עָשָׂר
ten (only in combination), i.e. -teen; also (ordinal) -teenth
Definition
The Hebrew word עָשָׂר (ʻâsâr) is a numeral meaning 'ten,' but it is used almost exclusively in combination with other numbers to form compound numerals. Its primary function is to create the numbers 11 through 19, where it signifies the '-teen' component (e.g., 'thirteen' is שְׁלֹשׁ־עֶשְׂרֵה, literally 'three and ten'). It can also function as an ordinal number, meaning '-teenth,' as in the 'fifteenth day' (Genesis 7:11). In a distinct usage, it combines with 'twenty' (עֶשְׂרִים) to form larger multiples, such as 'sixscore thousand' (120,000) in 1 Kings 8:63.
Biblical Usage
This word appears 289 times throughout the Old Testament, predominantly in historical and legal texts like Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, and the historical books. It is used to specify ages (Genesis 5:8, 10), dates (Genesis 7:11, 8:4), durations of reigns or servitude (Genesis 14:4), and counts of people or items. Its usage is formulaic, consistently following the pattern of a smaller numeral (3-9) joined to 'ten' to form teens, or preceding 'twenty' for larger multiples.
Etymology
The word עָשָׂר (ʻâsâr) is the masculine form derived from the feminine base noun עֶשֶׂר (ʻeser, H6235), which means 'ten.' This distinction is grammatical, with the masculine form used in the compound numerals. It is related to other Semitic languages, such as Ugaritic ʻšr and Arabic ʻashara, all meaning 'ten.'
Semantic Range
While a numeral, 'ten' and its compounds often appear in contexts of completeness, order, and divine appointment in Scripture. For instance, the ten generations from Adam to Noah (Genesis 5) and the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) use this base. The frequent, precise use of these numbers in genealogies, covenants, and historical accounts underscores the Bible's emphasis on God's orderly governance of history and His faithfulness across generations.
In the ancient Near East, a base-ten (decimal) system was common. The Hebrew method of forming teens by stating the unit then 'ten' (e.g., 'three and ten') differs from modern English, which reverses the order ('thir-teen'). This reflects a common additive construction in Semitic languages. Numbers like fifteen or nineteen held no unique symbolic meaning beyond their numerical value in these historical and administrative contexts.
עֶשֶׂר (ʻeser, H6235) — The base, feminine form meaning 'ten,' used independently (e.g., the Ten Commandments). עֲשָׂרָה (ʻăśārâ, H6235) — The masculine absolute form of 'ten,' also used independently.
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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