– Among the Semitic peoples, numbers did not have the accuracy we know today, but a symbolic meaning. In the case of the number ten, there is behind it an idea of a complete thing that the author wants to convey to us. The best-known case is that of the Ten Commandments, which remains to this day. Other instances are recorded in both the AT and NT:
Ex 20,1-2 : Then God spoke all these words.
– There are ten plagues of the Lord against Pharaoh:
Ex 7-11 : But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and I will multiply my signs and my wonders in Egypt.
– The fearful animal seen in a dream by Daniel had ten horns:
Dan 7,7 : Unlike the preceding animals, it had ten horns.
– There were ten lepers, of whom only one came to thank Jesus for healing:
Lk 17:12 : As he entered a village, ten lepers met him.
– Ten virgins went out to meet the bridegroom:
Mt 25,1 : Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten virgins.
– In the message to the Church of Smyrna, there are ten days of tribulation:
Rev 2,10b : You will have tribulations for ten days.
– There were also ten horns of the dragon that stood before the Woman who was about to give birth:
Rev 12 :3: Then another sign appeared in heaven: a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns.
