיִּזְקַ֧ן1xway·yiz·qan2 Chronicles 24:15
זָקֵ֑ן1xzā·qênGenesis 19:31
זָקֵ֥ן1xzā·qên1 Samuel 4:18
זָקְנָ֥ה1xzā·qə·nāhProverbs 23:22
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular15xGenesis 18:12, Genesis 19:31, Genesis 24:1, Genesis 27:1
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular6xGenesis 18:13, Genesis 27:2, Joshua 23:2, Ruth 1:12
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular2xJob 14:8, Proverbs 22:6
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular2xJoshua 13:1, 1 Samuel 8:5
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular1x2 Chronicles 24:15
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular1xProverbs 23:22
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. to be old
Source Gloss
to be old
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
to be old Usage: aged man, be (wax) old (man).
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups2Aligned forms26
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense24×
Perfect1Chr 23:1 · 1Kgs 1:1 · 1Kgs 1:15 · 1Sam 2:22 · 1Sam 4:18 · 1Sam 8:1 · 1Sam 17:12 · 2Kgs 4:14 · 2Sam 19:33 · Gen 18:12 · Gen 19:31 · Gen 24:1 · Gen 27:1 · Josh 13:1 · Josh 23:1 · 1Sam 12:224×
Hiphilcausative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action2×
ImperfectJob 14:8 · Prov 22:62×
Word Origins
זָקֵן is a primitive root - no further derivation.
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.