Biblical Period
The Patriarchs
The foundational era of Israel's story — Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. God establishes his covenant with Abraham and shapes a family through whom all nations will be blessed.
What is the The Patriarchs period in the Bible?
The Patriarchs period, spanning approximately 2100 to 1446 BC, represents the foundational era of Israel's history centered on four key figures: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. During this time, God established his covenant with Abraham, promising that his descendants would become a great nation and that all nations would be blessed through his lineage. The period is marked by major theological themes including covenant, promise, faith, and divine providence, as God shaped a family that would become the people of Israel despite numerous obstacles and tests. Key events include Abraham's call from Ur, the near-sacrifice of Isaac, Jacob's encounter with God at Bethel and his struggle with the angel, and Joseph's rise to power in Egypt, which ultimately positioned his family for their eventual exodus from Egypt.
Era Overview
Key Themes
Primary Books
Key Figures
- Abraham Early PatriarchSon of TerahPatriarch, chosen by God to father His peopleView profile →
- Isaac Early PatriarchSon of AbrahamSon of Abraham; father of Jacob and Esau.View profile →
- Jacob Tribe of JudahFather of JosephFather of Joseph, the husband of Mary.View profile →
- Joseph Tribe of LeviSon of AsaphSon of Asaph, a musician in David's timeView profile →
Patriarch; Patriachs
9), and to David (Ac 2:29). In Septuagint it is used as the equivalent of the head of the fathers' house, or of a tribe (1Ch 24:31; 27:32; 2Ch 26:12). Commonly now the term is used of the persons whose names appear in the genealogies and covenant-histories in the periods preceding Moses (Ge 5; 11, histories of Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc.; compare "patriarchal dispensation"). The problems connected with the longevity ascribed to the patriarchs in the genealogies and narratives in Ge are dealt with in special articles.
See ANTEDILUVIAN PATRIARCHS; ANTEDILUVIANS (GENEALOGY).
James Orr