- github\_url  
    <https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_uhg/src/branch/master/content/adjective_cardinal_number.rst>

# Adjective Cardinal Number

## Summary

In Biblical Hebrew, cardinal numbers are used to describe quantity or to
express the name of a number itself ("one", "two", "three", etc.).

## Article

Biblical Hebrew does not contain numerals ("1", "2", "3", etc.) but
rather uses words to express numbers ("one", "two", "three", etc.).
There are two different kinds of numbers: cardinal numbers and `ordinal
numbers<adjective_ordinal_number>`. Cardinal numbers are used either to
express the name of a number itself or to express the quantity of a
thing ("one", "two", "three", etc.).

Cardinal numbers function as `attributive
adjectives<adjective-attributive>`, but they do not always follow the
same grammatical rules. They may appear either before or after the noun
they describe, and they may not always have the same grammatical form
(gender, number, `definiteness<definiteness>`) as the noun they
describe. As with other adjectives in Biblical Hebrew, a cardinal number
can function as a noun and can appear in either the
`absolute<state_absolute>` the `construct<state_construct>` state.

<div class="note">

<div class="admonition-title">

Note

</div>

Sometimes a cardinal form ("one", "two", "three", etc.) is used, but an
ordinal meaning ("first", "second", "third", etc.) is clearly indicated
from the context.

</div>

## "One"

|                              |        |                 |        |
| ---------------------------- | ------ | --------------- | ------ |
| Form                         | Hebrew | Transliteration | Gloss  |
| masculine singular absolute  | אֶחָד  | 'ehad           | one    |
| masculine singular construct | אַחַד  | 'ahad           | one of |
| feminine singular absolute   | אַחַת  | 'ahath          | one    |
| feminine singular construct  | אַחַת  | 'ahath          | one of |

"One" Paradigm

|                |
| -------------- |
| אִ֣ישׁ אֶחָ֔ד  |
| 'ish **'ehad** |
| man **one**    |
| **one** man    |

Example: JDG 18:19

|                   |
| ----------------- |
| הָרֹ֨אשׁ אֶחָ֥ד   |
| harosh **'ehad**  |
| The-group **one** |
| **One** group     |

Example: 1SA 13:17

The following example is a cardinal number functioning as a noun.

|                                               |
| --------------------------------------------- |
| הָאֶחָ֤ד בָּֽא־לָגוּר֙                        |
| **ha'ehad** ba-lagur                          |
| **The-one** came-in\_to-live-as-a-foreigner   |
| **This one** came here to live as a foreigner |

Example: GEN 19:9

## "Two"

As would be expected, the number “two” in Biblical Hebrew always takes
the `dual<number_dual>` form.

|                          |           |                 |        |
| ------------------------ | --------- | --------------- | ------ |
| Form                     | Hebrew    | Transliteration | Gloss  |
| masculine dual absolute  | שְׁנַיִם  | shenayim        | two    |
| masculine dual construct | שְׁנֵי    | shene           | two of |
| feminine dual absolute   | שְׁתַּיִם | shetayim        | two    |
| feminine dual construct  | שְׁתֵּי   | shete           | two of |

"Two" Paradigm

|                   |
| ----------------- |
| שְׁתֵּ֣י נָשִׁ֑ים |
| **shete** nashim  |
| **two** women     |
| **two** women     |

Example: 1CH 4:5

|                       |
| --------------------- |
| עַמּוּדִ֣ים שְׁנַ֔יִם |
| 'ammudim **shenayim** |
| pillars **two**       |
| **two** pillars       |

Example: 2CH 3:15

The following example is a cardinal number with a `pronominal
suffix<suffix_pronominal>`.

|                  |
| ---------------- |
| שְׁנֵיהֶ֔ם       |
| **shenehem**     |
| **two of them**  |
| **both of them** |

Example: GEN 3:7

## 3-10

<div class="note">

<div class="admonition-title">

Note

</div>

These numbers have specialized uses when they take either a
`dual<number_dual>` ending or a `plural<number_plural>` ending. When
these numbers take a dual ending, they become simple multiples
("three-fold", "four-fold", "five-fold", etc.); but when they take a
plural ending, they become multiples of ten ("thirty", "forty", "fifty",
etc.).

