number Summary and Overview

Like most Oriental nations, it is probable that the Hebrews in their written calculations made use of the letters of the alphabet. That they did so in post-Babylonian times we have conclusive evidence in the Maccabaean coins; and it is highly probable that this was the ease also in earlier times. But though, on the one hand, it is certain that in all existing MSS of the Hebrew text of the Old Testament the numerical expressions are written at length, yet, on the other, the variations in the several versions between themselves and from the Hebrew text, added to the evident inconsistencies in numerical statement between certain passages of that text itself seems to prove that some shorter mode of writing was originally in vogue, liable to be misunderstood, and in fact misunderstood by copyists and translators. These variations appear to have proceeded from the alphabetic method of writing numbers. There can be little doubt, however, that some at least of the numbers mentioned in Scripture are intended to be representative rather than determinative. Certain numbers, as 7,10,40,100, were regarded as giving the idea of completeness. Without entering into St. Augustine's theory of this usage, we may remark that the notion of representative numbers in certain cases is one extremely common among eastern nations, who have a prejudice against counting their possessions accurately; that it enters largely into many ancient systems of chronology, and that it is found in the philosophical and metaphysical speculations not only of the Pythagorean and other ancient schools of philosophy, both Greek and Roman, but also in those of the later Jewish writers, of the Gnostics, and also of such Christian writers se St. Augustine himself. We proceed to give some instances of numbers used, (a) representatively, and thus probably by design indefinitely, or, (b) definitely, but, as we may say, preferentially, i.e. because some meaning (which we do not in all cases understand) was attached to them. 1. Seven as denoting either plurality or completeness, perhaps because seven days completed the week is so frequent as to make a selection only of instances necessary, e.g. seven fold #Ge 4:24| seven times, i.e. completely, #Le 26:24; Ps 12:6| seven (i.e. many) ways, #De 28:25| 2. Ten as a preferential number is exemplified in the Ten Commandments and the law of tithe. 3. Seventy, as compounded of 7 X 10, appears frequently e.g. seventy fold. #Ge 4:24; Mt 18:22| Its definite use appears in the offerings of 70 shekels, #Nu 7:13,19| ff,; the 70 elders, ch. #Nu 11:16| 70 years of captivity. #Jer 25:11| 4. Five appears in the table of punishments, of legal requirements, #Ex 22:1; Le 5:16; 22:14; 27:15; Nu 5:7; 18:16| and in the five empires of Daniel. #Da 2:1| ... 5. Four is used in reference to the 4 winds, #Da 7:2| and the so-called 4 corners of the earth; the creatures, each with 4 wings and 4 faces, of Ezekiel, #Eze 1:5| ff.; 4 rivers of Paradise #Ge 2:10| 4 beasts, #Da 7:1| ... and Reve 4:6 the 4 equal-sided temple-chamber. #Eze 40:47| 6. Three was regarded, by both the Jews and other nations as a specially complete and mystic number. 7. Twelve (3X4) appears in 12 tribes 12 stones in the high priest's breastplate, 12 apostles, 12 foundation-stones, and 12 gates. #Re 21:19-21| 8. Lastly, the mystic number 666. #Re 13:18|

NUM'BER . The following numbers were understood by the Hebrews to have a symbolical or representative significance: 1. Three was deemed to have a peculiar mystic meaning. It is the number of the Deity (the Trinity), of the thrice repeated "Holy," Isa 6:3; of the threefold priestly blessing. Num 6:23-26; Daniel's three hours of prayer. Dan 6:10, etc. 2. Four symbolizes the world or humanity. There are four winds, Eze 37:9, four beasts, Rev 4:6, and four living creatures with four faces, four wings, and four sides. Eze 1:5-10, etc. 3. Five, the half of ten, as in Ex 22:1; Lev 22:14; Matt 25:2, etc. The Decalogue is divided into two tables, each containing five commandments. 4. Seven, the union of three and four, is the number of the covenants between God and man. It implies perfection. The number occurs very frequently in connection with both holy things and things unholy; for example, the seven priests that carried seven trumpets seven times in front of the ark and around the walls of Jericho, Josh 6:4, the seven days in the week, the seven churches, Rev 1:4, the seven years of plenty in Egypt, Gen 41:26, the seven angels with seven golden vials. Rev 15:1; but also the seven heads and seven crowns of the dragon. Rev 12:3. 5. Ten, the number of fingers (two hands), symbolizes harmony and completeness. It is the number of the fundamental commandments. 6. Twelve, the multiple of three and four, is also a covenant number, like seven. Hence we have the twelve tribes, the twelve stones in the high priest's breastplate, Ex 28:21, twelve apostles, twelve gates in the New Jerusalem, etc. 7. Forty, four multiplied by ten; as the forty days of our Lord's temptation, Matt 4, the forty years in the wilderness, etc. 1. Seventy, seven multiplied by ten; as the seventy elders of Israel, Num 11:16, the seventy disciples of our Lord. Luke 10:1. It is very difficult, if indeed at all possible, to get the exact and definite meaning of these numbers, and we must not carry the search too far. But that they had a special meaning for the Hebrews there can be little doubt. (Compare the extended and ingenious treatment of Lange, Com. on Revelation, pp. 14 sqq.)

