The Meaning of the Number Ten in the Bible—Part 3

Introduction and Review

The number ten in the Bible refers to themes centered on God's commands and humans' responsibility to obey and honor them. It also links with the concept of testing in terms of obedience to God's expressed will and ways. When the number ten appears in Scripture, we will most often find the words command, test, or both very near in the story.

The second part of this series studied how the concepts of marriage express the covenantal aspect represented by the number ten.

This third installment will examine Joseph, Pharaoh, the ten scouts who spied out the promised land, and the priestly tithe.

Joseph reveals himself to his brothers after exposing their unrighteousness.
James Tissot
Brooklyn Museum

Joseph Tested His Ten Brothers

Joseph's life from seventeen on was a big test of faith, and he passed with flying colors. After becoming a ruler in Egypt, his ten brothers, who had thrown him into a pit and sold him to traders, were forced to come to Joseph for provisions. They did not recognize him upon their arrival in Egypt. At this point in the story, Joseph tests his ten brothers before revealing himself to them and exposing their unrighteousness.

Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons, "Why are you staring at one another?" Then he said, "Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down there and buy some for us from there so that we may live and not die.” So ten brothers of Joseph went down to buy grain from Egypt ... But Joseph recognized his brothers, although they did not recognize him. And Joseph remembered the dreams which he had about them and said to them, "You are spies; you have come to look at the nakedness of the land.” Then they said to him, "No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food. We are all sons of one man; we are honest men; your servants are not spies." And he said to them, "No, but you have come to look at the nakedness of our land!” So they said, "Your servants are twelve brothers in all, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest is with our father today, and one is no more.” And Joseph said to them, “It is as I said to you, you are spies; by this, you will be tested: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go from this place unless your youngest brother comes here! Send one of you that he may get your brother while you remain confined, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you. But if not, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies.” Then he put them all together in prison for three days.

— Genesis 42:1-3,8-17

Also, Pharaoh commanded that provisions be made for Joseph to bring his father, Jacob, and the whole family down to Egypt for refuge from the famine. Joseph sent his father ten donkeys loaded with the best things of Egypt and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread. Joseph passed his test and could bless his entire family with the rewards reaped from his obedience amid extreme testing.

Significantly, this portion of Scripture is part of the tenth Torah portion. Torah portions are read weekly and unitedly by Jews around the world.

Pharaoh is being tested with flies.
James Tissot
Brooklyn Museum

Pharaoh's Ten Tests

God commanded Pharaoh to let His people go ten times in Exodus. He was given ten opportunities to change his mind. Instead, His disobedience resulted in ten catastrophic events that ended in destruction and death. (Exodus 7- 12)

1. God commanded Pharaoh to let His people go, but Pharaoh refused, so God turned the water into blood. All the fish in the Nile died, becoming foul and undrinkable.

2. God commanded Pharaoh again to let His people go, but Pharaoh refused, so God sent frogs to overrun their homes, bedrooms, ovens, and kneading bowls. The result was piled heaps of dead frogs that became foul.

3. God commanded Pharaoh to let His people go, but Pharaoh refused. God turned the dust into lice that plagued man and beast.

4. God sent swarms of flies, and the land was "laid waste" because of the flies. Pharaoh, once again, did not let God's people go.

5. God commanded Pharaoh to let His people go. Pharaoh disregarded the command, and therefore, God sent a plague that destroyed their livestock, horses, donkeys, camels, herds, and flocks.

6. God used soot to cause boils and break sores on man and beast, but Pharaoh refused to listen. (no warning)

7. God commanded Pharaoh to let His people go, but Pharaoh refused, so God sent hail that struck every plant of the field and man and beast.

8. God commanded Pharaoh to let God's people go, but Pharaoh refused, so God sent Locusts that ate what remained from the hail, including the fruit trees.

9. God sent darkness so thick it could be felt for three days. Pharaoh refused to let God's people go and sent Moses away.

10. God caused the death of the firstborn. Although it appeared as if Pharaoh obeyed, he really only delayed. Later, he runs after them to take them back.

After God's instructions for the Passover the night before their release, it is noted that God's people obeyed

So all the sons of Israel did; as Yahweh had commanded Moses and Aaron, thus they did. And on that same day, Yahweh brought the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their hosts.

