6242. esrim

Lexical Summary

esrim: twenty, twentieth, 20

Original Word: עֶשְׂרִים
Part of Speech: Noun
Transliteration: `esriym
Pronunciation: eh-sreem
Phonetic Spelling: (es-reem')
KJV: (six-)score, twenty(-ieth)
NASB: twenty, twentieth, 20
Word Origin: [from H6235 (עֶשֶׂר עֲשָׂרָה - ten)]

1. twenty
2. (ordinal) twentieth

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

twenty, twentyieth

From eser; twenty; also (ordinal) twentieth -- (six-)score, twenty(-ieth).

see HEBREW eser

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from the same as eser
Definition
twenty
NASB Translation
1,222* (1), 120* (4), 120,000* (5), 122* (2), 123* (2), 127* (3), 128* (4), 2,322* (1), 20 (2), 20,000* (9), 20,200* (1), 20,800* (1), 22,000* (7), 22,034* (1), 22,200* (1), 22,273* (1), 22,600* (1), 220* (2), 223* (2), 23,000* (1), 24* (1), 24,000* (15), 25,000* (16), 25,100* (1), 26,000* (2), 27,000* (1), 28* (1), 28,600* (1), 29* (2), 3,023* (1), 320* (2), 323* (1), 324* (1), 328* (1), 6,720* (2), 621* (2), 623* (1), 628* (1), 721* (1), 725* (1), 822* (1), 928* (1), twentieth (9), twenty (111), twenty-eight* (4), twenty-fifth* (3), twenty-first* (4), twenty-five* (22), twenty-four* (3), twenty-fourth* (9), twenty-nine* (6), twenty-one* (4), twenty-second* (2), twenty-seven* (1), twenty-seventh* (6), twenty-sixth* (1), twenty-third* (7), twenty-three* (6), twenty-two* (9).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

עֶשְׂרִים₃₁₅ noun plural indeclinable (a) twenty (ancient plural of עֶשֶׂר Prä^{BAS i. 376}; Late Hebrew = Biblical Hebrew; Arabic ; Assyrian ešrâ; Sabean עשרי Hom^{Chrest. 48}; Ethiopic Aramaic עשרין, ; Nabataean עשרין); —

I. as cardinal: 1 without other number:

a. usually followed by singular noun (especially שָׁנָה, אִישׁ, אַמָּה, etc.) Genesis 31:38; 1 Samuel 14:14; Exodus 38:18 64t., + עֶשְׂרִים אֶלֶף20,000 1 Chronicles 18:4 7t. + Ezekiel 45:1 (reading עֶשְׂרִים אָ֑לֶף, see עֶשֶׂר 2b).

b. followed by plural noun 2 Samuel 3:20; Exodus 36:23,24,25 4t.

c. followed by singular noun collective 1 Kings 5:3.

d. plural noun precedes Genesis 32:15 (twice in verse); Genesis 32:16; 2Chronicles 3:3 6t.

e. noun omitted Genesis 18:31 (twice in verse) (׳הָע), 1 Kings 6:2 6t., as predicate Exodus 27:10 (twice in verse); Exodus 27:11 (twice in verse) + 4 t.

f. + בָּאַמָּה Zechariah 5:12.

2 + other number:

a. with units, usually 20 + (with וְ) unit + singular noun Judges 10:2,3; 1 Kings 14:20 58t. (including 20 1* 1000, etc., 27 t.); noun omitted Joshua 15:32 2t. predicate; less often unit + 20 #NAME? Genesis 11:24; Exodus 38:24; Numbers 8:24 (all P) + 27 t.; unit + 20 + בָּאַמָּה Ezekiel 40:21; Exodus 26:2; Exodus 36:9 (both P).

b.20#NAME? Numbers 7:8 (twice in verse) (P), 1 Chronicles 2:22 3t. Chronicles

c. plural noun + 20 #NAME? Joshua 19:30 (twice in verse); 1 Chronicles 12:29 (van d. H. v.1 Chronicles 12:28).

d. c. hundreds, 20 usually following; followed by singular noun 1 Kings 9:14; Genesis 6:3; Deuteronomy 31:2 7t.; noun omitted 2 Chronicles 3:4; Ezra 2:32 = Nehemiah 7:35; 20100(noun omitted) Numbers 7:86.

e. plural noun + 100 20 1 Chronicles 15:5,6; — compare further מֵאָה.

