Thousands and Myriads

II. אֶ֫לֶף n.m. Ju 6:15 thousand (אלף MI, SI, Sab. DHMZMG 1875, 615; Arabic أَلْفٌ, Aramaic ܐܳܠܶܦ, אֲלַף, אלפיא; cf. Ethiopic እልፍ mille, myrias)*.—(אָ֑׳)א׳ Gn 20:16 +; sf. אַלְפִּי †Ju 6:15; du. אַלְפַּיִם Nu 4:36 +; pl. אֲלָפִים Ex 18:21 +; cstr. אַלְפֵי Ex 32:28 +; אֲלָפֶיךָ Dt 7:13 + 2 times; אֲלָפָיו Qr 1 S 18:7 + 2 times (Kt ־פו)—a thousand. 1. numeral: a. used with noun alone; mostly before noun Nu 35:4 Jos 7:3 Ne 3:13 1 Ch 18:4 +; after noun (late) 1 Ch 12:35 + 6 times Ch Ezr Ne; א׳ בָּאַמָּה Nu 35:5(×4) Ez 47:3 (del. Co); the noun always pl. when preceding, sometimes when following, 1 S 25:2 1 K 3:4 2 K 18:23 = Is 36:8 2 Ch 30:24 ψ 90:4 Jb 42:12 Ec 6:6; elsewhere sg. אישׁ Ju 9:49; 15:15, 16 Jos 7:3 +; אַמָּה Nu 35:4 + (so SI); דּוֹר Dt 7:9 +, cf. 1 Ch 18:4; 19:6 2 K 15:19 Jb 42:12 Ct 4:4 Is 7:23, noun sometimes coll.; א׳ pl. cstr. Mi 6:7 ψ 119:72 Gn 24:60; noun not expr. (or not fully) Gn 20:16 Nu 31:5, 6 +; distrib. אֶלֶף … אֶלָף Nu 31:4; multipl. Dt 1:11 א׳ פְּעָמִים; indef. for great no. (pl.) Ex 20:6; 34:7 Dt 5:10 Je 32:18, (sg.) Dt 32:30 Ec 6:6 +. b. א׳ + other num. usually precedes it Ex 38:25 + often; but foll. רִבּוֹא Ezr 2:64 + 2 times; it follows also smaller no. Nu 3:50 1 K 5:12 (so SI); the noun foll. in sg. Ex 38:25 + 8 times; pl. 2 S 8:4 + 2 times; noun precedes, in pl. (late) Dn 12:12 + 2 times; noun not expr. Ex 38:28 + often c. א׳ × other no. always foll. Ex 12:37 +; usual order is no. × א׳ + additional no. (if any) + noun (ifexpr.) Nu. 31:52 Ju 20:35 cf. Ex 12:37 2 K 3:4(×2) +; less often noun + no. × א׳ Nu 31:33 1 K 8:63 +; (other combin. v. Ex 38:26 Nu 26:51; 31:32 Ez 48:30 1 Ch 29:7 etc.); א׳ usually sg. Nu 11:21 +; except after units, where pl. abs. Nu 1:46 Ju 20:34 + (so MI); seld. pl. cstr. Ex 32:28 Ju 4:10 Jb 1:3(×2); (noun mostly sg. when foll. Ju 4:10 1 K 12:21 +, yet pl. Jos 4:13 1 S 13:5 +; when preceding it is pl. 1 Ch 5:21 +, or coll. Nu 31:33 1 S 25:2 1 K 8:63 2 Ch 7:5 +); אֶלָף אֲלָפִים 1 Ch 21:5; 22:14 2 Ch 14:8; אַלְפֵי שִׁנְאָן ψ 68:18, cf. שִׁנְאָן" dir="rtl" >שִׁנְאָן; בְּהַרְרֵי אָ֑לֶף ψ 50:10, read אֵל cf. ψ 36:7, Ol Bi Che; yet v. Hup De.— Note. 10,000 = עֲשֶׂרֶת אֲלָפִים etc. Ju 1:4; 3:29 1 K 5:28 1 Ch 29:7 +; less often רִבּוֹ, רְבָבָה etc. q.v. 2. a thousand, a company of 1000 men, as united under one superior, or leader, hence שַׂר א׳ (שָׂרֵי) Ex 18:21, 25 cf. Nu 31:14 +; cf. רָאשֵׁי א׳ יִשְׂרָאֵל Nu 1:16; 10:4 Jos 22:21, 30 & v. infr.; cf. also 1 S 29:2; especially family, etc. Ju 6:15 1 S 10:19 (‖ שֵׁבֶט & cf. מִשְׁפַּחַת v 21); cf. Mi 5:1;—Nu 10:36 (רִבְבוֹת אַלְפֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל) 31:5 Jos 22:14 1 S 23:23 apparently shew transit. to this technical use.