</div>

|                              |            |                 |          |
| ---------------------------- | ---------- | --------------- | -------- |
| Form                         | Hebrew     | Transliteration | Gloss    |
| masculine singular absolute  | שָׁלֹשׁ    | shalosh         | three    |
| masculine singular construct | שְׁלֹשׁ    | shelosh         | three of |
| feminine singular absolute   | שְׁלֹשָׁה  | sheloshah       | three    |
| feminine singular construct  | שְׁלֹשֶׁת  | shelosheth      | three of |
| masculine singular absolute  | אַרְבַּע   | 'arba'          | four     |
| masculine singular construct | אַרְבַּע   | 'arba'          | four of  |
| feminine singular absolute   | אַרְבָּעָה | 'arba'ah        | four     |
| feminine singular construct  | אַרְבַּעַת | 'arba'ath       | four of  |
| masculine singular absolute  | חָמֵשׁ     | hamesh          | five     |
| masculine singular construct | חֲמֵשׁ     | hamesh          | five of  |
| feminine singular absolute   | חֲמִשָּׁה  | hamishah        | five     |
| feminine singular construct  | חֲמֵשֶׁת   | hameshet        | five of  |
| masculine singular absolute  | שֵׁשׁ      | shesh           | six      |
| masculine singular construct | שֵׁשׁ      | shesh           | six of   |
| feminine singular absolute   | שִׁשָּׁה   | shishah         | six      |
| feminine singular construct  | שֵׁשֶׁת    | sheshet         | six of   |
| masculine singular absolute  | שֶׁבַע     | sheva'          | seven    |
| masculine singular construct | שֶׁבַע     | sheva'          | seven of |
| feminine singular absolute   | שִׁבְעָה   | shiv'ah         | seven    |
| feminine singular construct  | שִׁבְעַת   | shiv'at         | seven of |
| masculine singular absolute  | שְׁמֹנֶה   | shemoneh        | eight    |
| masculine singular construct | שְׁמֹנֶה   | shemoneh        | eight of |
| feminine singular absolute   | שְׁמֹנָה   | shemonah        | eight    |
| feminine singular construct  | שִׁמֹנַת   | shimonath       | eight of |
| masculine singular absolute  | תֵּשַׁע    | tesha'          | nine     |
| masculine singular construct | תֵּשַׁע    | tesha'          | nine of  |
| feminine singular absolute   | תִּשְׁעָה  | tish'ah         | nine     |
| feminine singular construct  | תִּשְׁעַת  | tish'ath        | nine of  |
| masculine singular absolute  | עֶשֶׂר     | 'eser           | ten      |
| masculine singular construct | עֶשֶׂר     | 'eser           | ten of   |
| feminine singular absolute   | עֲשָׂרָה   | 'asarah         | ten      |
| feminine singular construct  | עֲשֶׂרֶת   | 'asereth        | ten of   |

3-10 Paradigm

|                    |
| ------------------ |
| עָרִ֖ים אַרְבַּֽע׃ |
| 'arim **'arba'**   |
| cities **four**    |
| **four** cities    |

Example: JOS 21:18

|                                            |
| ------------------------------------------ |
| שִׁבְעָ֥ה בָנִ֖ים **וְשָׁל֥וֹשׁ** בָּנֽוֹת |
| **shiv'ah** vanim **weshalosh** banoth     |
| **seven** sons **and-three** daughters     |
| **seven** sons **and three** daughters     |

Example: JOB 1:2

|                                                                     |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| כָּל־הֹרֵ֣ג קַ֔יִן **שִׁבְעָתַ֖יִם** יֻקָּ֑ם                        |
| kol-horeg qayin **shiv'athayim** yuqqam                             |
| all\_he-who-kills Cain **sevenfold** he-will-be-avenged             |
| If anyone kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him **sevenfold**. |

Example: GEN 4:15

|                                                       |
| ----------------------------------------------------- |
| וְאֶת־הַכִּבְשָׂ֖ה יְשַׁלֵּ֣ם אַרְבַּעְתָּ֑יִם        |
| we'eth-hakkivsah yeshallem **'arba'tayim**            |
| and-\[dir.obj\]-the-lamb he-will-restore **fourfold** |
| He must pay back the lamb **four times over**         |

Example: 2SA 12:6

## 11-19

The numbers 11-19 are formed by writing the number 1-9 followed by the
number 10. Thus, in Biblical Hebrew the number "eleven" is written as
"one ten"; the number "seventeen" is written as "seven ten", etc.

