אַחֲרוֹן51 H0314
last, latter, final; behind in place or time; western; future, yet to come
An adjective built from the root for 'after' or 'behind,' stretching across spatial, temporal, and eschatological registers. Because the ancient Semites oriented themselves facing east, 'behind' naturally meant 'west,' so this word designates both the Mediterranean Sea (Deut 11:24) and the final event in a sequence. It describes the hindmost rank in Jacob's caravan (Gen 33:2), the 'latter days' of prophetic expectation (Deut 29:22), and even God himself as 'the Last' (Job 19:25). Context alone determines whether 'last' means chronologically final, positionally rear, directionally western, or generationally future.
Senses
1. last, final in sequence — Last or final in an ordered sequence, whether ordinal or temporal. Spanish el último and French dernier consistently render this endpoint sense. Genesis 33:2 places Rachel last in the procession, 2 Samuel 23:1 records David's 'last words,' and Isaiah 44:6 declares the LORD 'the last' — the ultimate terminus of all sequence. 21×
AR["آخِرينَ","آخِرٌ","آخِرِينَ","ال-أَخيرِ","الآخِرُ","الآخِرِينَ","الأَخَرُونَ","الْأَخِيرَةُ","الْأَخِيرَةِ","الْأَخِيرُ","وَ-الْأَخِيرَةُ","وَالأَخيرَةُ","وَالأَخِيرَةُ","وَالْأَخِيرَةُ"]·ben["-শেষ","আর-শেষের","ও-শেষ","ও-শেষের","শেষ","শেষদের-সাথে","শেষরা","শেষে"]·DE["[אחרון]","[אחרנים]","[האחרון]","der-letzter","letzter","spaeter","und-spaeter","zuletzt"]·EN["am-last","and-the-last","last","the-last"]·FR["dernier","et-dernier","et-les-derniers","le-dernier"]·heb["אחרון","אחרונים","אחרנים","ה-אחרון","ה-אחרונים","ה-אחרנים","ו-ה-אחרונים","ו-ה-אחרנים","ו-ה-אחרנים"]·HI["-अंतिम","अंतिम","अंतिमों","आखिरी-ने","और-अंतिम","और-पिछली","और-बाद","और-बाद-की","पीछे","सबसे-पीछे"]·ID["-terakhir","dan-yang-terakhir","terakhir","yang-terakhir"]·IT["e-gli-ultimi","e-ultimo","il-ultimo","l'ultimo","last","posteriore","ultimo"]·jav["ingkang-pungkasan","lan-ingkang-kantun","lan-ingkang-pungkasan","lan-pungkasan","wonten-pungkasan"]·KO["그-마지막","그-마지막의","그리고-그-나중","그리고-그-나중것들이","그리고-그-마지막-의","그리고-그-마지막의","나중-자들","마지막-것이","마지막과-함께","마지막으로","마지막이","마지막이니라","마지막이라"]·PT["as-últimas","e-as-últimas","e-os-últimos","o-último","os-últimos","último","últimos"]·RU["и-а-последние","и-последние","последнего","последние","последний","последним","последними"]·ES["el-último","las-últimas","los-últimos","y-las-últimas","y-los-últimos","último","últimos"]·SW["[אַחֲרֹנִֽים׃]","na-ya-mwisho","na-za-mwisho","wa-mwisho","whaacharoniym","ya-mwisho"]·TR["en-sonda","son","sonradan","sonuncu","sonuncuyla","sonuncuyum","ve-son","ve-sonlar","ve-sonların"]·urd["-کی-آخری","آخر-میں","آخری","آخری-نے","آخریوں-کے","اور-آخری"]
Gen 33:2, Gen 33:2, 2 Sam 19:11, 2 Sam 19:12, 2 Sam 23:1, 1 Chr 23:27, 1 Chr 29:29, 2 Chr 9:29, 2 Chr 12:15, 2 Chr 16:11, 2 Chr 20:34, 2 Chr 25:26 (+9 more)
2. at last, finally (adverbial) — Adverbial usage with prepositions (beth, lamed) to express 'at last,' 'finally,' or 'afterward.' German afterward and Spanish al final capture the temporal adverb function. Numbers 2:31 marks Dan's camp as marching 'last,' Deuteronomy 13:9 prescribes the witness's hand falling 'at last,' and 2 Samuel 2:26 asks whether the sword shall devour 'to the end.' 9×
