זָקֵן

1. old, of human beings, as adjective predicate Gen 18:11 (J), Job 32:4 (מִמֶּנּוּ לְיָמִים ׳ז, in comparison), or attributive אָב זָקֵן Gen 44:20 (J), ׳אִישׁ ז Judg 19:16; Judg 19:17; Judg 19:20; Judg 19:22, ׳נָבִיא ז 1Kgs 13:11; 1Kgs 13:25; 1Kgs 13:29, ׳מֶלֶךְ ז Eccl 4:13 probably also וּשְׂבַע ימים ׳ז Gen 35:29 (P), Job 42:17 and Gen 25:8 (P) according to ᵐ5 Sam Di; compare also Ezra 3:12.

2. usually as substantive:
  a. old man (or woman),
  b. elder;
  a. old man Gen 43:27 (J), Lev 19:32 (H), Deut 28:50; Deut 32:7 (|| אָב), 1Sam 2:31; 1Sam 2:32; 1Sam 28:14; Isa 47:6; Job 12:20; Job 32:9; Prov 17:6; Prov 20:29; Ps 119:100; Joel 1:2 old men and old women Zech 8:4 (twice in verse); compare זְקַן בֵּיתוֺ Gen 24:2 (J), זִקְנֵי בֵיתוֺ 2Sam 12:17 especially opposed to נַעַר Exod 10:9 (E), Isa 3:5; Isa 20:4; Jer 51:22; Lam 2:21; Ps 148:12, and in phrase מִנַּעַר וְעַד זָקֵן Gen 19:4 (J), Josh 6:21 (JE), Esth 3:13 opposed to ילדים 1Kgs 12:6; 1Kgs 12:8; 1Kgs 12:13 = 2Chr 10:6; 2Chr 10:8; 2Chr 10:13 opposed to בַּחוּרִים Jer 31:13; Ezek 9:6; Joel 3:1, compare 2Chr 36:17 (+ יָשֵׁשׁ) and Jer 6:11 (+ מְלֵא ימים); opposed to עוּל ימים Isa 65:20 opposed to יונקי שׁדים and עוללים Joel 2:16.
  b. usually plural elders, as having authority, term techn. (100 t. +); elders of a people, especially Israel Exod 3:16; Exod 3:18; Exod 12:21 (all J), Exod 17:5; Exod 17:6; Exod 18:12; Exod 19:7; Exod 24:1; Exod 24:9; Exod 24:14; Josh 24:1 (all E), Num 11:16 (twice in verse) (שֹׁטְרָיו), vNum 11:24 vNum 11:25 vNum 11:30; Num 16:25; Josh 7:6; Josh 8:10; Josh 9:11 (all J E), Deut 5:20 (|| רָאשֵׁי שִׁבְטֵיכֶם), Deut 27:1; Deut 29:9 (|| ראשׁי שׁבטיכם, שֹׁטְרֵיכֶם), Deut 31:9; Deut 31:28; Josh 8:33 (|| שֹׁטְרִים וְשֹׁפְטָיו), Josh 23:2 (|| רָאשׁיו, שֹׁפְטָיו, שֹׁטְרָיו); compare also probably Josh 24:31 = Judg 2:7 (all D); Lev 9:1, compare זִקְנֵי הָעֵדָה Lev 4:15 ( both P), Judg 21:16 see also 1Sam 4:3; 1Sam 8:4; 1Sam 15:30; 2Sam 3:17; 2Sam 5:3 = 1Chr 11:3; 2Sam 17:4; 2Sam 17:15; 1Kgs 8:1; 1Kgs 8:3 = 2Chr 5:2; 2Chr 5:4, also 1Chr 15:25; 1Chr 21:16 compare Isa 3:2 (גִּבּוֺר וְאִישׁ מִלְחָמָ֑ה ׳שׁוֺפֵט וְנָבִיא וְקֹסֵם וְז), Isa 9:14 (|| נְשׂוּאפָֿנִים, but see probably gloss, compare Ew Che Di Du and others); elders of one tribe (Judah) 1Sam 30:26; 2Sam 19:12, so of Gilead Judg 11:5; Judg 11:7; Judg 11:8; Judg 11:9; Judg 11:10; Judg 11:11 after the division of the kingdoms, of Northern Israel זקני הארץ 1Kgs 20:7 compare v1Kgs 20:8, also 2Kgs 6:32 (twice in verse); 2Kgs 10:1 (|| שָׂרִים etc.) compare v2Kgs 10:5 under Josiah זקני יְהוּדָה 2Kgs 23:1 = 2Chr 34:29 see also הארץ ׳ז Jer 26:17, compare זקני ארץ Prov 31:23, compare Lam 1:19; Lam 2:10; Lam 4:16; Lam 5:12; Lam 5:14 (|| שׂרים; + שַׁעַר); often in Ezek.: Ezek 7:26 (|| כהן), of Judah Ezek 8:1, of Israel Ezek 8:11; Ezek 8:12; Ezek 14:1; Ezek 20:1; Ezek 20:3, also Ezek 9:6 (but strike out Co). Exilic הַגּוֺלָה ׳ז Jer 29:1 (|| הכהנים, הנביאים); post-exile Ezra 10:8 (|| שׂרים), possibly also Joel 1:14 elders of ׳י Isa 24:23 (compare Exod 24:1; Exod 24:9), זִקְנֵי הַכֹּהֲנִים 2Kgs 19:2 = Isa 37:2, so Jer 19:1 (|| זקני העם); of other peoples, Midian Num 22:4; Num 22:7, Moab vNum 22:7 (all E), Egypt Ps 105:22 (|| שׂרים); of Gebal Ezek 27:9 elders of a city, especially as sitting in the gate to judge Deut 19:12; Deut 21:2 (+ שֹׁפְטֶיךָ) vDeut 21:3 vDeut 21:4 vDeut 21:6 vDeut 21:19 (+ שַׁעַרמְֿקֹמוֺ), vDeut 21:20; Deut 22:15 (+ הַשָּׁ֑עְרָה), vDeut 22:16 vDeut 22:17 vDeut 22:18; Deut 25:7 (+ הַשַּׁ֫עֲרָה), vDeut 25:8 vDeut 25:9 (all in Deuteronomic code, and only so therein), Ruth 4:2; Ruth 4:4; Ruth 4:9; Ruth 4:11 (compare שַׁעַר vRuth 4:1 vRuth 4:11), מוֺשַׁב זְקֵנִים Ps 107:32 (|| קְהַלעָֿ֑ם); Judg 8:14 (|| שׂרים), vJudg 8:16; 1Sam 11:3; 1Sam 16:4; 1Kgs 21:8; 1Kgs 21:11; Ezra 10:14.