Greek word · G1182

δέκατος

dekatos

tenth

Literally 'a tenth' and '7,000'. In Revelation numbers are deliberate and symbolic (seven = completeness).

Appears 7 times in 7 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

δέκατος, -η, -ον

(δέκα), [in LXX for מַעֲשֵׂר and cognate forms ;]

tenth: John 1:40, Acts 19:9 (WH, txt., RV omit), Revelation 11:13; 21:20.†

(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 Revelation 11:13

Range of meaning

Literally 'a tenth' and '7,000'. In Revelation numbers are deliberate and symbolic (seven = completeness).

Against the English

No English version mistranslates these. What gets lost is their Old Testament echoes.

Used elsewhere in the period

1 Kings 19:18: God keeps 7,000 in Israel who have not bowed to Baal, a faithful few saved while the majority faces judgment. Isa 6:13: only 'a tenth' remains. Amos 5:3: a city that sends out a thousand will have a hundred left (a tenth). In these texts judgment takes most and a small part survives.

Similar words

Where it appears

John · 1

  1. John 1:39 δεκάτη. [the] tenth.

    “Come and see,” He replied. So they went and saw where He was staying, and spent that day with Him. It was about the tenth hour.

    Here: The tenth hour after sunrise, roughly 4 p.m. in the usual Jewish and Greco-Roman way of counting. The day was nearly over.

Hebrews · 4

  1. Hebrews 7:2 δεκάτην a tenth

    and Abraham apportioned to him a tenth of everything. First, his name means “king of righteousness.” Then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.”

    Here: "A tenth" (the word 'part' is understood). It is the ordinary word for a tithe, but here it is the tenth Abraham gave in Genesis 14:20, which 7:4 says came from the spoils of war.

  2. Hebrews 7:4 δεκάτην a tenth

    Consider how great Melchizedek was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder.

  3. Hebrews 7:8 δεκάτας tithes

    In the case of the Levites, mortal men collect the tenth; but in the case of Melchizedek, it is affirmed that he lives on.

  4. Hebrews 7:9 δεκάτας tithes

    And so to speak, Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham.

Revelation · 2

  1. Revelation 11:13 δέκατον a tenth

    And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand were killed in the quake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

    Here: One tenth of the city. The number is limited on purpose. Earlier trumpet judgments struck a third (8:7–12); here only a tenth falls, and OT 'tenth' sayings stand in the background (Isa 6:13; Amos 5:3).

  2. Revelation 21:20 δέκατος tenth

    the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.

    Here: Tenth foundation layer.

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