II. as ordinal:

120alone, ׳בִּשְׁנַת ע in the twentieth year 1 Kings 15:9 4t.; noun omitted Numbers 10:11 3t.

2. a.20#NAME? Ezekiel 29:17; Ezekiel 40:1.

b. ns. + 20 #NAME? Haggai 1:15; 2Chronicles 7:10 +; ns. + unit + 20 Exodus 12:8; בִּשְׁנַת20#NAME? 1 Kings 16:10, etc. — See references below עֶשֶׂר.

Topical Lexicon

Overview

The term עֶשְׂרִים (ʿeśrîm, “twenty”) functions throughout the Hebrew Scriptures as an ordinal or cardinal marker, but its frequent placement in covenantal, military, architectural, and narrative settings gives it theological and practical weight that surpasses mere enumeration. Approximately three hundred fifteen occurrences span Torah, Prophets, and Writings, weaving the idea of reaching fullness, maturity, and measured expectation into the canonical storyline.

Twenty as the Age of Covenant Accountability

• Military census: “From twenty years old and up, all who can serve in Israel’s army” (Numbers 1:3). The Lord’s command establishes twenty as the threshold of adult responsibility for national defense, repeated in the wilderness censuses (Numbers 1–4; 26).
• Participation in festival offerings: “Everyone twenty years of age or older is to give an offering to the LORD” (Exodus 30:14). The half-shekel atonement money signaled personal identification with the covenant community.
• Accountability in the wilderness judgment: those numbered “twenty years old or more” perished because of unbelief (Numbers 14:29), underscoring that twenty marks the line where moral culpability attaches to national rebellion.

Twenty and Levitical Service

• Initial service age: prior to the exile, Levites commenced tabernacle duties at thirty (Numbers 4:3). In David’s reforms this shifted: “From the age of twenty years and upward, according to their duties in their divisions” (1 Chronicles 23:24–27). Opening the sacred workforce at twenty parallels the military muster and illustrates a broadened stewardship for younger adults when the kingdom matured.
• Post-exilic practice: Ezra 3:8 mirrors David’s precedent, setting the temple-building workforce “from twenty years old and above,” testifying to continuity of worship norms after captivity.

Twenty in Sanctuary Contributions and Redemption Values

• Monetary equivalents: one gerah equals a twentieth of a shekel (Exodus 30:13), fixing twenty as a subdivision in the weights-and-measures system.
• Votive valuations: Leviticus 27:5 assigns different redemption prices for persons “from five to twenty years,” revealing graded worth intended to equalize worship participation among socioeconomic classes.

Twenty in Architectural Dimensions of Sacred Space

• Tabernacle and Temple measures:

– Holy Place length and width—twenty cubits (Exodus 26:16-23).

– Solomon’s Temple: “The nave in front of the inner sanctuary was twenty cubits long” (1 Kings 6:17).

– Porch and storerooms often repeat the twenty-cubit span (Ezekiel 41:2; 41:4; 41:13).

This symmetry conveys structural completeness while accommodating the ark, lampstands, and priestly ministry.

Twenty in Patriarchal and Historical Timelines

• Jacob’s labor: “For twenty years I have been in your household… your ewes and female goats have not miscarried” (Genesis 31:38-41). The double decade frames both trial and prosperity, resolved by divine intervention.
• Samson’s judgeship: “He judged Israel twenty years” (Judges 15:20; 16:31), depicting a period of deliverance ended by personal compromise.
• Oppression cycles: Jabin’s iron chariots oppressed Israel “forcefully for twenty years” (Judges 4:3), highlighting the Lord’s patience before raising Deborah and Barak.
• Inter-tribal silence: the ark remained at Kiriath-jearim “for twenty years, and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD” (1 Samuel 7:2), revealing a divinely timed season of repentance preceding Samuel’s revival.

