The Greek word tessareskaidékatos, represented by G5065, is a specific numerical term meaning fourteenth. It is formed from the words for four, and, and tenth. This word is used sparingly in scripture, appearing only 2 times in 2 unique verses, both of which occur in the same narrative context. Its function is to mark a precise point in time during a period of distress.
Both uses of G5065 are found in the account of the Apostle Paul's shipwreck in Acts 27. The term first appears to mark the duration of the storm, specifying that on the fourteenth night, the sailors sensed they were approaching land Acts 27:27. It is then used by Paul himself to emphasize the length of their ordeal, stating, "This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting" Acts 27:33. In this context, the word highlights the severity and protracted nature of the trial before deliverance.
Several related words provide temporal and spatial context for the use of G5065:
- G3571 nýx: This word for night is used to specify the moment when the sailors detected land on the "fourteenth night" Acts 27:27.
- G2250 hēméra: Meaning day, this word is used by Paul to count the "fourteenth day" of fasting, marking the long period of their trial Acts 27:33.
- G4594 sḗmeron: This term for this day or to day is used to ground Paul's declaration in the immediate present, as he says "This day is the fourteenth day" Acts 27:33.
- G3319 mésos: Meaning middle, this word appears in the phrase "about midnight," pinpointing the time on the fourteenth night when the crew's hope was renewed Acts 27:27.
The significance of G5065 is not theological in itself but is derived entirely from its narrative function in Acts 27. It serves to structure the account of God's providence during a crisis.
- Marking a Period of Trial: The number fourteenth precisely quantifies the long and arduous trial at sea, emphasizing the endurance of those on board who had been fasting for two weeks Acts 27:33.
- Signaling Imminent Deliverance: The arrival of the fourteenth night is the turning point in the story. It is the moment that ends the aimless drifting and begins the final sequence of events leading to their survival, just as Paul had been promised Acts 27:27.
In summary, G5065 tessareskaidékatos is a precise term whose importance is tied to its specific context. While used only twice, it is a crucial narrative device in the account of Paul's shipwreck. It frames the harrowing two-week ordeal, giving a concrete measure to the trial and marking the moment just before the promised deliverance, thereby highlighting the faithfulness of God in a desperate situation.
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