Like a fierce and ancient patriarch who sits motionless in his wheeled chair for days and at whom relatives glance fearfully and say, "Do you suppose he's still alive?"

Both the Samaritan sect and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) claim Joseph as one of their ancient tribal patriarchs.

It was strange to stand among them like some ancient patriarch, treated with a mixture of awe and condescension, like a grandpa.

Siptar, the ancient patriarch, nodded prudently.

Journalist Ahmed Osman has suggested an identification between Joseph, the ancient Hebrew patriarch who led the tribe of Israel into Egypt during a famine, and Yuya.

Jain tradition also shows that these tales were popular and were worked up into different forms, for the Jains have an elaborate system of ancient patriarchs which includes Vâsudevas and Baladevas.

You're no better than an ancient patriarch.

Crisal held the paper to the light and began: "To Fyx, ancient and worthless patriarch of the Tarzak Magicians, Greetings.

I'll tell you what I think, I think that those two Captains set out like ancient patriarchs with their wives and their families and their flocks and so on, heading for somewhere where they wouldn't be persecuted.

"Come closer," the scrawny ancient patriarch ordered from his dais.