Biblical Lexicon

H0702 H0702

Prep-m | Number-fsc | 320× in 2 senses

Four; the cardinal number, also forming the compound 'fourteen' when paired with the word for ten.

The Hebrew numeral for four appears across every genre of Scripture -- in genealogies, measurements, geographic descriptions, and ritual calendars. Its 320 occurrences divide naturally into standalone uses (277 times) and compound uses as part of 'fourteen' (43 times). All target languages translate with their basic numeral for four -- Arabic arba, Spanish cuatro, French quatre, German vier -- while the compound fourteen triggers language-specific compound forms (Spanish catorce, French quatorze, German vierzehn). The 'four rivers' of Eden (Gen 2:10) and the Passover date of the fourteenth day (Exod 12:6) are among its most memorable appearances.

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1. four (cardinal number) — The cardinal numeral 'four' used independently or in construct to count persons, objects, directions, measurements, and durations (277 occurrences). Uniformly rendered across all target languages with basic numeral forms: Arabic arba'a, Spanish cuatro, French quatre, German vier. Used for the four rivers of paradise (Gen 2:10), four kings in alliance (Gen 14:9), and the four hundred years of sojourning (Gen 15:13). 277×

QUANTITY_NUMBER › Number › Number Four

AR["أَربَعٌ","أَربَعَ","أَربَعَةٌ","أَربَعَةُ","أَربَعَةِ","أَربَعِ","أَرْبَعًا","أَرْبَعَ","أَرْبَعَةُ","أَرْبَعُ","أَرْبَعِ"]·ben["চার","চারটি","চারশত","চারশো"]·DE["vier","vier-","vierhundert","von-vierhundert"]·EN["four","of-four"]·FR["de-quatre","quatre"]·heb["ארבע","ארבעה"]·HI["चर","चार"]·ID["empat"]·IT["di-quattro","quattro"]·jav["sekawan","sekawan,","sekawan."]·KO["넷","넷의","사백","사백의"]·PT["quatro"]·RU["четыре","четыреста","четырёх"]·ES["cuatro","cuatrocientos"]·SW["arobaini","mia","miaka-mia","miaka-thelathini-na-minne","nne","wanne","watu"]·TR["dört"]·urd["چار","چوتیس"]

Gen 11:16, Gen 14:9, Gen 15:13, Gen 23:15, Gen 23:16, Gen 33:1, Exod 25:12, Exod 25:12, Exod 25:26, Exod 25:26, Exod 25:34, Exod 26:2 (+38 more)

▼ 1 more sense below

Senses

2. fourteen (compound numeral) — The numeral 'four' functioning as the units component of the compound number fourteen, always paired with the Hebrew word for ten (asar/esreh). Target languages often deploy dedicated compound forms -- Spanish catorce, French quatorze, German vierzehn -- distinguishing this from the standalone cardinal. Central to calendrical reckoning: the Passover lamb is slaughtered on the fourteenth day (Exod 12:6, 18), and the genealogies in Matthew 1 are structured around sets of fourteen generations. 43×

QUANTITY_NUMBER › Number › Number Four

AR["أَربَعَ","أَرْبَعَ","أَرْبَعَةَ","الرَّابِعَةَ"]·ben["আসার","চতুর্দশ","চোদ্দ","চৌদ্দ","তেমিমিম"]·DE["sieben","vier","vierzehn","vierzehn-"]·EN["four","four-","fourteen"]·FR["quatorze","quatre","quatre-"]·heb["ארבע","ארבעה"]·HI["चौदह","चौदहवाँ","चौदहवें"]·ID["empat","empat belas","empat-belas"]·IT["fourteen","quattro","quattro-"]·jav["kaping-sekawanwelas","kawan-welas","sekawan","sekawan-welas","sekawan-welas-"]·KO["만-사천","십사","열넷","열넷-"]·PT["catorze","quatorze","quatorze-","quatro"]·RU["четырнадцатого","четырнадцатый","четырнадцать"]·ES["catorce","catorce-","cuatro"]·SW["Adari","dhiraa-kumi","kumi","kumi-na","kumi-na-","kumi-na-nne","nne","ya-kumi-na-nne","ya-mwezi"]·TR["dört","on","on-","on-dört"]·urd["چار","چودہ","چودہویں"]

Gen 14:5, Gen 31:41, Gen 46:22, Exod 12:6, Exod 12:18, Lev 23:5, Num 9:3, Num 9:5, Num 9:11, Num 16:49, Num 28:16, Num 29:13 (+31 more)

BDB / Lexicon Reference

I. אַרְבַּע, אַרְבָּעָה n.m. et f. four (NH = BH; MI8 ארבען = 40; Ph. ארבע, Pun. ארבעת, four; so Assyrian arbaʾu (rarely irbaʾ), irbitti; Arabic أَرْبَعٌ, أَرْبَعَةٌ; Sab. ארבעת CISiv, no. 232. 2 HomChrest. 47; Ethiopic አርባዕ, አርባዕቱ Aramaic אַרְבַּע, אַרְבְּעָה, ܐܰܪܒܰܥ, ܐܰܪܒܥܳܐ; Nab. ארבע, Palm. ארבע, ארבעא, Lzb367);—m.148 (c. n.f.) אַרְבַּע (abs. vel cstr.) Ex 21:37 +; also אַרְבַּ֑ע Lv 11:20 +;…