What Does The Number 10 Mean In Biblical Numerology?

From a Perfect 10 in gymnastics to a knockout 10 in boxing, it is the number of sporting prowess and excellence. In banking, in modelling, in music, ten is a sign of exceptional things. But the root of the number’s perfection can be found in the Bible. To truly understand the spiritual meaning, ask yourself the following: What does the number 10 mean in biblical numerology?

The Bible mentions the number 10 in 242 places, and 10th is mentioned 79 times. As such, ten is one of the most frequently used numbers in the Holy Book, along with 3, 6, 7, 12 and 40.

It is the number of harmony and perfection (hence the perfect 10), and when making Adam and Even in his likeness the Creator gave them ten fingers and ten toes. The number 10 in the Bible also signifies the ideal cycle for things to occur. For instance, in the Old Testament, after 10 generations following the birth of Adam, Noah was born.

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In his promise to Abraham, God said he would not destroy Sodom if 10 righteous men could be found living there (Gen 18: 32). There were 10 plagues sent to Egypt to save the Jews (Ex 7:14–12) while 10 nations were hostile towards the Israelites. Later, Moses received 10 Commandments from God as the ultimate law for people to obey, a Decalogue of ethics and virtue. God instructed his people to design and construct a tabernacle, a “most holy place”, where God’s presence dwelt among the Israelites. A tent-like structure covered with 10 strips of linen cloth with 10x10 silver sockets to form its foundation.

The sundial of Ahaz was also caused to go backwards by 10 degrees (2 Kin 20: 8–10). In the New Testament, Jesus was asked to take the sins of humanity on the day of Atonement, the 10th day of the month. The Holy Spirit descended on his Apostles, 10 days after his Ascension.

Jesus used the number 10 a lot in his parables:

• The 10 virgins (Matt 25: 1–13) Ten virgins wait for their bridegroom, but only five of them have brought enough oil to keep their laps lit. The five who failed to prepare go out to purchase some more oil and are disowned because they were not prepared. The meaning of the parable is to be ready on Judgement Day.
• The 10 talents (Matt 25: 14–30) or 10 minas (Luke 19: 12–17) In both these parables, a master entrusts his servants to take care of his assets while he is away on a trip. In the parable of talents or minas (referring to money), one servant receives five talents, the second receives two, the third receives only one, three servants receive eight talents. When the master returns, he evaluates how faithful each servant was in making wise investments and obtaining a profit as a gain would mean faithfulness. The first and second servants double the value of their talents and they are rewarded, the third buried his talent and is punished.
• The 10 lepers (Luke 17:11–19) Ten lepers, a group of people excluded from the community because of their contagious medical condition, are healed as Jesus and the apostles travel from Samaria to Galilee. One of the ten lepers was excluded more than the others because he was a Samaritan. However, when only the Samaritan returns to thank him, Jesus asks, “Were not 10 made clean?” in reference to the nine who did not return to give thanks to God.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus uttered “I am” 10 times referring to himself in 10 different ways. He described himself as the Bread of Life (6:35); the Bread of Life which came down from Heaven (6:41); the Living Bread (6:51); the Light of the World (8:12); the One that bears witness of myself (8:18); the Door of the Sheep (10: 7,9); Good Shepherd (10: 14); the Resurrection and the Life (14:6); the Way, the Truth and the Life (14:6); the True Vine (15: 1,5).

In Genesis 28:16–22 Jacob receives a blessing from God in his visionary dream, and he promises God a tenth of what he gets. A tithe, in Hebrew, means 10 per cent and is referred to in Mosaic Law. It is mentioned several times in the bible, and even today, many Christians and Jews believe in the tithe, the portion of a believer’s income to be offered to their local church.

A number of contrasts

As we explore the number 10 in the bible, a pattern emerges and it becomes evident that 10 is the number of God’s authority, governance and completeness. However the number also has a darker, sinister, more negative side. It can also represent evil, such as the beast with 10 toes, 10 diadems and 10 horns to represent 10 kings in Revelation 13, and 17. Also found in Revelation 2:10 Jesus says, “Do not be afraid of the things you are about to suffer. Look! The Devil will keep on throwing some of you into prison that you may be fully put to the test, and that you may have tribulation ten days”.

For Pythagoras, the number 10 expressed all of human knowledge with 5+5 expressing the two opposite sides of this knowledge. Zero is a number which signifies unity as well as the eternal flow, and 1 completes it by showing the primacy and oneness of God. Considered the most perfect of all numbers, it also represents the first couple with 1 indicating the masculine and 0, the female egg ready to be fertilized. The number is made even more ideal because of its contrasts which serve to complement the different sides of “perfection”.

The appearance of number 10 in the bible is so frequent and abundant that it serves to increase the impact of the number. Those who study biblical numerology say that the biblical numbers come from a place of authenticity which cannot be denied. Some would say God speaks through numbers and that it is no coincidence that 10 appears so many times.