|           |                   |                 |           |
| --------- | ----------------- | --------------- | --------- |
| Form      | Hebrew            | Transliteration | Gloss     |
| masculine | אַחַד עָשָׂר      | 'ahad 'asar     | eleven    |
| feminine  | אַחַת עֶשְׂרֵה    | 'ahath 'esreh   | eleven    |
| masculine | שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר    | shenem 'asar    | twelve    |
| feminine  | שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה | shetem 'esreh   | twelve    |
| masculine | שְׁלֹשָׁה עָשָׂר  | sheloshah 'asar | thirteen  |
| feminine  | שָׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה  | shalosh 'esreh  | thirteen  |
| masculine | אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר | 'arba'ah 'asar  | fourteen  |
| feminine  | אַרְבַּע עֶשְׂרֵה | 'arba' 'esreh   | fourteen  |
| masculine | חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר  | hamishah 'asar  | fifteen   |
| feminine  | חָמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה   | hamesh 'esreh   | fifteen   |
| masculine | שִׁשָּׁה עָשָׂר   | shishah 'asar   | sixteen   |
| feminine  | שֵׁשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה    | shesh 'esreh    | sixteen   |
| masculine | שִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר   | shiv'ah 'asar   | seventeen |
| feminine  | שְׁבַע עֶשְׂרֵה   | sheva' 'esreh   | seventeen |
| masculine | שְׁמֹנָה עָשָׂר   | shemonah 'asar  | eighteen  |
| feminine  | שְׁמֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה | shemoneh 'esreh | eighteen  |
| masculine | תִּשְׁעָה עָשָׂר  | tish'ah 'asar   | nineteen  |
| feminine  | תְּשַׁע עֶשְׂרֵה  | tesha' 'esreh   | nineteen  |

11-19 Paradigm

|                         |
| ----------------------- |
| עָרִ֥ים שֵׁשׁ־עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה |
| 'arim **shesh-'esreh**  |
| cities **six\_ten**     |
| **sixteen** cities      |

Example: JOS 15:41

|                             |
| --------------------------- |
| חֲמִשָּׁ֥ה עָשָׂ֛ר בָּנִ֖ים |
| **hamishah 'asar** banim    |
| **five ten** sons           |
| **fifteen** sons            |

Example: 2SA 9:10

|                                                            |
| ---------------------------------------------------------- |
| וַיִּקְרָ֣א יְהֹושֻׁ֗עַ אֶל־**שְׁנֵ֤ים הֶֽעָשָׂר֙** אִ֔ישׁ |
| wayyiqra yehowshua' 'el-**shenem he'asar** 'ish            |
| And-he-called Joshua to\_**two ten** man                   |
| Then Joshua called the **twelve** men                      |

Example: JOS 4:4

## 20-99

### Multiples of ten (20, 30, 40, etc.)

|             |             |                 |         |
| ----------- | ----------- | --------------- | ------- |
| Form        | Hebrew      | Transliteration | Gloss   |
| gender both | עֶשְׂרִים   | 'esrim          | twenty  |
| gender both | שְׁלֹשִׁים  | sheloshim       | thirty  |
| gender both | אַרְבָּעִים | 'arba'im        | forty   |
| gender both | חֲמִשִּׁים  | hamishim        | fifty   |
| gender both | שִׁשִּׁים   | shishim         | sixty   |
| gender both | שִׁבְעִים   | shiv'im         | seventy |
| gender both | שְׁמֹנִים   | shemonim        | eighty  |
| gender both | תִּשְׁעִים  | tish'im         | ninety  |

Multiples of Ten Paradigm

|                                                 |
| ----------------------------------------------- |
| לֹ֣א אַשְׁחִ֔ית בַּעֲב֖וּר הָֽעֶשְׂרִֽים׃       |
| lo 'ashhith ba'avur **ha'esrim**                |
| not I-will-destroy for-sake-of **the-twenty**.  |
| I will not destroy it for **the twenty**'s sake |

Example: GEN 18:31

In the following example, the nouns "day" and "night" are singular in
form but plural in meaning.

|                                                |
| ---------------------------------------------- |
| אַרְבָּעִ֣ים יֹ֔ום **וְאַרְבָּעִ֖ים** לָ֑יְלָה |
| **'arba'im** yowm **we'arba'im** laylah        |
| **forty** day **and-forty** night              |
| **forty** days **and forty** nights            |

Example: GEN 7:4

### Multiples of ten plus units (21, 32, 43, etc.)

These numbers are written following the same rules as the numbers 11-19.
Thus, the number "twenty-one" is written as "one twenty"; the number
"thirty-two" is written as "two thirty"; the number "forty-three" is
writen as "three forty", etc.

