Bible Dictionaries
Four, Fourteen, Four Hundred

"four," is not found in the NT outside the Gospels, the Acts and Apocalypse; in the last it is very frequent. Tetartos, "fourth," is found in Matthew 14:25; Mark 6:48 and seven times in the Apocalypse; also in Acts 10:30 , "four days ago," lit., "from a fourth day." Dekatessares, "fourteen" (lit., "ten-four"), is found in Matthew 1:17; 2 Corinthians 12:2; Galatians 2:1; tessareskaidekatos, "fourteenth" (lit., "four-and-tenth"), Acts 27:27,33; tetrakosia, "four hundred," Acts 5:36; 7:6; 13:20; Galatians 3:17 . In Acts 7:6 the 400 years refers to Abraham's descendants and to the sojourning and the bondage. This agrees with Genesis 15:13 . In Exodus 12:40 the 430 years dates from the call of Abraham himself. Likewise the giving of the Law was 430 years from the promise in Genesis 12:3 , which agrees with Galatians 3:17 . In John 11:39 tetartaios, lit., "a fourth day (one)," is rendered "four days."