AR["آخِراً","أخيرًا","أَخِيرًا","الَّذِينَ-","في-الآخِرِ","فِي-الْآخِرِ","وَ-كَـ-الْآخِرَةِ"]·ben["ও-শেষবারের-মতো","পরে","শেষে","শেষে।"]·DE["[לאחרנה]","afterward","bei-der-rear","bei-letzter","in-der-Ende","spaeter","und-spaeter"]·EN["afterward","and-as-the-last","at-last","at-the-last","at-the-rear","in-the-end"]·FR["dans-le-fin","dernier","ensuite","et-postérieur","postérieur","à-dernier","à-le-rear"]·heb["ב-אחרונה","ו-כ-אחרונה","ל-אחרונה","ל-ה-לאחרנה"]·HI["अंत-में","और-की-तरह-बाद-की","पिछे","बाद-में","में-बाद"]·ID["dan-yang-kemudian","di-belakang","kemudian","pada-akhirnya","paling-akhir","terakhir","yang-terakhir"]·IT["a-il-retroguardia","a-ultimo","afterward","al-ultimo","e-ultimo","in-il-fine","ultimo"]·jav["ing-pungkasan","ing-wingking","ingkang-pungkasan","ingkang-pungkasan.","lan-kados-ingkang-pungkasan","sasampunipun"]·KO["그리고-같으니라-나중에","나중-에","나중에","맨-마지막으로","에-마지막","에-마지막에"]·PT["depois","e-como-a-última","na-última","no-fim","por-último"]·RU["в-конце","и-как-последнее","после.","последней","последним","последними","последнюю"]·ES["a-la-última","al-final","al-último","después","en-el-final","en-la-retaguardia","en-lo-último","y-como-la-última"]·SW["baadaye","mwisho","mwishoni","mwishowe","na-kama-ya-mwisho"]·TR["-en-arkada","en-sonra","sonra","sonradan","sonunda","ve-ka-sonraki-gibi"]·urd["آخر-میں","اور-جیسے-آخری","بعد-میں","پچھلے-میں"]
3. future, yet to come — Future, subsequent, or yet to come — projecting the 'after' sense forward in time. Spanish la venidera and French le latter point to expectation. Deuteronomy 29:22 speaks of a 'later generation' that will witness judgment, Psalm 78:4–6 passes testimony to 'a generation to come,' and Psalm 102:18 writes for 'a people yet to be created.' 7×
AR["آتٍ","آخِر","آخِرٍ","الآخِرِ","الْآتِي"]·ben["পরবর্তী","পরের","শেষের","সেই-পরবর্তী"]·DE["[אחרון]","coming-nach","der-latter","following","zu-kommen"]·EN["coming-after","day","following","the-latter","to-come"]·FR["dernier","le-latter"]·heb["אחרון","ה-אחרון"]·HI["अंतिम","आखिरी।","आने-वाली","आनेवाली","बाद-की"]·ID["yang-akan-datang","yang-datang","yang-kemudian"]·IT["il-latter","posteriore","ultimo"]·jav["ingkang-badhé-rawuh","ingkang-wingking","wekasan"]·KO["그-마지막","나중의","다음","다음-의","마지막"]·PT["a-futura","vindoura","vindouro","último"]·RU["последнего","последнее","последнему","последующее","последующему"]·ES["la-venidera","posterior","postrero","venidera"]·SW["kijacho","wakati-ujao","zijazo"]·TR["gelecek","son","sonraki"]·urd["آخری","آنے-والی","آنے-والے"]
4. latter, later condition — The latter state or condition contrasted with a former one, as in 'the latter end' or 'latter rain.' French le dernier and Spanish la postrera anchor this contrastive sense. Ruth 3:10 praises Ruth's 'latter kindness' surpassing the former, Deuteronomy 24:3 addresses a 'latter husband,' and Isaiah 9:1 contrasts a former time of darkness with a latter glory. 6×
AR["الأَخِيرَةِ","الأَخِيرِ","الْآخِرُ","الْأَخِيرَةَ","وَ-الْأَخِيرُ"]·ben["এবং-পরে","শেষ","শেষের","সেই-পরেরটি"]·DE["[האחרון]","[והאחרון]","der-latter"]·EN["and-the-latter","the-latter"]·FR["et-dernier","le-dernier","le-latter","postérieur"]·heb["ה-אחרון","ו-ה-אחרון"]·HI["और-बाद-में","दूसरा","दूस्रē-की","पिछला","बाद-की"]·ID["terakhir","tetapi-di-kemudian-hari","yang-kemudian","yang-terakhir"]·IT["e-posteriore","il-latter","ultimo"]·jav["ingkang-kapindho","ingkang-pungkasan","ingkang-wingking","kang-pungkasan","nanging-ingkang-wingking"]·KO["그-나중의","그리고-나중에는","나중-의","나중의","마지막의"]·PT["a-última","e-o-último","o-último"]·RU["-последний","а-последнее","второго","последнего","последнюю"]·ES["el-último","la-postrera","la-última","pero-el-postrero"]·SW["baadaye","wa-mwisho","ya-mwisho"]·TR["-sonrakini","sonraki","sonraki-","sonuncunun","ve-sonraki"]·urd["آخری","اور-باد-میں","دوسرا","دوسری","پچھلے-کا"]
