עֲשַׂר
ten
Definition
The Hebrew word עֲשַׂר (ʻăsar) is an Aramaic noun meaning 'ten.' It denotes the cardinal number ten, representing a complete unit or group, often used in counting or quantifying items, people, or periods. In the biblical context where it appears, it consistently signifies the number ten, with no significant variation in meaning across its occurrences. For example, in Ezra 6:17, it refers to ten bulls offered as a sacrifice, while in Daniel 4:29, it describes a period of ten years. The word is used exclusively in Aramaic portions of the Old Testament, reflecting its linguistic origin.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only in the Aramaic sections of the Old Testament, specifically in the books of Ezra and Daniel. It appears five times, always as the numeral 'ten,' and is applied in contexts involving quantities or measurements. In Ezra 6:17, it counts sacrificial animals (ten bulls), and in Daniel 4:29, 7:7, 7:20, and 7:24, it quantifies years or horns, often in prophetic or visionary settings. Its usage is straightforward, with no figurative or symbolic deviations from its literal numerical sense.
Etymology
עֲשַׂר (ʻăsar) is an Aramaic word, corresponding to the Hebrew עֶשֶׂר (ʻeser, H6235), both meaning 'ten.' It derives from a common Semitic root for the number ten, shared across languages like Hebrew, Aramaic, and Arabic. The masculine form in Aramaic is עֲשְׂרָה, and it functions as a basic cardinal number without complex derivations, reflecting its ancient origin in counting systems.
Semantic Range
In the ancient Near East, the number ten often symbolized completeness or a full set, as seen in systems like the Ten Commandments. However, in the specific uses of עֲשַׂר in Ezra and Daniel, it primarily serves a literal counting function without additional symbolic weight in those passages. Culturally, it aligns with common numerical practices of the time, used for practical quantification in records and prophecies.
עֶשֶׂר (ʻeser, H6235) — The Hebrew equivalent meaning 'ten,' used in non-Aramaic portions of the Old Testament.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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