The Greek noun dekatē refers to a tenth — specifically the tithe, the practice of giving one-tenth of one's income, produce, or spoils to God or his representatives. The practice appears in the Old Testament as a covenant obligation (Deuteronomy 14:22–29), in Abraham's gift to Melchizedek (Genesis 14:20), and in the New Testament's complex discussions about tithing and generosity.
The tithe in Scripture is fundamentally an act of acknowledgment: everything belongs to God, and the tenth is a concrete reminder of that truth. Malachi 3:10 records God's remarkable challenge to 'test me in this' regarding the tithe. In Hebrews 7:1–10, Abraham's tithe to Melchizedek becomes a theological argument for the superiority of Christ's priesthood over the Levitical. Jesus acknowledges tithing while emphasizing that justice, mercy, and faithfulness are weightier matters (Matthew 23:23). The New Testament principle moves beyond a percentage to cheerful, generous, Spirit-led giving (2 Corinthians 9:6–7).