δέκατος

tenth

Definition

The adjective δέκατος means 'tenth' and is used in the New Testament in a straightforward ordinal sense to denote position in a sequence. In John 1:39, it refers to the 'tenth hour' of the day, a specific time. In Revelation 21:20, it describes the tenth foundation stone of the New Jerusalem. The word does not carry extended metaphorical meanings in its biblical usage, consistently indicating the number ten in an ordered list.

Biblical Usage

The word is used only three times in the New Testament, all in a literal, numerical sense. It appears in the Gospel of John (John 1:39) to specify a time of day. In Revelation, it is used twice: once to describe a specific fraction of a city that falls in an earthquake (Revelation 11:13) and once in the symbolic description of the New Jerusalem's foundations (Revelation 21:20). There is no discernible pattern of specialized usage across different books or genres.

Etymology

The word δέκατος is directly derived from the cardinal number δέκα (deka, G1176), meaning 'ten.' It follows a standard Greek pattern for forming ordinal numbers (e.g., πρῶτος for 'first'). Its meaning is stable and transparent, simply denoting the position following the ninth.

Semantic Range

In the ancient world, the 'tenth' could carry cultural weight in systems of tithing or division, but the New Testament uses of δέκατος do not explicitly invoke those associations. In John 1:39, the 'tenth hour' (about 4 PM) was a late afternoon time, potentially significant for the length of the disciples' first day with Jesus, but the text itself does not elaborate on this. The uses in Revelation are part of symbolic numerical architecture (e.g., twelve foundations) rather than pointing to a specific cultural practice.

δέκα (deka, G1176) — The cardinal number 'ten,' whereas δέκατος is the ordinal 'tenth.'

Word Details

Scripture References