After the captivity the Hebrew used the alphabet letters for numbers, 'Aleph (? ) equalling 1; Bet[h] (? ) equalling 2, etc.; Yod[h] (? ) equalling 10; Qoph (? ) equalling 100, etc. The final letters expressed 500 to 900; 'Aleph (? ) + a line over it equalling 1000. Our manuscripts all write numbers at full length. But the variations make it likely that letters (which copyists could so easily mistake) originally were written for numbers: compare 2 Kings 24:8 with 2 Chronicles 36:9; Isaiah 7:8, where 65 is in one reading, 16 and 5 in another. 1 Samuel 6:19 has 50,070, but Syriac and Arabic 5070 (1 Kings 4:26 with 2 Chronicles 9:25). Numbers also have often a symbolical rather than a mere arithmetical value. But straining is to be avoided, and subtle trifling. The author's sense, history, the context, and the general analogy of the Scripture scheme as a whole are to be examined, in order to decide whether a figure is employed in a merely ordinary sense, or in an ordinary and symbolical, or in an exclusively symbolical sense. Zechariah and Daniel dwell upon seven; Daniel and Revelation use several numbers to "characterize periods", rather than indicate arithmetical duration. Science reveals in crystallization and chemical combinations what an important part number plays in the proportion of combining molecules of organic and inorganic life. Two notes "intensification" (Genesis 41:32), "requital in full" (Job 42:10; Jeremiah 16:18; Isaiah 61:7; Revelation 18:6); the proportions of the temple were double those of the tabernacle; two especially symbolizes "testimony" (Zechariah 4:11; Zechariah 11:7; Isaiah 8:2; Revelation 11:3), two tables of the testimony (Exodus 31:18), two cherubim over the ark of the testimony. God is His own witness; but that witness is twofold, "His word and His oath" (Hebrews 6:13; Hebrews 6:17), "Himself and His Son" (John 8:18). Three, like seven, is "a divine number". The Trinity (Revelation 1:4; Revelation 4:8); three great feasts (Exodus 23:14-17; Deuteronomy 16:16); the threefold blessing (Numbers 6:14; Numbers 6:24); the thrice holy (Isaiah 6:3); the three hours of prayer (Daniel 6:10; Psalm 55:17); the third heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2). Christ is "the Way, the Truth, the Life," "Prophet, Priest, and King." The threefold theophany (Genesis 18:2; 1 Samuel 3:4; 1 Samuel 3:6; 1 Samuel 3:8; Acts 10:16). The number 3 1/2, one-half of 7, is "a period of evil cut short", shortened for the elect's sake (Matthew 24:22; James 5:17, three years' and a half drought in Israel; Luke 4:25; Revelation 11:2-3; Revelation 11:9; Revelation 12:6). Daniel 7:25; Daniel 12:7, time, times, and a half, 1,260 days, three days and a half. The 42 months (30 days in each) answer to the 1,260 days; three years and a half equals 1,260 days (360 in each year). Probably the 1,260 years of the papal rule date from A.D. 754, when his temporal power began, and end 2014. (See ANTICHRIST.) At the close of spurious Christianity's long rule open antichristianity and persecution will prevail for the three years and a half before the millennium. Witnessing churches will be followed by witnessing individuals, even as the apostate church will give place to the personal man of sin (Daniel 7:25; Revelation 11:2-3). The 2,300 (Daniel 8:14) years may date from Alexander's conquests (323 B.C.), and end about the same time as the 1,260, namely, 1977. The 1,290 (Daniel 12:11-12) and 1,335 days correspond to 1290, during which Antiochus Epiphanes profaned the temple, from the month Ijar, 145th year of the era of the Seleucidae, to Judas Maccabeus' restoration of worship, the 25th day of the ninth month Chisleu, 148th year (1 Maccabees 