Lexical Summary tetrakosioi: Four hundred Original Word: τετρακόσιοι Strong's Exhaustive Concordance four hundred. Plural from tessares and hekaton; four hundred -- four hundred. Plural from tessares and hekaton; four hundred -- four hundred. see GREEK tessares see GREEK hekaton HELPS Word-studies 5071 tetrakósioi(from tetra, "four" and hekaton, "a hundred") – four hundred. Note: Scripture often uses multiplies (like "four" times "one hundred" = "400") to convey important symbolic meaning. For example, the product of these two numbers strongly signifies "universality" ("total inclusiveness"). [Ten stands for "completeness/inclusiveness," so 102 emphatically expresses "total inclusiveness" which emphasizes the already inclusive (universal) sense of four.] NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originpl. cardinal number from tessares and hekaton Definition four hundred NASB Translation four hundred (4). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 5071: τετρακόσιοιτετρακόσιοι, τετρακόσιαι τετρακόσια (from τετράκις, and the term. τετρακοσιος indicating one hundred; (cf. G. Meyer, Gr. Gram. § 16 f.)), four hundred: Acts 5:36; Acts 7:6; Acts 13:20; Galatians 3:17. ((Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon, others.)) Topical Lexicon Occurrences and Contexts in the New Testament 1. Acts 7:6 – a prophetic citation of Genesis foretelling Israel’s four-century sojourn and oppression in Egypt. Old Testament Background: Four Hundred Years in Salvation History The first biblical occurrence of “four hundred” appears in Genesis 15:13, where God tells Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and they will be enslaved and oppressed for four hundred years.” This number becomes a theological anchor: it frames Israel’s national gestation, highlights divine foreknowledge, and assures eventual deliverance (Genesis 15:14). Every subsequent mention of four hundred years in Scripture echoes this foundational promise-prophecy pattern. Chronological Integrity of Covenant Promise (Galatians 3:17) Paul appeals to the precision of God’s timetable: “The Law, introduced four hundred thirty years later, does not revoke the covenant previously established by God” (Galatians 3:17). The apostle defends justification by faith by showing that the Mosaic economy arrived centuries after the unilateral covenant with Abraham. The inclusion of “four hundred” in the larger figure underscores two truths: Bondage and Deliverance Foreshadowed (Acts 7:6) Stephen echoes Genesis in his defense before the Sanhedrin: “They would be enslaved and mistreated for four hundred years.” He places Israel’s oppression within the grand narrative pointing to Jesus Christ. The four-century span, therefore, is more than a statistic; it is a prophetic type prefiguring the greater exodus accomplished by Christ (Luke 9:31), whose cross rescues sinners from the bondage of sin and death. False Messiahs and the Limits of Human Movements (Acts 5:36) Gamaliel’s speech identifies Theudas’ four hundred adherents as an emblem of futility: “He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing.” The number here illustrates the apparent strength of a grassroots revolt and its rapid collapse. Luke’s inclusion of the figure contrasts hollow human uprisings with the unstoppable advance of the gospel (Acts 5:39). For ministry, it cautions leaders not to confuse numerical momentum with divine sanction. Divine Patience Through Israel’s Formative Centuries (Acts 13:20) Paul’s summary in Pisidian Antioch, “All this took about four hundred fifty years,” situates the judges era within God’s patient guidance of His people. The embedded “four hundred” reminds hearers that the Lord governs extended seasons, working through imperfect leaders until the arrival of the promised King. It encourages congregations to view long stretches of history as instruments of providence rather than evidence of divine delay. Theological Themes Associated with Four Hundred • Covenant fidelity – God’s sworn word to Abraham endures for centuries untouched. Implications for Christian Ministry and Discipleship 1. Patience in promise-keeping ministries: the 400-year motif validates steady faith when fulfillment seems distant. Summary Strong’s Greek 5071 marks the number four hundred, but in Scripture it functions far beyond arithmetic. It frames the timeline of redemption, vindicates covenant faithfulness, exposes counterfeit leadership, and demonstrates the sovereign orchestration of history. Each New Testament usage invites believers to marvel at a God who counts the years, fulfills His word, and calls His people to steadfast hope. Forms and Transliterations τετρακοσια τετρακόσια τετρακόσιαι τετρακοσίαις τετρακοσίας τετρακόσιοι τετρακοσιοις τετρακοσίοις τετρακοσιοστώ τετρακοσίους τετρακοσιων τετρακοσίων tetrakosia tetrakósia tetrakosiois tetrakosíois tetrakosion tetrakosiōn tetrakosíon tetrakosíōnLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Acts 5:36 Adj-GNPGRK: ἀριθμὸς ὡς τετρακοσίων ὃς ἀνῃρέθη NAS: of about four hundred men KJV: about four hundred, joined themselves: INT: number about four hundred who was put to death Acts 7:6 Adj-ANP Acts 13:20 Adj-DNP Galatians 3:17 Adj-ANP Strong's Greek 5071 |
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