Twenty in Monetary Transactions

• Joseph sold for “twenty shekels of silver” (Genesis 37:28); later redemption imagery in Zechariah 11 and the Gospels is heightened by this earlier benchmark.
• Hiram’s payment: Solomon gives “twenty towns in Galilee” (1 Kings 9:11), showing twenty as a block measurement in diplomatic exchange.
• Ezekiel’s prophetic sign-act counts twenty shekels of bread (Ezekiel 4:10), emphasizing scarcity under judgment.

Twenty in Prophetic and Poetic Literature

• Isaiah 7:8 counts “within sixty-five years,” mathematically three sets of twenty-plus, underlining assured but delayed judgment.
• Amos 5:3 uses a remnant ratio: “A city that marches out a thousand will have a hundred left, and one that marches out a hundred will have ten left,” each step shrinking by a factor of ten until only twenty remain out of two hundred, spotlighting covenant curses.

Theological Reflections

1. Maturity with dependence: Twenty marks capability for warfare and worship yet still requires divine leadership (Numbers 1; Exodus 30).
2. Completeness with expectation: Two tens indicate a fullness that anticipates further advance—whether moving from wilderness to Canaan or from temple blueprint to glory.
3. Judgment tempered by mercy: Twenty-year spans often bracket discipline followed by deliverance, illustrating the Lord’s longsuffering (Judges 4:3; 1 Samuel 7:2).
4. Pattern of doubled witness: Repetition of twenty across legal, liturgical, and narrative domains confirms the harmony of God’s revelation.

Ministry Application

• Discipleship: Just as twenty signaled readiness for active service, churches can view late adolescence and early adulthood as a strategic window for mobilizing believers into ministry, missions, and leadership training.
• Stewardship: The half-shekel ordinance teaches proportional giving and collective responsibility; modern congregations may draw principles for equitable financial participation.
• Spiritual architecture: The twenty-cubit dimensions embody order and beauty; local assemblies should likewise design worship spaces and liturgies that reflect divine symmetry and holiness.
• Patient leadership: Many biblical “twenty-year” waits encourage pastors and parents to trust God’s timing in cycles of discipline and restoration.

In Scripture, עֶשְׂרִים is far more than a numeral; it is a thread tying together maturity, measurement, and mercy, inviting God’s people to count their days wisely (Psalm 90:12) and to serve with the readiness that twenty symbolizes.

Forms and Transliterations

בְּעֶשְׂרִ֣ים בְּעֶשְׂרִ֤ים בְּעֶשְׂרִ֥ים בְּעֶשְׂרִ֧ים בעשרים הָֽעֶשְׂרִ֗ים הָֽעֶשְׂרִֽים׃ הָעֶשְׂרִֽים׃ העשרים העשרים׃ וְעֶשְׂרִ֑ים וְעֶשְׂרִ֔ים וְעֶשְׂרִ֖ים וְעֶשְׂרִ֛ים וְעֶשְׂרִ֣ים וְעֶשְׂרִ֣ים ׀ וְעֶשְׂרִ֤ים וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים וְעֶשְׂרִ֧ים וְעֶשְׂרִ֨ים וְעֶשְׂרִֽים׃ וְעֶשְׂרִים֙ וְעֶשְׂרִים֮ ועשרים ועשרים׃ כְּעֶשְׂרִ֣ים כְּעֶשְׂרִ֥ים כעשרים לְעֶשְׂרִים֙ לעשרים עֶשְׂרִ֑ים עֶשְׂרִ֔ים עֶשְׂרִ֖ים עֶשְׂרִ֗ים עֶשְׂרִ֛ים עֶשְׂרִ֣ים עֶשְׂרִ֤ים עֶשְׂרִ֥ים עֶשְׂרִ֧ים עֶשְׂרִ֨ים עֶשְׂרִֽים־ עֶשְׂרִֽים׃ עֶשְׂרִים֙ עֶשְׂרִים֩ עשרים עשרים־ עשרים׃ ‘eś·rîm ‘eś·rîm- ‘eśrîm ‘eśrîm- bə‘eśrîm bə·‘eś·rîm beesRim esRim hā‘eśrîm hā·‘eś·rîm HaesRim kə‘eśrîm kə·‘eś·rîm keesRim lə‘eśrîm lə·‘eś·rîm leesRim veesRim wə‘eśrîm wə·‘eś·rîm

