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Here is a small passage from my Japanese Bible, where a king is summoning his
servants.

> さて、彼は...帰って来ると、...[僕]{しもべ}を呼んで来させ、...。 最初の者が...。 ** _二番目_** の者が来て...

Why is it referring to the second servant as `二番目の者` instead of the more
intuitive (at least to me) `二人目`? Is this derogatory somehow, or is it
essentially relating `[僕]{しもべ}` to a `番人`, and `番人` are simply counted with
`～番`?

Are there other acceptable times to count people this way?
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2014-04-26T20:34:04.860
15613
2014-04-27T01:07:28.167
2014-04-26T22:10:22.340
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question
counters
Why is this [二番目]{に・ばん・め} counter used for a person?
I think 「二番目」 just means "second" as "second in order" which is not really a
counter of people but a way of expressing order, including order of people.
The king first calls a servant and then calls the second (in order servant).

Quickly looking in the internet, I found some other examples of applying 「二番目」
to people:

> **二番目の女** から本命彼女になる方法 ([link](http://slism.net/love/how-to-become-first-
> woman.html))
>
> **二番目の男** でもいい、と告白されました。 ([link](http://www.ca-
> girlstalk.jp/talk/detail/282748))
>
> **二番目の子**
> が生まれてから、上の子と接する時間が少なくなった私。([link](http://www.shimajiro.co.jp/kosodate/ikuji/resistance/hahakodomo/kawaii/post_470.shtml))
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2014-04-26T22:04:06.753
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2014-04-26T22:17:30.220
2020-06-17T08:18:27.500
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answer