The Patriarchs

Abraham was the beginning of the “patriarchs”, which means, in the context of Scripture, Jewish fathers or fathers of the nation of the Jews, Israel. For example, “The patriarch Abraham” (He 7:4), and “Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs” (Ac 7:8). The twelve included Joseph and his brothers. David was also called a patriarch (Ac 2:29), but he lived under the Mosaic Age Law, whereas Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob did not. All of them and more helped lead and father the Jewish nation at critical points in their history up until the time of Christ or the Christian Age.

The Patriarchs

.... more about this in the Bible Study on the Old Testament