Word Study for H2208 (זָקֻן) | Strong's Concordance

zâqun /zaw-koon'/ Ask about this word

Rootproperly, passive participle of זָקֵן (used only in the plural as a noun)

Meaninglemma זָקֻ missing final nun, corrected to class="strongs-hebrew-text">זָקֻן; old age

KJV usageold age.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of zâqun — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word zâqun, represented by H2208, is a specific term for old age. It appears 4 times across 4 unique verses in the Bible. Its use is exclusively focused on the context of a child being born to a parent in their later years, marking that child as particularly significant.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H2208 is used to highlight moments of miraculous birth and special affection. The term appears twice in relation to the birth of Isaac, whom Sarah bore to Abraham "in his old age" (Genesis 21:2, Genesis 21:7), fulfilling a divine promise. It is also the reason given for Israel's great love for Joseph, who was the "son of his old age" Genesis 37:3. In a parallel situation, Judah describes his youngest brother Benjamin to Joseph as a "child of his old age" to their father, emphasizing his preciousness Genesis 44:20.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the context in which H2208 is used:

H2205 zâqên (old; aged, ancient (man), elder(-est), old (man, men and...women), senator): This is the root word from which zâqun derives. It describes the state of the parent, as seen when Jacob is referred to as "an old man" H2205 who has a child of his old age Genesis 44:20.
H1121 bên (a son): This term is integral to the meaning of zâqun, as all occurrences are in the phrase "son of his old age," signifying the importance of male heirs for the continuation of the family line Genesis 37:3.
H6996 qâṭân (little (one), small(-est, one, quantity, thing), young(-er, -est)): This word is used to describe the child of old age as "a little one," emphasizing the contrast between the aged father and the young, vulnerable child he deeply loves Genesis 44:20.
H8283 Sârâh (Sarah, Abraham's wife): Her story is a primary example of the theme, as God fulfilled His promise by enabling her to bear a son to Abraham in his old age Genesis 21:7.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H2208 is centered on divine promise and special relationships.

Fulfillment of Promise: The birth of a child in "old age" serves as a powerful sign of God's faithfulness. Isaac's birth to Abraham was the fulfillment of what God "had spoken," occurring at the "set time" He appointed Genesis 21:2.
Mark of Favor: A "son of old age" is consistently portrayed as an object of intense paternal love and favor. This is the explicit reason for Israel's preference for Joseph Genesis 37:3 and for Jacob's devotion to Benjamin Genesis 44:20.
Miraculous Provision: The term underscores God's ability to work beyond the limits of nature. The birth of a child to elderly parents like Abraham and Sarah demonstrates a divine intervention to ensure the continuation of a covenant line.

Summary

In summary, H2208 is more than a simple descriptor of an age group. It specifically frames the context of a child's birth, imbuing that child with special significance. It is a term tied directly to themes of divine fulfillment, miraculous provision, and the unique, profound affection a father holds for a son who ensures his legacy in his final years.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 4 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

זְקֻנִים
זְקֻנָי

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

4 verses, all in Genesis — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.