1:54; 1 Maccabees 4:52-56); in 45 days more Antiochus died, ending the Jews' calamities; in all 1,335. Again, 1,260, 1,290 and 1,335 may be counted from Mahomet's retirement to the cave, A.D. 606-610, and his flight from Mecca, 622: these figures added may mark the closing epochs of Mahometan power. Again, the 2,300 may be the years between 480 B.C., the time of Xerxes' invasion of Greece (Daniel 11:2), and A.D. 1820, when Ali Pasha cast off the yoke of the Porte and precipitated the Greek revolution. Thirdly, the 2,300 may date from Antichrist's profanation (Daniel 9:27). After the 1,260 days Jesus in person will deliver the Jews; during the 30 more their consciences are awakened to penitent faith, making 1,290; in 45 more Israel's outcasts are gathered, and the united blessing descends. These all are conjectures. Evidently these numbers symbolize the long "Gentile times" from the overthrow of Judah's kingdom by Babylon, and of Jerusalem by Titus, down to the restoration of the theocracy in Him "whose right it is" (Ezekiel 21:27). The seven times of Israel's punishment (Leviticus 26:18; Leviticus 26:21-24) are the times of the Gentile monarchies; the seven times of antichrist's tyranny in the Holy Land will be the recapitulation and open consummation of what is as yet "the mystery of iniquity." The three and a half during which the two witnesses prophesy in sackcloth is the sacred seven halved, for the antichristian world powers' time is broken at best, and is followed immediately by judgment on them. It answers to the three years and a half of Christ's witness for the truth, when the Jews disowned and the God-opposed world power crucified Him (Daniel 9:27). He died in the midst of the last of the 70 weeks; the three and a half which seemed the world's triumph over Him was immediately followed by their defeat in His resurrection (John 12:31). The world powers never reach the sacred fullness of seven times 360, i.e. 2,520, though they approach it in the 2,300 (Daniel 8:14). The 42 months answer to Israel's 42 sojournings in the desert (Numbers 33:1-50), contrasted with the sabbatic rest of Canaan. Three and a half represents "the church's time of toil, pilgrimage, persecution". Three and a half is "the antagonism to seven". Four symbolizes "worldwide extension". The four winds and quarters of the earth (Revelation 7:1; Daniel 7:2). The four living creatures or cherubim with four wings and four faces (Ezekiel 1:5, etc.; Revelation 4:6, in contrast to the four beasts, Daniel 7; Daniel 2:40 the four kingdoms); Eden's four streams (Genesis 2:10; Ezekiel 40:47). Four expresses "the spread of God's kingdom over the earth". As Christ's seamless vest marks its unity, so the rending of the outer garment into four by the four Roman soldiers symbolizes its ultimate worldwide extension (John 19:23-24). The numbers especially symbolical are 3, 4, 7, 10, 12, 40; 6 is so because coming short of the "sacred" 7, 8 as coming after 7 and introducing "a new series or era". Three and a half is seven broken in two. The Bible begins with seven days, and ends with a succession of sevens. Seven represents "rest and release from toil", also "a divine work", in judgment or mercy or revelation (Genesis 4:24; Genesis 41:3; Genesis 41:7; Matthew 18:22; Exodus 7:25). Leviticus 26:18, "I will punish you seven times more for your sins," Leviticus 26:21-24; Leviticus 26:28; Isaiah 4:1; Isaiah 11:15; 2 Samuel 24:13. Daniel 4:16; Daniel 4:25, "seven times shall pass over thee" (Nebuchadnezzar). Revelation 15:1, "the seven last plagues." "divine fullness and completeness" is the thing signified; as Revelation 1:4, "the seven spirits ... before His throne" are "the