Number Ten

Narrator: Ivona Gentwo
Duration: 10min
 •  5 min. read  •  grade level: 9
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We have partly looked at 10, but now will follow other uses of it, which, first, show the character we have already seen, but in other connections.
2 Kings 5:55And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment. (2 Kings 5:5). Naaman took 10 talents of silver and 10 changes of raiment for God's prophet. (It is not clear if this 10 be an energetic 5 to the prophet, or a 10 towards the prophet's God.)
In the Old Testament, 10 times fire came forth from God: Gen. 19:2424Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven; (Genesis 19:24); Lev. 9:24; 10:224And there came a fire out from before the Lord, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces. (Leviticus 9:24)
2And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. (Leviticus 10:2); Num. 11:1;16:351And when the people complained, it displeased the Lord: and the Lord heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the Lord burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp. (Numbers 11:1)
35And there came out a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense. (Numbers 16:35); 1 Kings 18:3838Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. (1 Kings 18:38); 2 Kings 1:10,1210And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty. (2 Kings 1:10)
12And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty. (2 Kings 1:12); 1 Chron. 21:2626And David built there an altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the Lord; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering. (1 Chronicles 21:26); 2 Chron. 7:11Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house. (2 Chronicles 7:1).
The people shouted in joy with God in the Old Testament 10 times: Lev. 9:2424And there came a fire out from before the Lord, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces. (Leviticus 9:24); Josh. 6:2020So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. (Joshua 6:20); 1 Sam. 4:55And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again. (1 Samuel 4:5); 1 Sam. 10:24;17:20,5224And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the Lord hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, God save the king. (1 Samuel 10:24)
20And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle. (1 Samuel 17:20)
52And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until thou come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron. (1 Samuel 17:52); 2 Sam. 6:1515So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. (2 Samuel 6:15) (also given in 1 Chron. 15:2828Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, making a noise with psalteries and harps. (1 Chronicles 15:28)); 2 Chron. 13:15;15:1415Then the men of Judah gave a shout: and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass, that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. (2 Chronicles 13:15)
14And they sware unto the Lord with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets. (2 Chronicles 15:14); Ezra 3:1111And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the Lord; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. (Ezra 3:11). These are:
when the fire of God burnt up the sacrifice; when the walls of Jericho fell; when the ark was brought into the camp; when Saul was chosen king;
when Israel wanted to fight the Philistines;
when pursuing them after Goliath's death;
when the ark was brought up from Obed-edom's house;
when God smote Jeroboam before Abijah;
when Asa and all the people sware to Jehovah at Oded's prophesying;
when the new temple was built.
(Three evil shoutings also are mentioned and in Job 38:77When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? (Job 38:7) a shouting not from earth).
5. David (2 Sam. 12:13;24:10,1713And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. (2 Samuel 12:13)
10And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the Lord, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O Lord, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly. (2 Samuel 24:10)
17And David spake unto the Lord when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house. (2 Samuel 24:17); 1 Chron. 21:8,178And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly. (1 Chronicles 21:8)
17And David said unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, O Lord my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued. (1 Chronicles 21:17); Psa. 41:44I said, Lord, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee. (Psalm 41:4); Psa. 51:44Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. (Psalm 51:4))
It may be added on this point, that besides the above personal confessions, "we have sinned" is said (for themselves and others, the nation) by four persons: the Psalmist (Psa. 106:66We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly. (Psalm 106:6)); Isaiah (Isa. 42:2424Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the Lord, he against whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law. (Isaiah 42:24) and 64:5); Jeremiah (Jer. 3:25; 8:14; 14:7,2025We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against the Lord our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God. (Jeremiah 3:25)
14Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defenced cities, and let us be silent there: for the Lord our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the Lord. (Jeremiah 8:14)
7O Lord, though our iniquities testify against us, do thou it for thy name's sake: for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee. (Jeremiah 14:7)
20We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers: for we have sinned against thee. (Jeremiah 14:20) and in Lam. 5:1616The crown is fallen from our head: woe unto us, that we have sinned! (Lamentations 5:16)); Daniel (Dan. 9:11,15,5-811Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him. (Daniel 9:11)
15And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly. (Daniel 9:15)
5We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments: 6Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. 7O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee. 8O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee. (Daniel 9:5‑8)). While the people Israel say "we have sinned" on five occasions; viz., Deut. 1:1414And ye answered me, and said, The thing which thou hast spoken is good for us to do. (Deuteronomy 1:14), Num. 14:4040And they rose up early in the morning, and gat them up into the top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we be here, and will go up unto the place which the Lord hath promised: for we have sinned. (Numbers 14:40); Judg. 10:10,1510And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim. (Judges 10:10)
15And the children of Israel said unto the Lord, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day. (Judges 10:15); 1 Sam. 7:6;12:106And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the Lord, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the Lord. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh. (1 Samuel 7:6)
10And they cried unto the Lord, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord, and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee. (1 Samuel 12:10); Num. 21:77Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. (Numbers 21:7) and see Num. 12:1111And Aaron said unto Moses, Alas, my lord, I beseech thee, lay not the sin upon us, wherein we have done foolishly, and wherein we have sinned. (Numbers 12:11).
There are also 10 righteous curses in Scripture:
There are 10 parables of the kingdom in Matt. 13, 22 and 25.
It is said in Deut. 23:33An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the Lord for ever: (Deuteronomy 23:3): "an Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of Jehovah; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of Jehovah forever." A comparison with Neh. 13:11On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever; (Nehemiah 13:1) will show that when an Ammonite or Moabite was prohibited from entering into the congregation to their 10th generation, the intention was to fully cut those nations off forever.
Our Lord says of Himself, "I am," 10 times:
Ten times the Tabernacle is spoken of as the place of God's "witness" or "testimony," (these 2 words being the same word in the Hebrew). But of these 10 times, 5 are literally "tabernacle of testimony," and the other 5 are "tent of testimony." The former 5 are in Ex. 38:2121This is the sum of the tabernacle, even of the tabernacle of testimony, as it was counted, according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, son to Aaron the priest. (Exodus 38:21); Num. 1:50, 5350But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle. (Numbers 1:50)
53But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of testimony. (Numbers 1:53) (twice); 10:11. The latter are in Num. 9:15;17:7, 8, 10; 18:215And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning. (Numbers 9:15)
7And Moses laid up the rods before the Lord in the tabernacle of witness. 8And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds. (Numbers 17:7‑8)
10And the Lord said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not. (Numbers 17:10)
2And thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou with thee, that they may be joined unto thee, and minister unto thee: but thou and thy sons with thee shall minister before the tabernacle of witness. (Numbers 18:2) and 2 Chron. 24:66And the king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said unto him, Why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem the collection, according to the commandment of Moses the servant of the Lord, and of the congregation of Israel, for the tabernacle of witness? (2 Chronicles 24:6).
The laver of the Tabernacle is mentioned 10 times, but its "foot" (or base) only 8 times. Also the "pins" (or tent pegs) are named 10 times.
The Day of Atonement was the 10th day of the seventh month.
In the foregoing quotations and in many others, a greater or less connection will be found with the thought of responsibility before God. Thus, the tent pegs of the Tabernacle are spoken of 10 times; but these are the means of steadiness and security to the structure, by means of the cords attached to them and it. And it is important to notice that according to the character of a truth or feature, so often is it named. This will be seen more fully further on.