πατρι-άρχης G3966
Patriarch; the founding father or chief ancestor of a family, tribe, or nation.
Composed of patria (family line) and arche (beginning, rule), this title designates the founding ancestors of Israel. In Acts 2:29, Peter calls David a 'patriarch,' elevating him alongside the ancestral fathers. Acts 7:8-9 applies it to Jacob's twelve sons — the patriarchs of Israel's tribes — noting their jealousy toward Joseph. Hebrews 7:4 uses it of Abraham in his encounter with Melchizedek, emphasizing Abraham's exalted status to heighten how remarkable it is that he paid tithes to a priestly figure outside his own line. Every language renders it with a recognizable cognate: Spanish patriarca, French patriarche, German Erzvaeter.
Senses
1. sense 1 — A patriarch — the founding father or chief progenitor of a family line, tribe, or nation, especially one of Israel's revered ancestors. The term carries both genealogical and spiritual authority. Acts 2:29 applies it to David, Acts 7:8-9 to the twelve sons of Jacob, and Hebrews 7:4 to Abraham. The cross-linguistic consistency (Spanish patriarca, French patriarche, German Erzvaeter) reflects the word's universal recognition as a title of ancestral honor and leadership. 4×
AR["رَئيسُ-الآبَاءِ", "رَئِيسِ-الآبَاءِ", "رُؤَسَاءَ-الآبَاءِ", "رُؤَسَاءُ-الآبَاءِ"]·ben["কুলপতিগণ", "কুলপতিদের।", "কুলপিতা", "কুলপিতার"]·DE["Erzvaeter", "πατριάρχαι", "πατριάρχας", "πατριάρχου"]·EN["patriarch", "patriarchs"]·FR["patriarche", "patriarches"]·heb["אֲבִי-הָאָב", "אֲבוֹת-הַשְּׁבָטִים", "אָבוֹת"]·HI["और", "कुलपिता", "कुलपिताओं", "कुलपिता।"]·ID["bapa-leluhur", "bapa-leluhur,", "bapa-leluhur."]·IT["patriarca", "patriarchēs"]·jav["bapa-leluhur,", "bapa-leluhur.", "leluhur", "leluhur-agung"]·KO["너-의", "족장들-을", "족장들-이", "족장이"]·PT["patriarca", "patriarcas"]·RU["патриарх", "патриархе", "патриархи", "патриархов"]·ES["patriarca", "patriarcas"]·SW["baba-mkubwa", "mzazi-mkuu", "wazazi-wakuu"]·TR["Davut", "atalar", "atası", "on-iki"]·urd["بڑے-باپ-نے", "سردار", "قبیلوں-کے-بانی"]
Related Senses
H0376 1. man, person, human male (2130×)H0251 1. brother (blood sibling) (573×)H0120 1. man, human being (individual/generic) (527×)H0802 1. woman, female person (519×)H0802 2. wife, spouse (255×)H0517 1. mother, female parent (217×)G0435 1. man, male person (202×)G1135 1. woman, adult female (190×)H2233 1. offspring, descendants (172×)H0001 2. ancestor, forefather (146×)H5288 1. Youth, young man (122×)H0269 1. sister (female sibling) (113×)H1755 1. generation, contemporaries (96×)G5043 1. child, offspring (89×)G0444 2. people, humankind (86×)H3206 1. child, boy, youth (86×)H2145 1. male (human being) (79×)G3384 1. mother (77×)H6485a 1. Qal passive participle: numbered ones, enrollment (76×)H1397 1. man (strong/mighty) (65×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
πατρι-άρχης, ου, ὁ, (πατρι father or chief of a race, patriarch, LXX+NT __II title borne by the Bishops of Rome, Constantinople, Jerusalem, Antioch, and Alexandria, Refs 6th c.AD+:— adjective πατρι-αρχικός, ή, όν, of or belonging to him, θρόνοςRefs