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Ἰάκωβος

Iákōbos

G2385 noun

SILEX Entry

Root Ἰακωβ- proper name (Jacob, James), to follow at the heel (as the root meaning in Hebrew)

Definition

Ἰάκωβος (Iákōbos) is a masculine personal name, reflecting the Greek adaptation of the Hebrew name Yaʿaqōb (Jacob). In the Septuagint and Greek Jewish writings, it refers to the biblical patriarch Jacob, the ancestor of the Israelites. In Second Temple and New Testament contexts, it designates various individuals, notably several Judean men (e.g., 'James' in English tradition) including followers of Jesus and family members. The name does not convey any lexical meaning beyond its role as a proper noun, but it carries ancestral and religious significance due to its biblical associations. The semantic range encompasses the patriarch Jacob; followers or relatives named Jacob/James in late Second Temple and early Christian texts; and general personal use in Greek-speaking Jewish, Judean, and early Christian communities.

Semantic Range

name of the Israelite patriarch Jacob; personal name for male Judeans or Israelites; name for prominent individuals in Judean/early Christian contexts (e.g., James the son of Zebedee; James the brother of John; James 'the Lord's brother'); any man named Jacob/James in Greek-speaking Judean or Israelite communities

Root / Etymology

Greek Ἰάκωβος derives from the Hebrew יַעֲקֹב (Yaʿaqōb), likely through the intermediary form Ἰακώβ (Iakōb) used in the Septuagint. The original Hebrew root likely relates to the verb עָקֵב ('to follow at the heel'), referencing the narrative of Jacob's birth in Genesis. Some ancient traditions link the name to 'supplanter,' but this is more interpretive than etymological.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Ἰάκωβος is a transliteration rather than translation, first appearing in the Septuagint to refer to the patriarch Jacob. In the New Testament, it refers to several prominent Judeans: (1) the brother of John, son of Zebedee; (2) the son of Alphaeus, one of the twelve; (3) 'James the brother of the Lord' or the leader of the Jerusalem community. English Bibles often render Ἰάκωβος as 'James,' particularly for post-biblical figures, reflecting Latin and later tradition rather than a linguistic distinction in the Greek or Hebrew. In Jewish Greek writings and the Septuagint, it refers solely to the patriarch; in early Christian usage, it expands to several other figures. The use of 'James' in English translations is a late convention, and all referents are, linguistically, the same as 'Jacob.' There is no significant semantic distinction in Greek between 'Jacob' and 'James.'

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

the same as Ἰακώβ Græcized; Jacobus, the name of three Israelites:--James.

Root Family

Ἰάκωβος (Iakōbos) — proper name (Jacob, James), to follow at the heel (Hebrew root sense)

Word Forms

4 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G2385-02 Ἰάκωβον iakobon N ACC M SG James Jacob Iakobos 16
G2385-04 Ἰακώβου iakobou N GEN M SG of James of Jacob Iakobos 13
G2385-03 Ἰάκωβος iakobos N NOM M SG James Jacob Iakobos 11
G2385-01 Ἰακώβῳ iakobo N DAT M SG to James to Jacob Iakobos 2

Occurrences in Scripture

42 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G2385-02 Matthew 4:21 Ἰάκωβον iakobon N ACC M SG James Jacob Iakobos
G2385-03 Matthew 10:2 Ἰάκωβος iakobos N NOM M SG James Jacob Iakobos
G2385-03 Matthew 10:3 Ἰάκωβος iakobos N NOM M SG James Jacob Iakobos
G2385-03 Matthew 13:55 Ἰάκωβος iakobos N NOM M SG James Jacob Iakobos
G2385-02 Matthew 17:1 Ἰάκωβον iakobon N ACC M SG James Jacob Iakobos
G2385-04 Matthew 27:56 Ἰακώβου iakobou N GEN M SG James of Jacob Iakobos
G2385-02 Mark 1:19 Ἰάκωβον iakobon N ACC M SG James Jacob Iakobos
G2385-04 Mark 1:29 Ἰακώβου iakobou N GEN M SG James of Jacob Iakobos
G2385-02 Mark 3:17 Ἰάκωβον iakobon N ACC M SG James Jacob Iakobos
G2385-04 Mark 3:17 Ἰακώβου iakobou N GEN M SG James of Jacob Iakobos
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