one Holy Spirit in His manifold fullness"; Isaiah 11:2-3 corresponds. So in offerings and divine rites: Leviticus 12:2; Leviticus 12:5; Leviticus 13:4; Leviticus 13:6; Leviticus 13:21-26; Leviticus 13:31; Leviticus 13:33; Leviticus 13:50; Leviticus 13:54; Leviticus 14:7-8; Leviticus 14:9; Leviticus 14:16; Leviticus 14:27; Leviticus 14:38; Leviticus 14:51; Leviticus 15:13; Leviticus 15:19; Leviticus 15:28; Leviticus 16:14; Leviticus 16:19; Numbers 12:14; 2 Kings 5:10; 2 Kings 5:14. The seven days' grace (Genesis 7:1-10); and at the taking of Jericho (Joshua 5:13-6:20); the antitype, spiritual Babylon, shall fall at the sounding of the seventh trumpet (Revelation 11:13; Revelation 11:15; Revelation 14:8). The sevenfold candlestick (Exodus 25:37), the seven churches corresponding (Revelation 1:12; Revelation 1:20), the seven deacons (Acts 6), the sevenfold ministry (Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12). Seven prayers are given in full in the Old Testament. (See PRAYER.) Seven petitions of the Lord's prayer in the New Testament. The seven beatitudes (Matthew 5; Psalm 12:7). Satan mimics the "divine" seven (Proverbs 6:16; Proverbs 26:25): Mary Magdalene's seven devils (Mark 16:9; Luke 8:2); the unclean spirit returning with seven (Matthew 12:45); the seven Canaanite nations subdued by Israel (Deuteronomy 7:1; Acts 13:19); the dragon with seven heads and seven crowns (Revelation 12:3; Numbers 23:1). Eight begins a new era and life after the seven has been completed (Exodus 22:30; Leviticus 9:1; Leviticus 22:27). Lepers are reinstated on the eighth day (Leviticus 14:10; Leviticus 15:13; Leviticus 15:29). Circumcision on the eighth day begins a new life in the covenant. The eighth day after the seven of the feast of tabernacles (Leviticus 23:36). From the eighth day, when the firstfruit sheaf was waved, the seven sevens were counted; and on the 50th day or "Pentecost" (the eighth day after seven) a new era began (Leviticus 23:11; Leviticus 23:15-16; Acts 2:1). Leviticus 25:8-9, type of the eternal sabbath, the new era of a regenerated world (Romans 8:21; Isaiah 61:1; Acts 3:21); the Lord's day, the eighth after the seventh, ushers in the new Christian era. The eight saved souls left the ark on the eighth day, after the last seven of anxious waiting, the representative heads of regenerated mankind. Of man in his fallen state Ecclesiastes (Ecclesiastes 1:15) writes, "that which is crooked cannot be made straight," but what is "impossible with man is possible with God" (Luke 18:27); at Messiah's coming "the crooked shall be made straight" (Isaiah 40:4); "that which is wanting (compare Daniel 5:27) cannot be numbered," i.e. what is wholly wanting, man's state, cannot be numbered, but believers are "complete in Christ" (Colossians 2:10). Ten represents "perfected universality". The "thousand" years (Revelation 20:2) is ten raised to the third power, i.e. the "world" (10) pervaded by the "divine" (3). The Ten Commandments contain the whole cycle of God's moral requirements. The tithe represented the whole property as belonging to God (Genesis 14:20). Genesis has the formula ten times, "these are the generations" (Genesis 2:4; Genesis 5:1; Genesis 6:9; Genesis 10:1; Genesis 11:10; Genesis 11:27; Genesis 25:12; Genesis 25:19; Genesis 36:1; Genesis 37:2). The Ten Commandments of the Decalogue logically follow; God's fingers wrote it. Our fingers are ten (Exodus 31:18; Psalm 8:1). The ten plagues were the entire round of judgments from God's hand. The tabernacle, temple, and New Jerusalem have ten as the prevailing figure in measurements. In the New Testament, the ten lepers, ten talents, ten cities in reward for ten pounds gained, ten