New American Standard Bible 1995

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Luke

15

:

8

"Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Greek: Transliteration:
"Or or, than Conj H2228 ē
what who? which? what? IPro-NFS H5101 τίς tis
woman, a woman N-NFS H1135 γυνὴ gunē
if if (a conditional particle used like NG1487, but usually with the Gr. subjunctive mood) Conj H1437 ἐὰν ean
she has to have, hold V-PPA-NFS H2192 ἔχουσα echousa
ten ten Adj-AFP H1176 δέκα deka
Analysis:

Ten: Completion, wholeness, in a general sense, entirety…

The number ten relates to completion, wholeness, or speaking about something in its entirety. In Luke's Gospel, Yeshua uses the number ten frequently in His parables or when recounting an event. Yeshua spoke of ten coins (chapter 15), ten lepers (chapter 17), ten servants (chapter 19), and ten units of money (chapter 19). In Matthew's Gospel, Yeshua refers to ten virgins; while in Mark's Gospel, ten cities. In all of these passages, Yeshua is utilizing the number ten in a collective manner. In other words, He is speaking about ten in a general manner or as a whole. 

In the book of Revelation chapters 13 and 17, the number ten appears in reference to ten horns. These ten horns are related to the beast, which had also seven heads. These ten horns are ten kings which rule with the beast. Why specifically ten kings? Other than Israel, all the nations of the world are going to serve the beast. Hence, the ten kings represent the world in its entirety or wholeness. In this example, it may be puzzling at first to see why the number seven is used in regard to the beast, as seven relates to holiness or perfection. The solution to this difficulty is found when one remembers that seven also relates to purpose or setting something apart. Hence, the beast is the empire which has as its purpose the exact opposite of the will of God, i.e., the beast has been set apart to stand in opposition to the purposes of God. 

In Hebrew, the word that relates to a pagan temple prostitute is the word that could be translated as a "holy one". Certainly this one is not holy in our understanding of the word; however in Hebrew, the idea which is being expressed by the use of the Hebrew word for "holy" is that this woman has been set apart (sanctified) for a purpose. Obviously a very unholy purpose; yet in Hebrew the word "holy" does not always convey a good or godly purpose, just a purpose.

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016

silver as much as one can hold in the hand, a drachma (a Gr. coin made of silver) N-AFS H1406 δραχμὰς drachmas
coins as much as one can hold in the hand, a drachma (a Gr. coin made of silver) N-AFS H1406 δραχμὴν drachmēn
and loses to destroy, destroy utterly V-ASA-3S H622 ἀπολέσῃ apolesē
one one Adj-AFS H1520 μίαν mian
Analysis:

One: God

Refers to HaShem (God), Who is One. This number can also refer to unity. The first place the number "one" occurs is in Genesis 1:5. There one reads, "And there was an evening and there was a morning— one day". Later on in this same book of Genesis, it is stated concerning the man and his wife, "And they became one flesh" (Genesis 2:24). It is very significant that in both of these examples there was a multiplicity for the subject. In the first example, the evening and the morning became one day and in the second example, it was Adam and Eve who became one flesh.

One of the most famous passages in the Torah concerning HaShem is Deuteronomy 6:4 which states, "Hear O Israel the Lord your God the Lord is One." The question that a person must ask himself is what is the connection between the use of the Hebrew word אחד "one" which identifies a multiplicity being one and the fact that the Lord God of Israel is One? The answer is that the Hebrew word אחד can relate to the concept for one as in "unification". There is another Hebrew word that would have been possible to be used if the author wanted to refer to an absolute oneness or singleness. This is the Hebrew word יחיד. In fact, there is a well-known prayer in Judaism which states, "אחד ואין יחיד כיחודו". This phrase should be translated as, "(God is) One and there is no singularity as His singularity." The idea that is being expressed in this prayer is that the Lord God of Israel is One; but not an absolute One; rather there is a uniqueness and a complexity to His Oneness.

The number one is frequently employed to express in the Scriptures one object, such as one man or one tabernacle. This usage would be the simple or common purpose that the number one or for that matter any number, would appear in a Biblical text. Often the appearance of a number does not contain any of the significance that Hebrew numerology might offer. Therefore, the reader must always consider when coming across a verse which contains a number, that the number only expresses an amount and no additional significance. 

Because the number one is often associated with God, there is a unique phenomenon in the Scriptures concerning this number. Sometimes the number one is employed to express a unique relationship that the object has to HaShem. For example,

"And it will be one day, it will be known to HaShem..." Zechariah 14:7

In the text above, Zechariah could have stated simply, "And it will be a day…" The fact that the prophet said "one day" is to convey that this day is uniquely related to God. Similarly, it is stated by the prophet Ezekiel in chapter 37, "one King", "one nation" and "one Shepherd" (see Ezekiel 37:22, 24). Each of these objects—King, nation and Shepherd—has a connection to HaShem. The King and Shepherd is Messiah Yeshua, the Son of God and the one nation is Israel, the people of God.

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016

coin, as much as one can hold in the hand, a drachma (a Gr. coin made of silver) N-AFS H1406    
does not light to fasten to, lay hold of V-PIA-3S H681 ἅπτει aptei
a lamp a (portable) lamp N-AMS H3088 λύχνον luchnon
and sweep to sweep V-PIA-3S H4563 σαροῖ saroi
the house a house, dwelling N-AFS H3614 οἰκίαν oikian
and search to seek V-PIA-3S H2212 ζητεῖ zētei
carefully carefully Adv H1960 ἐπιμελῶς epimelōs
until till, until Prep H2193 ἕως eōs
she finds to find V-ASA-3S H2147 εὕρῃ eurē
it?      

Parallel Verses

Removed text
Added text
New American Standard Bible 1995 "Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?
King James Bible "Or Either what woman, woman having ten pieces of silver, if she has ten silver coins and loses lose one coin, does piece, doth not light a lamp candle, and sweep the house house, and search carefully until seek diligently till she finds find it?
Berean Bible "Or Or what woman, woman having ten drachmas, if she has ten silver coins and loses should lose one coin, drachma, does not light a lamp and sweep the house house, and search seek carefully until she finds it?
Hebrew Greek English "Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?