עֶשְׂרִין

Definition

The word עֶשְׂרִין (ʻesrîyn) is the Aramaic form of the Hebrew word for 'twenty'. It functions as a cardinal number, used for counting and quantifying. In its single biblical occurrence in Daniel 6:1, it specifies the number of satraps (administrators) King Darius appointed over his kingdom. This usage is purely numerical, with no symbolic or figurative meaning attached in this context.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only once in the Old Testament, specifically in the Aramaic portions of the book of Daniel. It appears in Daniel 6:1 (6:2 in some English versions) within a historical narrative describing the administrative structure of the Medo-Persian Empire. The context is secular and governmental, quantifying the number of officials. There are no patterns of usage, as it is a single, straightforward numerical term.

Etymology

עֶשְׂרִין is the Aramaic cognate of the Hebrew number עֶשְׂרִים (ʻesrîym, H6242), both meaning 'twenty'. It is derived from the common Semitic root for the number two (עשׂר), with the ending -în being a standard Aramaic masculine plural absolute form. Its meaning is stable and corresponds directly to its Hebrew counterpart, showing the linguistic overlap in the biblical texts.

Semantic Range

In the ancient Near East, numbers like twenty were used in administrative and historical records, as seen in Daniel 6:1. The appointment of twenty satraps reflects a practical division of governance in a vast empire. There is no indication the number twenty held special symbolic significance in this Aramaic administrative context, unlike some symbolic uses of numbers in Hebrew prophetic literature.

עֶשְׂרִים (ʻesrîym, H6242) — The direct Hebrew equivalent, used throughout the Hebrew Old Testament.

Word Details

Scripture References