Hundred
Culture & SocietyWhat is the meaning of Hundred in the Bible?
In ancient Israel, a hundred functioned as a fundamental administrative and military unit comprising approximately one hundred families or individuals, serving as the basis for census records, conscription, and local judicial governance.
SIGNIFICANCE
Recognizing the hundred as a concrete socio-political structure helps readers understand the organizational depth of Israelite society, revealing that biblical references to numbers often reflect established community life and administrative systems rather than abstract quantities.
Bible Study Quick-Reference Guide
Ancient Cultural Lens: Avoid applying 21st-century Western assumptions to Hundred. Examine how first-century or Near Eastern listeners understood this practice within their daily social dynamics.
Bible Study Reflection Prompts:
- Why did the biblical author mention Hundred in this passage?
- What cultural or historical assumption does Hundred clarify?
Source Attribution
Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and shortened for clarity.
How to Cite This Entry
"Hundred." Ancient Context Dictionary. Accessed 2026. https://ancientcontext.com/context/hundred/