Abraham was commanded by God to offer his son up as a sacrifice in the land of Moriah. Proceeding to obey, he was prevented by an angel as he was about to sacrifice his son, and slew a ram which he found on the spot
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Their primary wives — Sarah (wife of Abraham), Rebekah (wife of Isaac), and Leah and Rachel (the wives of Jacob — are known as the Matriarchs. Thus, classical Judaism considers itself to have three patriarchs and four matriarchs.

The word has mainly taken on specific ecclesiastical meanings. In particular, the highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, the Roman Catholic Church (above Major Archbishop and primate), and the Assyrian Church of the East are called patriarchs.

The office and ecclesiastical conscription (comprising one or more provinces, though outside his own (arch)diocese he is often without enforceable jurisdiction, unlike the Pope of Rome) of such a patriarch is called a patriarchate. Historically, a Patriarch may often be the logical choice to act as Ethnarch, representing the community that is identified with his religious confession within a state or empire of a different creed (as Christians within the Ottoman Empire).

Other uses

In addition, the title patriarch is often applied to the ten antediluvian figures Adam, Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah. According to the Book of Genesis, these ten men are the ancestors of the entire human race.

Ages of the Patriarchs

• Adam 930;

  Thus all the days that Adam lived were 930 years, and he died. —Genesis 5:5

• Seth 912;

  Thus all the days of Seth were 912 years, and he died. —Genesis 5:8

• Enosh 905;

  Thus all the days of Enosh were 905 years, and he died. —Genesis 5:11

• Kenan 910;

  Thus all the days of Kenan were 910 years, and he died. —Genesis 5:14

• Mahalalel 895;

  Thus all the days of Mahalalel were 895 years, and he died. —Genesis 5:17

• Jared 962;

  Thus all the days of Jared were 962 years, and he died. —Genesis 5:20

• Enoch 365

  ²³Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. ²⁴Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him. —Genesis 5:22-24

• Methuselah 969;

  Thus all the days of Methuselah were 969 years, and he die —Genesis 5:27

• Lamech 777;

  Thus all the days of Lamech were 777 years, and he died. —Genesis 5:31

• Noah 950.

  All the days of Noah were 950 years, and he died. —Genesis 9:29

Relation to other tribes

• Noah, father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth
  • Ham, father of Canaan (Canaanites)
    • Canaan, father of
      • Sidon, Hittites, Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashities, Hivites, Arkites, Sinites, Arvadites, Zemarites, and Hamathites
• Terah (descendant of Shem), father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran
• Abram and Hagar, parents of Ishmael (Ishmaelites)
• Abram and Keturah, parents of Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian (Midianites), Ishbak, Shuah
• Nahor and Milcah, parents of Uz, Buz, Kemuel, esed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel
  • Kemuel, father of Aram (Arameans)
  • Bethuel, father of Laban and Rebeccah
    • Laban, father of Leah and Rachel
• Nahor and Reumah, parents of Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah
• Haran, father of Lot
  • Lot and his older daughter, parents of Moab (Moabites)
  • Lot and his younger daughter, parents of Ben-ammi (Ammonites)
• Abraham and Sarah, parents of Isaac
• Isaac and Rebeccah, parents of Jacob, Esau (Edomites)
  • Esau and Adah, parents of Eliphaz
    • Eliphaz and Timna, parents of Amalek (Amalekites)
• 
  Jacob (later Israel) and Leah, parents of Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun
• Jacob and Rachel, parents of Joseph, Benjamin
• Jacob and Bilhah, parents of Dan, Naphtali
• Jacob and Zilpah, parents of Gad, Asher
• Joseph and Asenath, parents of Manasseh, Ephraim

In the New Testament, King David is referred to as a patriarch, as are Jacob's twelve sons the ancestors of the Twelve tribes of Israel).