Englishman's Concordance

Genesis 6:3
HEB: יָמָ֔יו מֵאָ֥ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֖ים שָׁנָֽה׃
NAS: shall be one hundred and twenty years.
KJV: shall be an hundred and twenty years.
INT: his days hundred and twenty years

Genesis 8:14
HEB: הַשֵּׁנִ֔י בְּשִׁבְעָ֧ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֛ים י֖וֹם לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ
NAS: month, on the twenty-seventh day
KJV: on the seven and twentieth day
INT: the second the seven and twentieth day of the month

Genesis 11:24
HEB: נָח֔וֹר תֵּ֥שַׁע וְעֶשְׂרִ֖ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֖וֹלֶד
NAS: lived twenty-nine years,
KJV: lived nine and twenty years, and begat
INT: Nahor nine and twenty years and became

Genesis 18:31
HEB: יִמָּצְא֥וּן שָׁ֖ם עֶשְׂרִ֑ים וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א
NAS: suppose twenty are found
KJV: unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found
INT: are found in it twenty said I will not

Genesis 18:31
HEB: אַשְׁחִ֔ית בַּעֲב֖וּר הָֽעֶשְׂרִֽים׃
NAS: [it] on account of the twenty.
KJV: I will not destroy [it] for twenty's sake.
INT: destroy account of the twenty

Genesis 23:1
HEB: מֵאָ֥ה שָׁנָ֛ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וְשֶׁ֣בַע
NAS: one hundred and twenty-seven years;
KJV: and seven and twenty years
INT: hundred years and twenty the years seven

Genesis 31:38
HEB: זֶה֩ עֶשְׂרִ֨ים שָׁנָ֤ה אָנֹכִי֙
NAS: These twenty years
KJV: This twenty years
INT: These twenty years I

Genesis 31:41
HEB: זֶה־ לִּ֞י עֶשְׂרִ֣ים שָׁנָה֮ בְּבֵיתֶךָ֒
NAS: These twenty years
KJV: Thus have I been twenty years
INT: These twenty years your house

Genesis 32:14
HEB: מָאתַ֔יִם וּתְיָשִׁ֖ים עֶשְׂרִ֑ים רְחֵלִ֥ים מָאתַ֖יִם
NAS: female goats and twenty male goats,
KJV: she goats, and twenty he goats,
INT: hundred male and twenty ewes hundred

Genesis 32:14
HEB: מָאתַ֖יִם וְאֵילִ֥ים עֶשְׂרִֽים׃
NAS: two hundred ewes and twenty rams,
KJV: two hundred ewes, and twenty rams,
INT: hundred rams and twenty

Genesis 32:15
HEB: עֲשָׂרָ֔ה אֲתֹנֹ֣ת עֶשְׂרִ֔ים וַעְיָרִ֖ם עֲשָׂרָֽה׃
NAS: bulls, twenty female donkeys
KJV: bulls, twenty she asses,
INT: and ten female twenty male and ten

Genesis 37:28
HEB: יוֹסֵ֛ף לַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִ֖ים בְּעֶשְׂרִ֣ים כָּ֑סֶף וַיָּבִ֥יאוּ
NAS: him to the Ishmaelites for twenty [shekels] of silver.
KJV: to the Ishmeelites for twenty [pieces] of silver:
INT: Joseph to the Ishmaelites twenty silver brought

Exodus 12:18
HEB: י֣וֹם הָאֶחָ֧ד וְעֶשְׂרִ֛ים לַחֹ֖דֶשׁ בָּעָֽרֶב׃
NAS: until the twenty-first day
KJV: until the one and twentieth day
INT: day the one and twentieth of the month evening

Exodus 26:2
HEB: הָֽאַחַ֗ת שְׁמֹנֶ֤ה וְעֶשְׂרִים֙ בָּֽאַמָּ֔ה וְרֹ֙חַב֙
NAS: curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits,
KJV: [shall be] eight and twenty cubits,
INT: of each eight and twenty cubits and the width

