τετρακισχίλιοι

four thousand

Definition

The Greek adjective τετρακισχίλιοι (tetrakischilioi) means 'four thousand' and is used exclusively as a specific, literal number in the New Testament. It appears in the Gospels to quantify the size of crowds miraculously fed by Jesus (Matthew 15:38, Matthew 16:10, Mark 8:9, Mark 8:20). In Acts 21:38, it is used by a Roman commander to ask Paul if he is the leader of a specific band of four thousand Jewish rebels known as the 'Sicarii.' There is no symbolic or metaphorical use of the number in these contexts; it consistently denotes a precise count.

Biblical Usage

This word is used five times in the New Testament, always as a precise numeral. Its primary usage is in the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew and Mark) to specify the number of men, besides women and children, fed by Jesus in the miraculous feedings (the feeding of the four thousand). It is used in both the narrative of the event and in Jesus's later reminders to his disciples about the leftover baskets (Matthew 16:10, Mark 8:20). The final occurrence is historical and secular, used in a question about the size of a rebel force in Acts 21:38.

Etymology

The word is a compound adjective formed from the Greek words τέτταρες (tettares, 'four') and χίλιοι (chilioi, 'thousand'). It follows a standard Greek pattern for forming cardinal numbers in the thousands. The root χίλιοι is also the source for the theological term 'chiliasm' (belief in a thousand-year reign), though τετρακισχίλιοi itself carries no such symbolic meaning.

Semantic Range

While the number itself is not theologically charged, its use is significant. In the Gospels, it quantifies the recipients of Jesus's miraculous provision, underscoring the scale of his compassion and divine power. The specific recall of the number (e.g., 'the seven loaves for the four thousand' in Matthew 16:10) serves to remind the disciples—and the reader—of God's faithfulness and sufficiency. Understanding it as a precise figure reinforces the historical reliability of the miraculous accounts.

In the Greco-Roman world, precise numbers for military troops, as in Acts 21:38, were important for assessing threats. The number four thousand for a rebel band indicates a significant, organized insurrection. In the feeding miracles, specifying 'four thousand men' (andries) highlights Jesus's impact on a substantial, countable assembly, which would have been culturally understood as a major gathering, often implying a degree of social or political significance.

χίλιοι (chilioi, G5507) — The base word meaning 'one thousand.' τετρακισχίλιοι is its direct derivative for 'four thousand.'

Word Details

Scripture References