— Exodus 12:50-51

The phrase "Thus saith the Lord" is used ten times in the book of Exodus. (Exodus 5:7; 7:17; 8:1, 20; 9:1, 13; 10:3; 11:4; 32: 27)

Abraham's tenth and final test concerned his obedience and willingness to sacrifice his promised son, as God had requested. Pharaoh's tenth and final test included the death of all the firstborns of his kingdom due to his lack of obedience to let God's people go as God had requested.

Notably, the Passover observance instituted on the occasion of the tenth plague required that. God's people take a lamb, per family, on the tenth day of the first month. The lamb was to be without blemish, representing the righteous, obedient, sinless Savior who was to come.

... if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous
— I John 2:1
Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, also was sacrificed.
— I Corinthians 5:7

The scouts returning from testing out the land, ten of whom failed God's test by discounting His ability to save.
James Tissot
Brooklyn Museum

The Ten Scouts Who Failed the Test

Moses sent twelve scouts into the promised land at the command of Yahweh to test it out before entering.

The Lord spoke to Moses: "Send men to scout out the land of Canaan I am giving to the Israelites. Send one man who is a leader among them from each of their ancestral tribes ... When Moses sent them to scout out the land of Canaan, he told them ... See what the land is like, and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many. Is the land they live in good or bad? Are the cities they live in encampments or fortifications? Is the land fertile or unproductive? Are there trees in it or not? Be courageous. Bring back some fruit from the land.” It was the season for the first ripe grapes."

— Numbers 13:1-2

Ten scouts failed the test by doubting that God would or could fight for them in the conquest and refused to enter the land.

... they gave a negative report to the Israelites about the land they had scouted
— Numbers 13:32

God was angry at their refusal to trust and obey, viewing it as disloyalty. Moses interceded for them before God to pardon their iniquity. God accepted the plea but accused them of testing Him ten times.

The Lord responded, "I have pardoned them as you requested. Yet as I live and as the whole earth is filled with the Lord's glory, none of the men who have seen my glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tested me these ten times and did not obey me, will ever see the land I swore to give their ancestors. None of those who have despised me will see it.
— Numbers 14:20-23

The widow who gave all she had from Mark 21:4-44 and Luke 12:1-4
James Tissot
Brooklyn Museum

Testing on the Tithe

The book of Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament, reveals another ten connected to a test. In its third chapter, God confronts His people for neglecting genuine fellowship with, loyalty to, and worship of Him and begs for their return. They are going through the motions but are obviously straying from sincere love and devotion.

One of these confrontations concerned tithes and offerings. A Biblical tithe was a ten percent contribution of any gain or increase to the priesthood. The tithe was the only means of support for God's servants, who served as mediators between God and His people and were responsible for maintaining the Temple.

Its first occurrence is in Genesis chapter fourteen when Abraham defeated four kings to rescue Lot. He paid tithes of the spoil to Melchizedek, the mysterious priest-king.

Then Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe of all.

— Genesis 14:18-20

In this case, the tithe was Abraham's expression of faith that God was the source of his success and the owner of everything. In the Book of Malachi, God's people lacked this dimension of faith, and God called them robbers for neglecting it. He offered them a way to test Him regarding the tithe.

"Will a man rob God?
Yet you have robbed Me!
But you say,
'In what way have we robbed You?'
In tithes and offerings.
You are cursed with a curse,
For you have robbed Me,
Even this whole nation.
Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
That there may be food in My house,
And try (test) Me now in this,"
Says the Lord of hosts,
"If I will not open for you the windows of heaven
And pour out for you such a blessing
That there will not be enough room to receive it.

— Genesis 25:8-10

Painting by Jakub Weinles depicting the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur.

The Ten Days of Awe

The Old Testament order of religious observances included a ten-day gap between Rosh Hashanah, also known as the Feast of Trumpets, which marked the beginning of the civil new year, and Yom Kippur, the day of atonement. This gap is more modernly known as the ten days of awe.

Again Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, In the seventh month on the first of the month you shall have a memorial by blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. You shall not do any laborious work, but you shall bring an offering by fire near to Yahweh.'" And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, "On exactly the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement; it shall be a holy convocation for you, and you shall humble your souls and bring an offering by fire near to Yahweh.

— Leviticus 23:23-28

The theme of these particular holy days was repentance towards God and forgiveness of others. The ten days were an opportunity to reflect on areas of one's life in which one had fallen short of God's righteous decrees, either in one's treatment of God or of fellow human beings, and to repent.