עֶשְׂרִים
twenty; also (ordinal) twentieth
Definition
The Hebrew word עֶשְׂרִים (ʻesrîym) is a cardinal number meaning 'twenty'. It can also function as an ordinal number, meaning 'twentieth'. It is used to denote a specific quantity, such as twenty years (Genesis 31:38), twenty shekels (Genesis 37:28), or twenty days (Genesis 31:41). In its ordinal sense, it marks a position in a sequence, as in the twentieth year (Genesis 8:14) or the twentieth day (Genesis 8:14). The word is derived from the base number ten (עֶשֶׂר), indicating a doubling of that foundational unit.
Biblical Usage
עֶשְׂרִים appears frequently throughout the Old Testament, with notable clusters in the historical books (Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Kings, Chronicles). It is used for counting years (Genesis 31:38), people (Genesis 18:31), shekels (Genesis 37:28), and days (Genesis 8:14). A significant pattern is its use in age references, such as Sarah living 127 years (Genesis 23:1) or Abraham's servant being with him for twenty years (Genesis 24:34). It also appears in legal and sacrificial contexts, like the redemption price for a male between 20 and 60 years old (Leviticus 27:3-5).
Etymology
The word עֶשְׂרִים is the masculine plural form derived from the root עֶשֶׂר (ʻeser, H6235), meaning 'ten'. It follows a common Semitic pattern for forming tens. Cognates exist in other Semitic languages, like Ugaritic ʻšrm and Arabic ʻishrūn, all meaning 'twenty'. The formation essentially signifies 'two tens', reflecting a decimal system.
Semantic Range
In ancient Israelite culture, the number twenty often marked a threshold into full adulthood, particularly for military service (Numbers 1:3) and census counts. Being 'twenty years old and upward' signified eligibility for civic and religious responsibilities. This differs from modern Western adulthood markers, which vary but often center around ages 18 or 21. The number also functioned as a common unit for weights, currency, and measurements in daily economic life.
עֶשֶׂר (ʻeser, H6235) — the base number 'ten', from which 'twenty' is derived. מֵאָה (me'ah, H3967) — the number 'one hundred', representing a larger common counting unit. אַרְבָּעִים (arbaʻîym, H705) — the number 'forty', another frequently used round number in biblical narratives.
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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