χῑλι-άς, άδος, ἡ: genitive plural χιλιάδων Refs 5th c.BC+:—a thousand, Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 generally, large number, Refs 3rd c.BC+; πολλαὶ χ., of lines of poetry, Refs __3 Χιλιάδες, αἱ, title of poem by Refs 3rd c.BC+ __II ={χιλιετηρίς}, Refs; Ῥωμαϊκὴ χ., title of work by Asinius Quadratus, Refs 5th c.AD+

† רְבָבָה n. f. multitude, myriad, ten thousand (Köii. 1, 221);—abs. ר׳ Gn 24:60 +; sf. רִבְבָתוֹ Kt 1 S 18:7 + 2 times (Qr רִבְבֹתָיו); pl. abs. רְבָבוֹת 1 S 18:8; cstr. רִֽבְבוֹת Mi 6:7 +, רִֽבֲבוֹת Dt 33:17; sf. v. supr. Qr;—myriad, 10,000: of great number of pers., indef. Gn 24:60 (J; אַלְפֵי רְבָבָה thousands of myriads), Dt 33:2 (poem; מֵרִבְבוֹת קֹדֶשׁ, but v. קֹדֶשׁ, ad fin.), ψ 3:7 Ct 5:10; רִֽבְבוֹת אַלְפֵי יִשׂ׳ Nu 10:36, cf. Dt 33:17 (poem);—רְבָבָה Ez 16:7 read רְבִי 𝔊 Co Berthol Krae;—more precisely: (100, 1000), 10,000, Ju 20:10; opp. 2, Dt 32:30 (poem), opp. 100, Lv 26:8 (H), opp. 1000, 1 S 18:7, 8; 21:12; 29:5 ψ 91:7; so of things, Mi 6:7.

† I. [רָבַב] vb. be or become, many, much (NH רַב especially lord, master, רַבִּי my master, teacher; MI5 adj. pl. רבן; Ph. רב, f. רבת; Assyrian [rabâbu], rabbu; Arabic رَبَّ rear, increase (act.; رُبٌ thick juice, cf. NH רְבָב grease, is thought by Buhl al. to indicate original meaning be thick), رَبٌّ lord, owner, master; Sab. רב especially in n.pr., רבאל, רבבם, רבשמסם, etc., CISiv, nos. 285, 3; 286, 1; 287, 12, etc.; Liḥy. רבה its lord DHMEpigr. Denkm. Ar. 232; Ethiopic ረበበ: expand, spread (intrans.); Aramaic רַב, ܪܒ great, chief, so Old Aramaic Nab. Palm. רב, Lzb366 Cook107);— Qal Pf. 3 fs. consec. וְרַבָּה Ex 23:29; Is 6:12, רָ֑בָּה Gn 18:20 (Ho 9:7 read וְרֹב הַמַּשְׂטֵמָה [for MT וְרַבָּה מ׳] 𝔊 We Now); elsewhere only 3 pl. רַבּוּ 1 S 25:10 +, רָ֑בּוּ Je 46:23 + 2 times [other forms supplied by רבה q.v.]; Inf. cstr. רֹב Gn 6:1; Jos 9:13; Lv 25:16 (‖ מְעֹט), sf. רֻבְּכֶם Dt 7:7, and perhaps רֻבָּם Ho 4:7 (cf. רֹב infr.);— 1. be (become) many, pers. Gn 6:1 (J) Ex 23:29 (E; v. supr.), 1 S 25:10; Ho 4:7 (perhaps), Is 66:16 ψ 3:2; 25:19; 38:20; Ec 5:10, + מִן comp. Je 46:23; Dt 7:7 ψ 69:5; of things Is 22:9 ψ 4:8; 104:24, years Lv 25:16 (P), sins Je 5:6; 14:7; Is 59:12; Jb 35:6. 2. become great, Gn 18:20 (J), Is 6:12; be long, of journey, Jos 9:13.— Pu. v. [רָבַב" dir="rtl" >רָבַב] denom.*

