Reference: Patriarchs
Fausets
Heads of races, tribes, clans, and families. Abraham (Heb 7:4), Jacob's sons (Ac 7:8-9), David (Ac 2:29). The" patriarchal system" before Moses developed itself out of family relations, before the foundation of nations and regular governments. The "patriarchal dispensation" is the covenant between God and the godly seed, Seth, Noah, Abraham, and their descendants; the freedom of intercourse with God is simple and childlike, as contrasted with the sterner aspect of the Mosaic dispensation. It is the innocence of childhood, contrasted with the developed manhood of our Christian dispensation. The distinction between the seed of the woman and that of the serpent appears in God's revealing Himself to the chosen as He did not to the world; hence their history is typical (Ga 4:21-31; Heb 7:1-7; Mt 24:37-39; Lu 17:28-32; Ro 9:10-13).
Yet God is revealed as God not merely of a tribe, but of all the earth (Ge 18:25). All nations were to be blessed in Abraham. The Gentile Pharaoh and Abimelech have revelations. God is called "almighty" (Ge 17:1; 28:3; 35:11). Melchizedek, of Canaanite Salem, is His king priest, and He punishes Canaanite Sodom and Gomorrah. Authority is grounded on paternal right, its natural ground and source, even as God is the common Father of both patriarch and children. The birthright is the privilege of the firstborn, but requiring the father's confirmation. Marriage is sacred (Ge 34:7,13,31; 38:24). Intermarriage with idolaters is treason to God and the chosen seed (Ge 26:34-35; 27:46; 28:1,6-9). The patriarchs severally typify Him in whom all their several graces meet, without blemish.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And when Abram was ninety-nine years old, LORD appeared to Abram, and said to him, I am God Almighty, walk before me, and be thou perfect.
That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay a righteous man with a wicked man, that so the righteous man should be as the wicked man. Far be it from thee. Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
And when Esau was forty years old he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite. And they were a bitterness of spirit to Isaac and to Rebekah.
And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth. If Jacob takes a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these, of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?
And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and ordered him, and said to him, Thou shall not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.
And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou may be a company of peoples,
Now Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Paddan-aram, to take for him a wife from there, and that as he blessed him he gave him an order, saying, Thou shall not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan, and that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Paddan-aram. read more. And Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan did not please Isaac his father. And Esau went to Ishmael, and took, besides the wives that he had, Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son, the sister of Nebaioth, to be his wife.
And the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it. And the men were grieved, and they were very angry, because he had wrought folly in Israel in laying with Jacob's daughter, which thing ought not to be done.
And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father with guile, and spoke, because he had defiled Dinah their sister,
And God said to him, I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins.
And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter-in-law has played the harlot, and moreover, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be bur
And as the days of Noah, so also will be the coming of the Son of man. For as in the days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage until that day Noah entered into the ark. read more. And they knew not until the flood came, and took them all away. So also will be the coming of the Son of man.
And likewise as it happened in the days of Lot. They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built. But in that day Lot went out from Sodom he rained fire and brimstone from the sky, and destroyed them all. read more. It will be according to these things in that day the Son of man is revealed. In that day, he who will be on the housetop, and his vessels in the house, let him not go down to take them up. And let him who is in the field likewise not return for the things behind. Remember Lot's wife.
Men, brothers, being permitted to speak to you with openness about the patriarch David, that he both perished and was buried, and his sepulcher is with us to this day.
And he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so he begot Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day. And Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob the twelve patriarchs. And the patriarchs, being envious, sold Joseph into Egypt. And God was with him,
And not only so, but also Rebecca having bed from one man, our father Isaac (for not yet having been born, nor having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to selection might remain, not from works, but from him who calls), read more. it was said to her, The older will serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob I loved, but Esau I regarded inferior.
Tell me those desiring to be under law, do ye not hear the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one from the servant girl, and one from the freewoman. read more. But in fact, the man from the servant girl was born according to flesh, but the man from the freewoman through promise. Which things are allegorized, for these are two covenants, indeed one from mount Sinai giving birth for bondage, which is Hagar. For Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and it corresponds to the present Jerusalem, and is in bondage with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, which is mother of us all. For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren woman not giving birth. Burst forth and shout, thou not suffering birth pains, because many more are the children of the desolate than of her who has the husband. Now we, brothers, who correspond to Isaac, are children of promise. But just as then, the man who was born according to flesh persecuted the man according to Spirit, so also now. Nevertheless, what does the scripture say? Send away the servant girl and her son, for the son of the servant girl will, no, not inherit with the son of the freewoman. So then, brothers, we are not children of a servant girl, but of the freewoman.
For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, having met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, also blessed him. To whom also Abraham divided a tenth of all. Being actually translated, first, king of righteousness, and then also, king of Salem, which is king of peace, read more. without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but having been made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually. And notice how great this man was, to whom also the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth out of the best spoils.
And notice how great this man was, to whom also the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth out of the best spoils. Now indeed those of the sons of Levi who receive the priesthood have commandment to collect tithes from the people according to the law, that is, of their brothers, although having come out of the loins of Abraham. read more. But the man who did not descend from them has received tithes from Abraham, and has blessed the man having the promises. And without all contradiction the inferior is blessed by the superior.
Watsons
PATRIARCHS. This name is given to the ancient fathers, chiefly those who lived before Moses, as Adam, Lamech, Noah, Shem, &c, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the sons of Jacob, and heads of the tribes. The Hebrews call them princes of the tribes, or heads of the fathers. The name patriarch is derived from the Greek patriarcha, "head of a family."