ἕνα (ena) in Revelation 22:2: Adjective Accusative Singular Masculine
ἕνα (ena) in Revelation 22:2
Textual Witness
In the provided text, the form appears in the clause κατὰ μῆνα ἕνα ἕκαστον ἀποδιδοῦν τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ, within the description of the tree of life.
How The Form Affects Interpretation
The form sharpens the sense of monthly distribution, helping the reader hear the passage as orderly and continuous rather than vague.
How To Communicate It
In translation and explanation, it can be conveyed simply as one per month or month by month, so the sentence remains clear and readable.
What Not To Say
- Grammatical form should serve context, not override it.
- The masculine grammatical label does not create a gender claim about the referent.
- Conservative interpretation is enough where syntax gives clarity but not exhaustive detail.
What Does The Label Mean?
Adjective: the form functions as a modifier or can be used substantively, so it points to quantity or identity in relation to a nearby noun.
Accusative: the form is shaped for an accusative role here, which usually marks the direct object or a related object-like element in the clause.
Singular: the form is grammatically singular in this occurrence, so it presents the quantity as one rather than many.
Masculine: the form belongs to the masculine grammatical class in this context, but that grammatical feature does not by itself make a theological or biological claim.
What The Form Does In This Verse
It is attached to μῆνα and stands in the phrase κατὰ μῆνα ἕνα ἕκαστον.
The preposition κατὰ with the accusative frames the phrase as distributive, describing the months in sequence rather than isolating the word as a standalone idea.
It helps specify the cadence of the fruit-bearing: one month at a time, with each month receiving its own fruit.
It does not by itself prove a unique theological symbol or change the noun it modifies into a different lexical item.
How Much The Form Matters Here
Moderate: The accusative numeral helps form the month-by-month distribution phrase in the tree of life vision.
Accusative numeral in a distributive time phrase. helps express monthly distribution of the fruit-bearing pattern. Attached to the phrase about one month at a time. Governed by κατὰ with the accusative and the nearby distributive wording. The phrase gives order and cadence, not a hidden numerical code by itself.
How is the fruit-bearing rhythm described? The form helps express one month at a time within the recurring fruit-bearing pattern.
Direct: The accusative distributive phrase directly supports renderings like 'each month' or 'month by month.'
The distributive phrase should be read with κατὰ and the surrounding words, not from the numeral alone. Masculine agreement is grammatical and should not be made theological.
Number one creates a hidden code: The form serves the monthly distribution phrase; the vision context supplies meaning. case alone proves the whole time scheme: The accusative contributes to the time expression, but the verse governs the time image.
How The Interpretation Is Derived
In the provided text, the form appears in the clause κατὰ μῆνα ἕνα ἕκαστον ἀποδιδοῦν τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ, within the description of the tree of life.
The lemma εἷς means one, so the form contributes the sense of a single unit or single instance in context.
Here the grammar works with κατὰ μῆνα and ἕκαστον to express regular distribution, not merely a general idea of sameness or emphasis.
The passage portrays ordered, recurring fruitfulness from the tree of life, with one month set off from another in an ongoing pattern.
Within Revelation's vision language, the form supports a picture of abundance and regular provision without requiring more precision than the sentence gives.
For readers and teachers, the form can be rendered naturally as one month at a time or each month, keeping the focus on steady repetition.
Do not derive from this form a hidden code, a separate doctrine, or more specificity than the verse and syntax clearly provide.