τετρακισχίλιοι (tetrakischilioi)
tetrakischilioi
four thousand
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 5 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The word tetrakischilioi is a specific numerical adjective meaning exactly four thousand. It appears in the New Testament to count large groups of people, most notably during Jesus’ miracles of feeding crowds. In Matthew 15:38 and Mark 8:9, it records the number of men fed after the miracle with seven loaves, highlighting the sheer scale of the provision.
Its structure combines roots for "four" and "thousand," modified by an element indicating multiplicity or collectivity. This distinguishes it from simpler terms for thousands, emphasizing a substantial, gathered multitude rather than an abstract number. The term also appears in Acts 21:38, where a Roman tribune addresses a crowd of four thousand Egyptian rebels, showing its use in historical and military contexts beyond the gospel narratives.
Translators consistently render it as "four thousand" without variation, as the meaning is precise and unambiguous. Its limited occurrence—only five verses across Matthew, Mark, and Acts—makes each instance significant. The word anchors the reader’s imagination to a concrete reality: large groups of people witnessing divine power or political tension, grounded in specific historical moments rather than vague generalities.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The New Testament uses this specific number—four thousand—to anchor our faith in tangible history. When Jesus fed such a vast crowd with just seven loaves, He did not offer a vague promise but a concrete meal. This detail invites us to trust that God sees the size of our needs and provides beyond what seems possible.
Even in Acts, the same count appears among political tensions, reminding us that God’s presence is not limited to peaceful moments. Whether in times of abundance or unrest, the Scriptures show a God who knows the number of those He cares for. We can rest in the knowledge that no crowd is too large for His attention.
This precision in the text helps us move from abstract ideas to real trust. It suggests that the same power that gathered thousands is available to gather and sustain you in your daily life, offering hope that is grounded in historical reality rather than mere sentiment.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 5 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- four thousand4×
- four thousand;1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- τετρακισχιλίους2×
- τετρακισχίλιοι·1×
- τετρακισχίλιοι1×
- τετρακισχιλίων1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 15:38
Those who ate were four thousand men, in addition to women and children.
This verse highlights the sheer scale of Jesus' provision, noting that four thousand men were fed alongside women and children.
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Mark 8:9
Those who had eaten were about four thousand. Then he sent them away.
Here the term emphasizes the completeness of the miracle, as the entire group of four thousand was satisfied before being sent away.
-
Acts 21:38
Aren’t you then the Egyptian who before these days stirred up to sedition and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men of the Assassins?”
This occurrence shifts the context to history, identifying a specific group of rebels to show how the number applies to political realities.