virgins. Antichrist too has his ten, comprising the whole cycle of the world power: ten nations opposed to Abraham's seed (Genesis 15:19); ten toes on Nebuchadnezzar's image to be stricken by the stone (Daniel 2:41); ten horns on the fourth beast (Daniel 7:7; Daniel 7:20; Daniel 7:24; Revelation 12:3; Revelation 13:1; Revelation 17:3; Revelation 17:7; Revelation 17:12, "ten kings"); ten days of Smyrna's tribulation, the complete term of the world power's persecution of the church (Revelation 2:10). In combination with 7, 10 appears in the 70 nations (Genesis 10), the 70 who went down to Egypt (Genesis 46:27), the 70 palms at Elim, the 70 elders of Israel (Exodus 24:1; Numbers 11:16), the 70 disciples, the 70 years' captivity (Jeremiah 25:11). Daniel's 70 sevens, weeks (Daniel 9:24). Seventy-fold (Genesis 4:24; Matthew 18:22). As 3 1/2 is related to 7, so five is related to 10; 5 is "the penal number" (Exodus 22:1; Leviticus 5:16; Numbers 18:16); the fifth kingdom punishes with destruction the four world kingdoms (Daniel 2). Twelve is "the church number". The 12 tribes; 12 Elim wells; 12 stones in the high priest's breast-plate; 12 shewbread loaves; 12 patriarchs; 12 apostles; 12 foundation stones; 12 gates; 12,000 furlongs of New Jerusalem; 12 angels (Revelation 21:16-21; Revelation 12:1). Twelve squared and multiplied by 1,000, the symbol of the world divinely perfected, gives 144,000, the sealed Israelites (Revelation 7:4). The 24 elders are the 12 heads of the Old Testament and the 12 of the New Testament churches combined, "elders" is the term for ministers; the 24 courses of priests anticipate the final combination of the two, Jews and Gentiles, made one new man in Christ (Revelation 4:4). Seven times twelve is connected with the Lamb's bride. Six is to twelve as three and a half to seven. Six symbolizes" the world given over to judgment". The judgments on the world are complete in six; by the fulfillment of seven the world kingdoms become Christ's. Hence there is a pause between the sixth and seventh seals, the sixth and seventh trumpets. As 12 is the church's number, so six (its half) symbolizes the world kingdom broken. Six, "the world number", is next to the "sacred" seven which it mimics (Revelation 13:1) but can never reach. The raising of the six from units to tens, and from tens to hundreds (666), indicates that the beast, notwithstanding his progression to higher powers, can only rise to greater ripeness for judgment. Thus, 666, the number of the beast (Revelation 13:18), the judged world power, contrasts with the 144,000 sealed and transfigured ones. (See ANTICHRIST.) Forty symbolizes probation, punishment, chastisement, and humiliation. The 40 days' rain of the flood (Genesis 7:4; Genesis 7:12; Genesis 7:17); Moses' 40 years in Egypt, and 40 in Midian. Times of temptation and trial: 40 days on the mountain (Exodus 24:18); a second 40 after Israel's sin of the calf (Deuteronomy 9:18; Deuteronomy 9:25); 40 years in the desert wanderings (Numbers 14:34), the penal issue of the 40 days' probation in searching Canaan (Numbers 13:26; Psalm 95:10; also Judges 13:1);40 days and nights of Elijah (1 Kings 19:8); Jonah's 40 days' warning to Nineveh (Jonah 3:4); 40 days of Christ's temptation (Matthew 4:2). Also a time of probation by tranquil prosperity (Judges 3:11; Judges 5:31; Judges 8:28). Ezekiel (Ezekiel 4:4-6) lay on his right side 40 days a day for a year, which with the 390 on his left side makes the 430 of Israel's sojourn in Egypt (Exodus 12:40-41; Galatians 3:17). God will bring them back to a bondage as bad as that in Egypt, but shortened by the 40 years' sojourn in the desert for discipline. Also Ezekiel 29:11-12.