עֶשֶׂר (e.ser)
e.ser
ten
H:NQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 138 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N
Word Overview
The Hebrew word eser means ten, serving as the basic cardinal number in biblical texts. It appears frequently in historical and legal passages, particularly in Numbers and Kings, where it records precise counts of people, livestock, or temple materials. The sources note that it is almost always paired with a plural noun, reflecting the grammatical rule for numbers above one.
Its etymology traces back to the idea of fingers, suggesting the number originated from counting on ten digits. This concrete origin anchors its use in everyday life and census data. While often used as a precise figure, eser can also function as a round number or approximation, as seen when Jacob describes his hardships lasting ten years (Genesis 31:7) or when Job references a decade of suffering.
Translators typically render eser simply as "ten," though it forms the basis for compound numbers like fifteen or twenty. The word’s straightforward nature highlights its role in organizing biblical narratives, from the ten tribes of Israel to the ten plagues, providing a structural clarity that underpins many Old Testament accounts.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word eser means ten, a number rooted in the simple act of counting on fingers. In Scripture, it often marks complete sets or divine order, such as the Ten Commandments that guide moral life or the ten tribes that formed part of Israel’s history. This concrete origin reminds us that God cares about the details of our daily lives, from family sizes to community structures.
When biblical texts use eser, they are not just listing statistics but highlighting patterns of faithfulness and judgment. For instance, Abraham’s intercession for Sodom shows how ten people could represent a sufficient remnant of righteousness to spare a city. This number invites us to see order in chaos and hope in small groups.
In your own journey, eser can encourage you to value the small, faithful steps that add up to a full life. Just as ten fingers make a whole hand, your daily acts of kindness and prayer contribute to God’s larger plan. Trust that even modest efforts are seen and valued by Him.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 138 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- ten94×
- and/ ten23×
- [the] ten11×
- [was] ten6×
- tens3×
- the/ ten2×
- more than/ ten2×
- and/ [was] ten2×
- about/ ten2×
- for/ [the] ten1×
- and/ [the] ten1×
- about/ [the] ten1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- עֶ֣שֶׂר18×
- עֲשָׂרָ֥ה16×
- עֶ֥שֶׂר9×
- עֲשָׂרָ֣ה8×
- עֲשֶׂ֥רֶת8×
- עֲשֶׂ֣רֶת8×
- עֲשָׂרָ֑ה6×
- עֶ֖שֶׂר5×
- וָ/עֶ֖שֶׂר4×
- וַ/עֲשֶׂ֥רֶת4×
- עֲשָׂרָֽה\׃3×
- עֲשָׂרָ֧ה3×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 34:28
He was there with Yahweh forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread, nor drank water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.
This verse identifies the Decalogue as 'ten words,' establishing eser as the count for God's foundational moral law.
-
Genesis 18:32
He said, “Oh don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak just once more. What if ten are found there?” He said, “I will not destroy it for the ten’s sake.”
Abraham negotiates with God to spare Sodom if ten righteous people are found, showing eser as a threshold of mercy.
-
Exodus 18:25
Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
Moses appoints leaders over groups of ten, demonstrating how eser organizes community governance and justice.
-
Genesis 31:7
Your father has deceived me, and changed my wages ten times, but God didn’t allow him to hurt me.
Jacob notes his wages were changed ten times, using eser to emphasize the completeness of his long-term hardship.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word eser mean?
Why is the number ten significant in the Bible?
How is eser used in everyday biblical narratives?
Does eser always mean exactly ten?
Every Occurrence (138 verses across 25 books)
Genesis 11 verses
and all of the days of Kenan were nine hundred ten years, then he died.
Genesis 16:3Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, and…
Genesis 18:32He said, “Oh don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak just once more. What if ten are found there?” He said, “I…
Genesis 24:10The servant took ten of his master’s camels, and departed, having a variety of good things of his master’s with him. He…
Genesis 24:22As the camels had finished drinking, the man took a golden ring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her…
Genesis 31:7Your father has deceived me, and changed my wages ten times, but God didn’t allow him to hurt me.
Genesis 31:41These twenty years I have been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for…
Genesis 42:3Joseph’s ten brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.
Genesis 45:23He sent the following to his father: ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded…
Genesis 50:22Joseph lived in Egypt, he, and his father’s house. Joseph lived one hundred ten years.
Genesis 50:26So Joseph died, being one hundred ten years old, and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.