In the Bible, the number ten often symbolizes completeness, order, and divine perfection. It is frequently used in various contexts, both literal and symbolic, to convey a sense of fullness or entirety. The number ten appears in numerous instances throughout Scripture, each carrying its own significance within the biblical narrative.

The Ten Commandments

One of the most prominent uses of the number ten in the Bible is the Ten Commandments, which were given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai. These commandments form the foundation of moral law and are central to the covenant between God and the Israelites. As recorded in Exodus 20:1-17, the Ten Commandments include directives on worship, ethics, and social justice, emphasizing the completeness of God's law for His people.

Tithing

The concept of tithing, or giving a tenth of one's income or produce, is another significant biblical use of the number ten. Tithing is first mentioned in Genesis 14:20, where Abram gives a tenth of everything to Melchizedek, the king of Salem. The practice is further codified in the Mosaic Law, as seen in Leviticus 27:30-32, where the Israelites are instructed to dedicate a tenth of their produce and livestock to the Lord. Tithing represents an acknowledgment of God's provision and sovereignty, as well as a means of supporting the religious and social structures of the community.

The Ten Plagues

In the narrative of the Exodus, God sends ten plagues upon Egypt to compel Pharaoh to release the Israelites from slavery. These plagues, described in Exodus 7-12, demonstrate God's power and judgment against the false gods of Egypt. Each plague serves as a sign of God's authority and a step towards the liberation of His people, culminating in the Passover and the Exodus.

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

In the New Testament, Jesus uses the number ten in the Parable of the Ten Virgins, found in Matthew 25:1-13. This parable illustrates the importance of readiness and vigilance in anticipation of the Kingdom of Heaven. The ten virgins, five wise and five foolish, are a metaphor for believers who must be prepared for the return of Christ. The number ten here underscores the completeness of the group and the division between those who are prepared and those who are not.

The Ten Lepers

Another New Testament account involving the number ten is the healing of the ten lepers in Luke 17:11-19. Jesus heals ten lepers, but only one returns to give thanks. This account highlights themes of gratitude, faith, and the recognition of Jesus' divine authority. The number ten serves to emphasize the completeness of the group and the singularity of the one who returns, illustrating the rarity of true thankfulness.

Symbolic Use of Ten

The number ten is also used symbolically in apocalyptic literature, such as in the Book of Revelation. In Revelation 2:10, the church in Smyrna is warned of suffering for "ten days," a period that symbolizes a complete but limited time of trial. Similarly, the beast in Revelation 13:1 is described as having ten horns, representing the fullness of its power and authority.

Overall, the number ten in the Bible is a multifaceted symbol that conveys ideas of completeness, divine order, and the fullness of God's law and judgment. Its repeated use across both the Old and New Testaments underscores its significance in the biblical narrative.6235. eser -- ten
... Definition ten NASB Word Usage 10 (1), 10,000* (20), 110* (1), 20,000* (1), 410*
(1), fifteen* (1), seventeen* (1), ten (147), ten shekels apiece (1), tens (3 ...
/hebrew/6235.htm - 6k

7239. ribbo -- ten thousand, myriad
... ten thousand, myriad NASB Word Usage 120,000* (1), 18,000* (1), 20,000* (2), 42,360*
(2), 61,000* (1), myriads (1), ten thousand (1), tens of thousands (1). ...
/hebrew/7239.htm - 6k

Choosing the Tens
... CHAPTER I CHOOSING THE TENS. ... Atsu will send thee and me, whether we fall among the
tens of a truth or not. So we get out of the city ere Merenra returns. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter i choosing the tens.htm

The Man who Owed Many Talents.
... it is said, "When he began to reckon," there was brought, at the beginning of his
making a reckoning, one who owed many talents; he had lost tens of thousands ...
/.../origen/origens commentary on the gospel of matthew/10 the man who owed.htm

The Temporal Miseries and Wrongs which War Carries Along with It.. ...
... What honor has war not gotten from its tens and tens of hundreds or thousands of
men slaughtered on heaps, with as little regret or concern, as at loads of ...
/.../address 196 0 0 the temporal miseries.htm

How Raguel Suggested to Moses to Set his People in Order, under ...
... Make use of the method I suggest to you, as to human affairs; and take a review
of the army, and appoint chosen rulers over tens of thousands, and then over ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 4 how raguel suggested.htm

To the Monks of Constantinople.
... Tens on tens of thousands of hearers testify that I have taught the truth of the
doctrines of the Gospel, and for any one who likes to bring them to the test ...
/.../theodoret/the ecclesiastical history of theodoret/cxlv to the monks of.htm

The Origin and Growth of Law.
... And 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 ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/kent/the making of a nation/study ix the origin and.htm

Stones Rolled Away
... There are tens of thousands of Christians who never go to church; and there
are tens of thousands who go to church who are not Christians. ...
/.../stones rolled away and other addresses to young men/i stones rolled away.htm

The Saviour's Last Command.
... to my shores, some few, indeed, have brought the Gospel of Christ, made known its
truths and exemplified its spirit; but the thousands and tens of thousands ...
/.../dibble/thoughts on missions/chapter iv the saviours last.htm

Repentance,
... if it only were, what a different world we should have to-night, for there are tens
of thousands on whose hearts God's Spirit has done His office by convincing ...
//christianbookshelf.org/booth/godliness/chapter i repentance.htm

The Kingdom First.
... But now comes the important question, "How can I attain this?" Here we come to the
great question that is troubling the lives of tens of thousands of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/murray/the masters indwelling/v the kingdom first.htm

Tens (17 Occurrences)
...Tens (17 Occurrences). Luke 12:1 Meanwhile the people had come streaming towards
Him by tens of thousands, so that they were trampling one another under foot. ...
/t/tens.htm - 11k

Fifties (13 Occurrences)
... as fear God: men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be rulers
of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. ...
/f/fifties.htm - 10k

Courts (59 Occurrences)
... a system of jurisprudence. He appointed judges over tens, fifties, hundreds,
thousands-in all 78,600 judges. This system was adequate ...
/c/courts.htm - 33k

Captains (159 Occurrences)
... of God, true men hating profits wrongly made; and put such men over them, to be
captains of thousands, captains of hundreds and of fifties and of tens; (BBE). ...
/c/captains.htm - 42k

Judicial (2 Occurrences)
... a system of jurisprudence. He appointed judges over tens, fifties, hundreds,
thousands-in all 78,600 judges. This system was adequate ...
/j/judicial.htm - 25k

Thousands (65 Occurrences)
... as fear God: men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be rulers
of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. ...
/t/thousands.htm - 29k

Capable (10 Occurrences)
... of God, true men hating profits wrongly made; and put such men over them, to be
captains of thousands, captains of hundreds and of fifties and of tens; (See NIV ...
/c/capable.htm - 10k

Officials (229 Occurrences)
... as fear God: men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be rulers
of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. ...
/o/officials.htm - 36k

Leaders (167 Occurrences)
... as fear God: men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be rulers
of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. ...
/l/leaders.htm - 35k

Jethro (10 Occurrences)
... multiplicity of the duties devolving on Moses, advised him to appoint subordinate
judges, rulers of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens, to decide ...
/j/jethro.htm - 17k

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