|                                 |
| ------------------------------- |
| שְׁתַּ֤יִם וְשִׁשִּׁים֙ שָׁנָ֔ה |
| **shetayim weshishim** shanah   |
| **two and-sixty** year          |
| **sixty-two** years             |

Example: GEN 5:20

|                                                 |
| ----------------------------------------------- |
| וְאַחֲרֵ֤י הַשָּׁבֻעִים֙ שִׁשִּׁ֣ים וּשְׁנַ֔יִם |
| we'ahare hashavu'im **shishim ushenayim**       |
| And-after the-weeks **sixty and-two**           |
| After the **sixty-two** weeks                   |

Example: DAN 9:26

## Multiples of 100, 1000, 10000, etc.

The nouns "hundred" (100) and "thousand" (1000) function the same as any
other common noun with singular, dual, and plural forms. Although the
number for "hundred" uses feminine endings and the number for "thousand"
uses masculine endings, both numbers should be classified as "gender
both" because the same form can be both grammatically-masculine and
grammatically-feminine.

|                                |            |                 |              |
| ------------------------------ | ---------- | --------------- | ------------ |
| Form                           | Hebrew     | Transliteration | Gloss        |
| gender both singular absolute  | מֵאָה      | me'ah           | hundred      |
| gender both singular construct | מְאַת      | me'ath          | hundred of   |
| gender both dual absolute      | מָאתַיִם   | mathayim        | two hundred  |
| gender both plural absolute    | מֵאוֹת     | me'oth          | hundreds     |
| gender both plural construct   | מֵאוֹת     | me'oth          | hundreds of  |
| gender both singular absolute  | אֶלֶף      | 'elef           | thousand     |
| gender both singular construct | אֶלֶף      | 'elef           | thousand of  |
| gender both dual absolute      | אַלְפַּיִם | 'alpayim        | two thousand |
| gender both plural absolute    | אֲלָפַיִם  | 'alafayim       | thousands    |
| gender both plural construct   | אַלְפֵי    | 'alfe           | thousands of |

Multiples of 100, 1000, 10000, etc. Paradigm

|                                                                                                      |
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| וַיִּֽהְי֞וּ כָּל־יְמֵ֤י אָדָם֙ אֲשֶׁר־חַ֔י תְּשַׁ֤ע מֵאוֹת֙ שָׁנָ֔ה וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֖ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיָּמֹֽת |
| wayyiheyu kol-yeme 'adam 'asher-hay tesha' me'oth shanah usheloshim shanah wayyamoth                 |
| And-it-was all\_days-of Adam which\_he-lived nine hundred year and-thirty year and-he-died.          |
| Adam lived 930 years altogether, and then he died.                                                   |

Example: GEN 5:5

|                                                                     |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| וַֽיְחִי־עֵ֗בֶר ... שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה וְאַרְבַּ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָ֑ה |
| wayehi-'ever ... sheloshim shanah we'arba' me'oth shanah            |
| And-he-lived Eber ... thirty year and-four hundred year             |
| Eber ... lived 430 more years                                       |

Example: GEN 11:17

|                                                        |
| ------------------------------------------------------ |
| נָתַ֜תִּי אֶ֤לֶף כֶּ֙סֶף֙ לְאָחִ֔יךְ                   |
| nathatti 'elef kesef le'ahikh                          |
| I-have-given thousand-of silver to-your-brother        |
| I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. |

Example: GEN 20:16

|                                                                                 |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| וְסַרְנֵ֤י פְלִשְׁתִּים֙ עֹֽבְרִ֔ים לְמֵא֖וֹת וְלַאֲלָפִ֑ים                     |
| wesarne felishtim 'overim leme'oth wela'alafim                                  |
| And-the-lords-of the-Philistines were-passing-over by-hundreds and-by-thousands |
| The princes of the Philistines passed on by hundreds and by thousands           |

Example: 1SA 29:2

In the following example, multiples of 1,000 are expressed by numbers in
a construct phrase.

|                                                   |
| ------------------------------------------------- |
| וַיַּכּ֣וּם בְּבֶ֔זֶק עֲשֶׂ֥רֶת אֲלָפִ֖ים אִֽישׁ׃ |
| wayyakkum bevezeq 'asereth 'alafim 'ish           |
| And-they-defeated in-Bezek ten-of thousands man   |
| They killed ten thousand of them at Bezek.        |

Example: JDG 1:4