† רִבּוֹ, רִבּוֹא n.f. Ezr 2:64 ten thousand, myriad (later (Aramaizing) synonym of foregoing; perhaps for Aramaic רִבּוּ(ת), Köii. 1, 221 f., but Palm. רבו Lzb 367);—abs. רִבּוֹ 1 Ch 29:7(×2); Jon 4:11 (? cstr.), + cstr. Ho 8:12 Kt (v. infr.); רִבּוֹא Ezr 2:64 = Ne 7:66; Ne 7:71 (van d. H. v 72); du. רִבֹּתַיִם ψ 68:18; pl. רִבּוֹת Ne 7:70 (van d. H. v 71), רִבֹּאוֹת Ezr 2:69; Dn 11:12;—ten thousand; of pers., 4 × 10,000 + 2000 + 3 × 100 + 60 Ezr 2:64 = Ne 7:66; 12 × 10,000 + n. Jon 4:11; indef. Dn 11:12 he shall cast down myriads; read רִבּוֹת also v 41 (for MT רַבּוֹת) Kmp Bev Behrm Marti Prince; of things, especially units of value, n. + 10,000 1 Ch 29:7, n. + 6 × 10,000 + 1000 Ezr 2:69 ‖ n. + 2 × 10,000 Ne 7:70, 71 (v. supr.); 10,000 + 8 × 1000 + n. 1 Ch 29:7; indef. רֶכֶב אֱלֹהִים רִבֹּתַיִם ψ 68:18 (‖ אלפים);—רִבּוֹ תוֹרָתִי Ho 8:12 (Kt; 10,000 [precepts] of my instruction) would be only early instance, v. רֹב.

χίλιοι [χῑ], αι, α: genitive plural feminine χιλιῶν, irregular in Attic dialect accusative to Refs 2nd c.AD+ substantive (see. below Refs; dative plural feminine (originally locative) χιλίᾱσιν Refs: dialect forms, Locrian dialect χίλιοι (as in Attic dialect, see above) Refs 5th c.BC+; Doric dialect χήλιοι (written χέλ-) Refs 5th c.BC+χέλλιοι Refs 2nd c.BC+; Ionic dialect χείλιοι Refs 5th c.BC+, which should probably be restored in Refs 8th c.BC+ ιλοι:—a thousand, Refs 8th c.BC+; πρῶθ᾽ ἑκατὸν βοῦς δῶκεν, ἔπειτα δὲ χίλι᾽ ὑπέστη (i.e. πρόβατα), αἶγας ὁμοῦ καὶ ὄϊς Refs: usually agreeing with its substantive, Refs 8th c.BC+; but sometimes as substantive followed by genitive, χίλιοι Μακεδόνων Refs 5th c.BC+: to express the addition of a smaller number, that number may either precede or follow, διακόσιοι καὶ χ. Refs 5th c.BC+; later καί is frequently omitted, NT+5th c.BC+; οἱ χ. λογάδες (at Argos) the Thousand, Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 singular with collective nouns, χιλίη ἵππος a thousand horse, Refs 5th c.BC+; also χιλία ὁλοκαύτωσις burnt-offering of 1000 cattle, LXX __3 χίλιαι (i.e. δραχμαί) as substantive, a thousand drachmae, περὶ χιλιῶν κινδυνεύειν Refs 5th c.BC+. (Cf. Sanskrit sahásram 'a thousand' (with prefix sa- = sṃ-); I.-Refs 5th c.BC+ ĝheslo-, ĝheslio-.)

