Greek word · G1180

δεκατέσσαρες

dekatessares

fourteen

The ordinary Greek number fourteen ("ten-four"). In the NT it occurs only here (three times), in 2 Corinthians 12:2, and in Galatians 2:1.

Appears 5 times in 3 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

δεκατέσσαρες, -ων, oἱ, αἱ, -α, τά

[in LXX: Genesis 31:41, Tobit 8:19, al. ;]

= cl. τεσσαρεσκαίδεκα, more frequently in later Gk. than the older form and in MGr. (for thirteen and upwards) universal, fourteen: Matthew 1:17, 2 Corinthians 12:2, Galatians 2:1 (cf. τεσσαρεσκαιδέκατος).†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Matthew 1:17

Range of meaning

The ordinary Greek number fourteen ("ten-four"). In the NT it occurs only here (three times), in 2 Corinthians 12:2, and in Galatians 2:1.

Against the English

English "fourteen" is accurate. What a modern reader misses is that the number is chosen and patterned, not just reported.

Used elsewhere in the period

Hebrew letters doubled as numbers. In David's name, דוד (D-W-D), dalet = 4, waw = 6, dalet = 4, which adds up to 14. Using the numeric value of a word to make a point is attested in Jewish and Greco-Roman writing (compare 666 in Revelation 13:18), though most rabbinic examples are later than Matthew. Fourteen is also 2 × 7, and seven is the number of completeness. A later rabbinic parallel (Exodus Rabbah 15:26) compares Israel's history from Abraham to Solomon to the moon waxing over fifteen days to full, then waning to the exile under Zedekiah. This shows that Jews did read their history as rising and falling in counted generations.

Where it appears

Matthew · 3

  1. Matthew 1:17 δεκατέσσαρες δεκατέσσαρες δεκατέσσαρες.¶ fourteen, fourteen.

    In all, then, there were fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.

    Here: The first of three "fourteens." Repeating the number is the point. Many scholars connect it to the numeric value of David's name in Hebrew (D-W-D = 4+6+4 = 14), and it is also twice seven.

2 Corinthians · 1

  1. 2 Corinthians 12:2 δεκατεσσάρων, fourteen —

    I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows.

    Here: An exact number of years. It ties the event to a real moment in Paul's life (around AD 41–42) and shows he had kept quiet about it for a long time.

Galatians · 1

  1. Galatians 2:1 δεκατεσσάρων fourteen

    Fourteen years later I went up again to Jerusalem, accompanied by Barnabas. I took Titus along also.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.