Word Study for G1182 (δέκατος)

dékatos /dek'-at-os/ Ask about this word

Meaningordinal from δέκα; tenth

KJV usagetenth.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of dékatos — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word dékatos, represented by G1182, is an ordinal number meaning tenth. It is derived from δέκα and appears 3 times in 3 unique verses in the Bible. It is used to specify a particular point in a sequence, whether referring to time or a position in a list.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical text, G1182 is used in a few distinct ways. It marks a specific time of day, as when two disciples first stayed with Jesus at about "the tenth hour" John 1:39. It is also used to signify a fraction, as in the prophecy where a "great earthquake" causes "the tenth part of the city" to fall Revelation 11:13. Finally, it serves as an ordinal marker in a descriptive list, identifying the tenth foundation stone of the New Jerusalem as a chrysoprasus Revelation 21:20.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related ordinal numbers are used in similar contexts to establish sequence and order:

G1442 hébdomos (seventh): This term, meaning seventh, is used to mark the seventh foundation stone Revelation 21:20 and significant eschatological events like the opening of the seventh seal Revelation 8:1.
G1623 héktos (sixth): Meaning sixth, this word appears in lists, such as for the sixth foundation stone Revelation 21:20, and to mark time, as in "the sixth hour" when darkness covered the land Mark 15:33.
G1428 dōdékatos (twelfth): Defined as twelfth, this number completes the list of the twelve foundation stones of the New Jerusalem, with the final stone being an amethyst Revelation 21:20.

Theological Significance

The conceptual weight of G1182 is derived from the contexts in which it appears.

Marking Sacred Time: The mention of "the tenth hour" pinpoints the moment the first disciples began their journey with Jesus, grounding a pivotal spiritual event in a specific, recorded time John 1:39.
Symbol of Measured Judgment: In Revelation, "the tenth part of the city" falling signifies a precise and limited divine judgment, illustrating a measured response Revelation 11:13.
Contribution to Divine Order: As the tenth foundation stone in the New Jerusalem, it represents an integral part of a divinely designed and perfect structure, contributing to the complete and ordered beauty of God's final dwelling place Revelation 21:20.

Summary

In summary, G1182 is more than a simple numerical designation. It serves to add specificity and significance to the narratives where it is found. Whether marking the precise hour a relationship with Christ begins, defining the proportional scope of divine judgment, or listing the components of a perfect heavenly city, dékatos highlights a God who operates with precision, order, and purpose.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as an adjective across 7 occurrences, inflected in 5 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Accusative Plural Feminine 2×
Accusative Singular Feminine 2×
Nominative Singular Feminine 1×
Nominative Singular Masculine 1×
Nominative Singular Neuter 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Accusative: The direct object of the verb.
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
Feminine: Feminine grammatical gender.
Neuter: Neuter grammatical gender.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 3 verses across 2 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Revelation (2 verses); never once in the other 25.

John

Revelation

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.