Jaakan meaning

Meaning

Unclear but perhaps He Twists

Etymology

From the verb עקם ('aqam), to twist.

Related names

• Via עקם ('aqam): Akan, Bene-jaakan

Jaakan is a son of Ezer and a grandson of Seir (1 Chronicles 1:42). He is also known as Akan (Genesis 36:27) and eventually, his name became part of a location: Bene-jaakan, meaning 'Sons Of Jaakan' (Numbers 33:31).

Not many sources propose interpretations of this name. BDB Theological Dictionary, HAW Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament and NOBSE Study Bible Name List feature no entries for this name.

The valiant Alfred Jones (Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names) follows the brilliant scholar Gesenius, who determined that the assumed root עקן ('kn) is perhaps related to הקל (hql). Unfortunately, this root is also not used in the Bible and we have no idea what any of them mean in a context.

But, says Gesenius, these mysterious verbs may also have something to do with the Aramaic root עקם ('qm), which means to twist or to wrest.

The Easton's Bible Dictionary appears to agree with Jones and Gesenius and reads He Twists for Jaakan and Twisted for Akan.

In the sense of its meaning, the name Jaakan is somewhat similar to the names Levi and Naphtali.