Lexical Summary
zaqun: Elder, old man, aged
Original Word: זָקֻ
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: zaqun
Pronunciation: zah-KOON
Phonetic Spelling: (zaw-koon')
KJV: old age
NASB: old age
Word Origin: [(properly) passive participle of H2204 (זָקֵן - old) (used only in the plural as a noun)]
1. old age
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
old age
Properly, passive participle of zaqen (used only in the plural as a noun); old age:-old age.
see HEBREW zaqen
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originpass. part. of
zaqenDefinitionold age
NASB Translationold age (4).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
—
Genesis 37:3 i.e. a late-born son;
Genesis 44:20 id.;
Genesis 21:2,7 (all J E).
Topical Lexicon
Scope and Emphasis The Hebrew term translated “old age” appears four times, all within Genesis. Each setting highlights God’s faithfulness across generations, the blessing of children, and the surprising fruitfulness granted to aging patriarchs. The expression accents the tension between natural limitations and divine promise.
Occurrences in Genesis
1. Genesis 21:2 – The birth of Isaac “in his old age” marks the fulfillment of the covenant promise made decades earlier to Abraham.
2. Genesis 21:7 – Sarah marvels that she has “borne him a son in his old age,” underscoring the miraculous character of Isaac’s arrival.
3. Genesis 37:3 – Joseph is loved as “the son of his old age,” introducing the family dynamics that drive the Joseph narrative.
4. Genesis 44:20 – Judah describes Benjamin as one born “in his old age,” appealing to Joseph’s compassion by emphasizing their father’s vulnerability.
Covenant Fulfillment and Divine Power
The first two occurrences frame Isaac’s birth as the climactic demonstration of Yahweh’s reliability. Against every biological expectation, a centenarian patriarch and a barren matriarch become parents. The text confronts human impossibility with divine certainty: what God promises, He accomplishes, regardless of chronological barriers.
Family Affection and Conflict
In Genesis 37:3 and 44:20, “old age” functions sociologically. Joseph and Benjamin, sons of Jacob’s later years, receive special affection, stirring jealousy among the older brothers. The phrase marks them as cherished reminders of vitality granted to an elderly father. This tenderness, while understandable, becomes a catalyst for rivalry, exile, and ultimately reconciliation—an arc that anticipates how God transforms human partiality into a means of preserving life (Genesis 50:20).
Historical and Cultural Setting
In patriarchal society, advanced age typically diminished economic productivity and social standing. Children born late therefore magnified honor and security. Possessing offspring in later years testified to divine favor, countering prevailing fears of name extinction and property loss. The Old Testament narrative leverages that cultural backdrop to magnify God’s sovereignty over fertility and destiny.
Theological Trajectory
The motif of life springing from barrenness or decline recurs throughout Scripture—Isaac, Samuel, John the Baptist—culminating in the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. The pattern establishes a theological expectation: when human capacity wanes, God acts decisively, so that “no flesh may boast before Him” (compare 1 Corinthians 1:29).
Ministry Applications
• Hope for the Aged: The term invites older believers to anticipate ongoing usefulness; God’s timetable does not expire with age.
• Valuing Every Generation: Churches are reminded to honor both patriarchs and children, fostering unity rather than favoritism.
• Trust Beyond Odds: Congregations facing seemingly irreversible situations can look to Abraham and Sarah, convinced that promises stand firm despite visible weakness.
Echoes in Redemptive History
The unique placement of all four instances in Genesis—the book of beginnings—signals that from the outset God intertwines mortality with miracle. Isaac’s birth in “old age” inaugurates the covenant line; Joseph and Benjamin, sons of “old age,” guarantee that line’s survival during famine. Thus the term frames Genesis’ opening and closing movements, bookending the account with proof that God alone authors life, sustains heritage, and secures redemption across generations.
Forms and Transliterations
זְקֻנִ֖ים זְקֻנִ֥ים זקנים לִזְקֻנָ֑יו לִזְקֻנָֽיו׃ לזקניו לזקניו׃ liz·qu·nāw lizkuNav lizqunāw zə·qu·nîm zekuNim zəqunîm
Links
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