Exodus 26:18
HEB: הַקְּרָשִׁ֖ים לַמִּשְׁכָּ֑ן עֶשְׂרִ֣ים קֶ֔רֶשׁ לִפְאַ֖ת
NAS: for the tabernacle: twenty boards
KJV: for the tabernacle, twenty boards
INT: the boards the tabernacle twenty boards side

Exodus 26:19
HEB: תַּעֲשֶׂ֕ה תַּ֖חַת עֶשְׂרִ֣ים הַקָּ֑רֶשׁ שְׁנֵ֨י
NAS: of silver under the twenty boards, two
KJV: of silver under the twenty boards;
INT: shall make under the twenty boards two

Exodus 26:20
HEB: לִפְאַ֣ת צָפ֑וֹן עֶשְׂרִ֖ים קָֽרֶשׁ׃
NAS: on the north side, twenty boards,
KJV: side [there shall be] twenty boards:
INT: side the north twenty boards

Exodus 27:10
HEB: וְעַמֻּדָ֣יו עֶשְׂרִ֔ים וְאַדְנֵיהֶ֥ם עֶשְׂרִ֖ים
NAS: and its pillars [shall be] twenty, with their twenty
KJV: And the twenty pillars
INT: pillars twenty sockets their twenty

Exodus 27:10
HEB: עֶשְׂרִ֔ים וְאַדְנֵיהֶ֥ם עֶשְׂרִ֖ים נְחֹ֑שֶׁת וָוֵ֧י
NAS: [shall be] twenty, with their twenty sockets
KJV: pillars thereof and their twenty sockets
INT: twenty sockets their twenty of bronze the hooks

Exodus 27:11
HEB: (וְעַמּוּדָ֣יו ק) עֶשְׂרִ֗ים וְאַדְנֵיהֶ֤ם עֶשְׂרִים֙
NAS: [cubits] long, and its twenty pillars
KJV: [cubits] long, and his twenty pillars
INT: long pillars twenty sockets their twenty

Exodus 27:11
HEB: עֶשְׂרִ֗ים וְאַדְנֵיהֶ֤ם עֶשְׂרִים֙ נְחֹ֔שֶׁת וָוֵ֧י
NAS: pillars with their twenty sockets
KJV: pillars and their twenty sockets
INT: twenty sockets their twenty of bronze the hooks

Exodus 27:16
HEB: הֶֽחָצֵ֜ר מָסָ֣ךְ ׀ עֶשְׂרִ֣ים אַמָּ֗ה תְּכֵ֨לֶת
NAS: [there] [shall be] a screen of twenty cubits,
KJV: [shall be] an hanging of twenty cubits,
INT: of the court a screen of twenty cubits of blue

Exodus 30:13
HEB: בְּשֶׁ֣קֶל הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ עֶשְׂרִ֤ים גֵּרָה֙ הַשֶּׁ֔קֶל
NAS: (the shekel is twenty gerahs),
KJV: (a shekel [is] twenty gerahs:)
INT: to the shekel of the sanctuary is twenty gerah shekel

Exodus 30:14
HEB: הַפְּקֻדִ֔ים מִבֶּ֛ן עֶשְׂרִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וָמָ֑עְלָה
NAS: who is numbered, from twenty years
KJV: among them that are numbered, from twenty years
INT: is numbered old twenty years and over

Exodus 36:9
HEB: הָֽאַחַ֗ת שְׁמֹנֶ֤ה וְעֶשְׂרִים֙ בָּֽאַמָּ֔ה וְרֹ֙חַב֙
NAS: curtain was twenty-eight cubits
KJV: curtain [was] twenty and eight
INT: of each and eight twenty cubits and the width

315 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 6242
315 Occurrences

bə·‘eś·rîm — 11 Occ.
‘eś·rîm — 204 Occ.
hā·‘eś·rîm — 3 Occ.
kə·‘eś·rîm — 2 Occ.
lə·‘eś·rîm — 1 Occ.
wə·‘eś·rîm — 94 Occ.