5. sense 5 — Western — the directional sense arising from Semitic east-facing orientation where 'behind' equals 'west.' Spanish Occidental and English the-western confirm the geographic reading. Deuteronomy 11:24 names 'the western sea' (Mediterranean), Deuteronomy 34:2 surveys the land to the western sea, and Zechariah 14:8 prophesies living waters flowing to 'the western sea.' 4×
AR["الغَرْبِيِّ","الْأَخِيرِ","الْغَرْبِيِّ","الْغَرْبِيِّ،"]·ben["পশ্চিম","পশ্চিমের"]·DE["[האחרון]","der-western"]·EN["the-western"]·FR["le-western","postérieur"]·heb["ה-אַחרוֹן","ה-אחרון"]·HI["पश्चिमी"]·ID["barat","barat;","yang-barat"]·IT["il-western","ultimo"]·jav["kilèn","kulon","kulèn"]·KO["그-서쪽의","그-서편","서쪽의"]·PT["o-ocidental"]·RU["-заднего","западного","западному"]·ES["Occidental","el-occidental"]·SW["ya-magharibi"]·TR["batı","batıdaki"]·urd["مغربی","پچھم-کے"]
6. later ones, descendants — Substantival use for later people, descendants, or subsequent generations who follow. Spanish los de después and French dernier support the personal reference. Job 18:20 describes 'those who come after' being appalled, Ecclesiastes 1:11 warns there will be no remembrance among 'those who come later,' and Ecclesiastes 4:16 laments that 'the later ones' find no satisfaction in a king. 3×
AR["الآخِرُونَ","الْمُتَأَخِّرُونَ","لِلْآخِرِينَ"]·ben["পরবর্তীদের","পরবর্তীরা","পশ্চাতেরা"]·DE["[אחרנים]","[האחרונים]","[לאחרנים]"]·EN["of-the-latter-ones","the-later-ones","those-after"]·FR["dernier","le-dernier"]·heb["אחרונים","ה-אחרונים","ל-אחרונים"]·HI["और-पूर्वी","बाद-वाले","बाद-वालों-का"]·ID["yang-datang-kemudian","yang-kemudian"]·IT["al-ultimo","il-ultimo","ultimo"]·jav["ingkang-wingking","tiyang-wingking","tumrap-ingkang-badé-dhateng"]·KO["나중-것들-그","나중-것들-의","후대들이"]·PT["os-de-depois","os-últimos","para-os-últimos"]·RU["о-последующих","последующие"]·ES["de-los-últimos","los-de-después","los-últimos"]·SW["wa-baadaye","waliofuata","waliokuja-baadaye"]·TR["sonrakiler","sonrakilerin"]·urd["بعد-والوں-کی","بعد-والے","بعد-کے-لوگ"]
7. sense 7 — A theologically charged occurrence in Job 19:25 where Job declares his Redeemer is 'the Last' — the one who endures and stands at the end. Spanish y al final and French et dernier preserve the finality. This single attestation carries overtones of the divine epithet found in Isaiah 44:6 and 48:12, naming God as the ultimate, enduring reality beyond all sequence. 1×
AR["وَ-آخِرًا"]·ben["এবং-শেষে"]·DE["[ואחרון]"]·EN["and-the-Last"]·FR["et-dernier"]·heb["ו-אחרון"]·HI["और-अंत-में"]·ID["dan-yang-terakhir"]·IT["e-ultimo"]·jav["lan-ingkang-pungkasan"]·KO["그리고-마지막에"]·PT["e-por-último"]·RU["и-последний"]·ES["y-al-final"]·SW["na-mwishoni"]·TR["ve-sonunda"]·urd["اور-آخر-میں"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
אַחֲרוֹן51 f. אַחֲרוֹנָה, pl. אַחֲרֹנִים (also אַחֲרוֹנִים), adj. from אַחַר, coming after or behind (as a compar. or superl., according to the context); hence a. of place, behind, hindermost Gn 33:2(×2); הַיָּם הָאַחֲרוֹן the hinder (= the Western) sea (i.e. the Mediterranean: opp. הַיָּם הַקַּדְמוֹנִי the front sea = the Dead Sea, the Semites, in defining the quarters of the heavens, turning…