μῡρῐ-άς, δος, ἡ, Attic dialect genitive plural μυριαδῶν Refs 2nd c.AD+:—number of Refsmyriad, Refs 5th c.BC+ times Refs 3rd c.AD+: frequently of countless numbers, Refs 5th c.BC+; of money (i.e. δραχμῶν), Refs 5th c.BC+; of corn (i.e. μεδίμνων), Refs 5th c.BC+; also (i.e. ἀρταβῶν), Refs 3rd c.AD+ __II as adjective, φύστις μ. ἀνδρῶν Refs 5th c.BC+

πεντᾰκισ-χίλιοι [χῑ], αι, α, five thousand, Refs 5th c.BC+ five thousand men-at-arms, LXX+2nd c.AD+:—Doric dialect form πεντακιχήλιοι Refs 3rd c.BC+

τετρᾰκισ-χίλιοι [ῑλ], αι, a, four thousand, Refs 5th c.BC+: Laconian dialect τετρᾰκινχήλιοι Refs 5th c.BC+; Cyrenaic τετρᾰκιχήλιοι Refs; Boeotian dialect πετρᾰκισχείλιη feminine, which see).

† אֲלַ֑ף n.m. 1,000 (= BH II. אֶ֫לֶף);—abs. א׳ (n. pers. precedes) Dn 5:1; n. om., emph. אַלְפָּא v 1 the thousand (just mentioned); cstr. + pl. abs. אֶ֫לֶף אֲלָפִ֯ים Dn 7:10 a thousand thousands (אַלְפִין K§ 51, 2).

Related to: μῡρῐ-άς, δος, ἡ, Attic dialect genitive plural μυριαδῶν Refs 2nd c.AD+:—number of Refsmyriad, Refs 5th c.BC+ times Refs 3rd c.AD+: frequently of countless numbers, Refs 5th c.BC+; of money (i.e. δραχμῶν), Refs 5th c.BC+; of corn (i.e. μεδίμνων), Refs 5th c.BC+; also (i.e. ἀρταβῶν), Refs 3rd c.AD+ __II as adjective, φύστις μ. ἀνδρῶν Refs 5th c.BC+

ἀνᾰρίθμ-ητος, ον, not to be counted, countless, Refs 5th c.BC+; of time, immeasurable, Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 unregarded, Refs 5th c.BC+

δισχίλιοι [χῑ], αι, α, Aeolic dialect δισχέλιοι Refs 7th c.BC+:— two thousand, Refs 5th c.BC+“Criti,” 118a, etc.: poetry dative plural, δισχίλοις ἀνδραπόδοισιν Refs: singular, δισχίλιος, α, ον, with collective Nouns, e. g. ἵππος Refs 5th c.BC+

ἑπτᾰκισ-χίλιοι [χῑ], αι, α, seven thousand, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἑπτασχίλιαι (sic) Refs 3rd c.AD+

τρισ-χίλιοι [χῑ], αι, α, Doric dialect τρισ-χήλιοι Abh.Berl. Akad. 1925 (5). 25 (from Cyrene):—three thousand,Refs 5th c.BC+: in singular with collective substantive, ἀσπὶς τρισχιλία Refs 3rd c.AD+ __II οἱ τ., at Athens, the Refs 5th c.BC+