Certain numbers had special meanings in the ancient world and to the writers of the Bible. This chart gives some key examples. Keep in mind, however, that sometimes these numbers simply represent quantities and are not intended to be understood symbolically.
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ONE
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Monotheism, uniqueness, and unity.
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"The LORD our God is the only true God!" Deut 6.4
"We have only one Lord, one faith, and one baptism." Eph 4.
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THREE
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Completeness or totality. Many ancient religions considered three a divine number.
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Three men who visited Abraham at Mamre Gen 18.1-15
Three annual festivals (Thin Bread, Harvest, & Shelters) Exod 23.14-19
Number of days and nights Jonah was inside the big fish Jonah 1.17
Number of days between Jesus' death and resurrection Mark 8.31; 1 Cor 15.4
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FOUR
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Totality of the created world. Most cultures speak of four winds or directions, and divide the year into four seasons.
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Number of rivers flowing out of the garden of Eden Gen 2:10
Four living creatures of Ezekiel's vision Ezek 1:4-28 (See also Rev 4:1-8)
Four horses and riders of John's vision Rev 6:1-8
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SEVEN
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Completeness and perfection. Like three it was considered a sacred number to many cultures in the ancient world.
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Number of days in the week based on Creation story Gen 1:1--2:3
The "seventh" day is a holy day of rest (Sabbath) Exod 20:8-11
The Israelites were to let the land rest every "seventh" year (sabbatical year) Exod 23:10,11
Every fiftieth year (7 x 7 + 1) the Israelites were to celebrate a Year of Celebration (Jubilee) to mark a time of freedom and forgiveness Lev 25:8-55
Temple furnishings and decorations were often done in seven parts 1 Kgs 7:17; Ezek 40:22, 26
Number of times blood is to be sprinkled during sacrificial ceremonies Lev 4:6, 17; 14:7; Num 19:4
Number of several items mentioned in Revelation (lampstands, stars, churches, seals, trumpets, bowls) Rev 1; 6--11;15--16
Number of times Jesus said to forgive (seven times seventy) Matt 18:21,22
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TEN
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Because ten is the sum of three and seven it sometimes represents complete perfection.
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The number of times "God said" is repeated in the Hebrew text of the Creation story Gen 1:1-31
The Ten Commandments Exod 20:1-17; Deut 5:1-22
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TWELVE
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Also a number of completeness and perfection.
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Number of Jacob's sons and the number of tribes of Israel Gen 35:23-26;49:1-28
Number of gates to Jerusalem in Ezekiel's vision Ezek 48:30 (See also Rev 21:11-21)
Number of Jesus' apostles Matt 10:1-4; Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:12-16
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FORTY
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A long, but limited period of time.
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Number of days it rained during the great Flood Gen 7:4, 17-18
Number of days Moses stayed on Mount Sinai Exod 24:17-18
Number of years the Israelites wandered in the desert Num 14:33,34; Deut 2:7; 29:4-6
Number of days Jesus fasted in the desert Matt 4:2; Mark 1:12,13; Luke 4:2
Number of years a favored king is said to rule 2 Sam 5:4; 1 Kgs 11:41,42; 2 Chr 24:1
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