Reference: Numbers as Symbols
Morish
There can be little doubt that numerals are used in scripture as symbols; and by comparing the instances in which any numeral is employed the idea hidden in it may often be arrived at. The signification of some numbers is too obvious to be mistaken; that of others is less apparent. In some cases the symbolical number may be discovered where the numeral itself is not mentioned: as, for instance, under three we may class the law, the psalms, and the prophets; spirit, soul, and body, etc. A few references only are given here for each number.
ONE. Supremacy, exclusiveness. One Jehovah. De 6:4; Isa 42:8; Zec 14:9. One God and Father. 1Co 8:6; Ga 3:20; Mr 12:29; Eph 4:6; 1Ti 2:5. "None other God but one," one Lord Jesus Christ. 1Co 8:4; Eph 4:5. One Holy Spirit. 1Co 12:11,13. One mediator. 1Ti 2:5. One body. 1Co 12:12-13; Eph 4:4. One hope, one faith, one baptism. Eph 4:4-5. One offering that has perfected for ever the sanctified. Heb 10:14.
TWO. Distinctness, and hence adequate testimony and fellowship when in agreement. Two witnesses needful. De 19:15; 2Co 13:1. Caleb and Joshua witnessed for the land. Nu 14:6-9. Two spies sent over Jordan. Jos 2:1. Two olive trees typical of two witnesses. Zec 4:3; Re 11:3-4. God's word and His oath show the immutability of His counsel. Heb 6:17-18. Two are to agree in asking. Mt 18:19. Two or three can be gathered to Christ's name. Mt 18:20.
THREE. Divine fulness or completeness, and hence perfection in testimony. God
See Verses Found in Dictionary
and blessed is God Most High, who hath delivered thine adversaries into thy hand;' and he giveth to him a tenth of all.
On the third day -- Abraham lifteth up his eyes, and seeth the place from afar;
and Moses goeth into the midst of the cloud, and goeth up unto the mount, and Moses is on the mount forty days and forty nights.
And he is there with Jehovah forty days and forty nights; bread he hath not eaten, and water he hath not drunk; and he writeth on the tables the matters of the covenant -- the ten matters.
And he is there with Jehovah forty days and forty nights; bread he hath not eaten, and water he hath not drunk; and he writeth on the tables the matters of the covenant -- the ten matters.
and the priest hath dipped his finger in the blood, and sprinkled of the blood seven times before Jehovah, at the front of the vail of the sanctuary;
and the priest hath dipped his finger in the blood, and hath sprinkled seven times before Jehovah at the front of the vail,
and he sprinkleth of it on the altar seven times, and anointeth the altar, and all its vessels, and the laver, and its base, to sanctify them;
and five of you have pursued a hundred, and a hundred of you do pursue a myriad; and your enemies have fallen before you by the sword.
and for a sacrifice of the peace-offerings two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five lambs, sons of a year; this is the offering of Nahshon son of Amminadab. On the second day hath Nethaneel son of Zuar, prince of Issachar, brought near. read more. He hath brought near his offering, one silver dish, its weight a hundred and thirty shekels; one silver bowl of seventy shekels, by the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of flour mixed with oil, for a present; one golden spoon of ten shekels, full of perfume; one bullock, a son of the herd, one ram, one lamb, a son of a year, for a burnt-offering; one kid of the goats for a sin-offering; and for a sacrifice of the peace-offerings two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five lambs, sons of a year; this is the offering of Nethaneel son of Zuar. On the third day, the prince of the sons of Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon; -- his offering is one silver dish, its weight a hundred and thirty shekels; one silver bowl of seventy shekels, by the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of flour mixed with oil, for a present; one golden spoon of ten shekels, full of perfume; one bullock, a son of the herd, one ram, one lamb, a son of a year, for a burnt-offering; one kid of the goats for a sin-offering; and for a sacrifice of the peace-offerings two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five lambs, sons of a year; this is the offering of Eliab son of Helon. On the fourth day, Elizur, son of Shedeur, prince of the sons of Reuben; -- his offering is one silver dish, its weight a hundred and thirty shekels; one silver bowl of seventy shekels, by the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of flour mixed with oil, for a present; one golden spoon of ten shekels, full of perfume; one bullock, a son of the herd, one ram, one lamb, a son of a year, for a burnt-offering; one kid of the goats for a sin-offering; and for a sacrifice of the peace-offerings two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five lambs, sons of a year; this is the offering of Elizur son of Shedeur. On the fifth day, the prince of the sons of Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai; -- his offering is one silver dish, its weight a hundred and thirty shekels; one silver bowl of seventy shekels, by the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of flour mixed with oil, for a present; one golden spoon of ten shekels, full of perfume; one bullock, a son of the herd, one ram, one lamb, a son of a year, for a burnt-offering; one kid of the goats for a sin-offering; and for a sacrifice of the peace-offerings two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five lambs, sons of a year; this is the offering of Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai. On the sixth day, the prince of the sons of Gad, Eliasaph son of Deuel; -- his offering is one silver dish, its weight a hundred and thirty shekels; one silver bowl of seventy shekels, by the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of flour mixed with oil, for a present; one golden spoon of ten shekels, full of perfume; one bullock, a son of the herd, one ram, one lamb, a son of a year, for a burnt-offering; one kid of the goats for a sin-offering; and for a sacrifice of the peace-offerings two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five lambs, sons of a year; this is the offering of Eliasaph son of Deuel. On the seventh day, the prince of the sons of Ephraim, Elishama son of Ammihud; -- his offering is one silver dish, its weight a hundred and thirty shekels; one silver bowl of seventy shekels, by the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of flour mixed with oil, for a present; one golden spoon of ten shekels, full of perfume; one bullock, a son of the herd, one ram, one lamb, a son of a year, for a burnt-offering; one kid of the goats for a sin-offering; and for a sacrifice of the peace-offerings two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five lambs, sons of a year; this is the offering of Elishama son of Ammihud. On the eighth day, the prince of the sons of Manasseh, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur; -- his offering is one silver dish, its weight a hundred and thirty shekels; one silver bowl of seventy shekels, by the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of flour mixed with oil, for a present; one golden spoon of ten shekels, full of perfume; one bullock, a son of the herd, one ram, one lamb, a son of a year, for a burnt-offering; one kid of the goats for a sin-offering; and for a sacrifice of the peace-offerings two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five lambs, sons of a year; this is the offering of Gamaliel son of Pedahzur. On the ninth day, the prince of the sons of Benjamin, Abidan son of Gideoni; -- his offering is one silver dish, its weight a hundred and thirty shekels; one silver bowl of seventy shekels, by the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of flour mixed with oil, for a present; one golden spoon of ten shekels, full of perfume; one bullock, a son of the herd, one ram, one lamb, a son of a year, for a burnt-offering; one kid of the goats for a sin-offering: and for a sacrifice of the peace-offerings two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five lambs, sons of a year; this is the offering of Abidan son of Gideoni. On the tenth day, the prince of the sons of Dan, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai; -- his offering is one silver dish, its weight a hundred and thirty shekels; one silver bowl of seventy shekels, by the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of flour mixed with oil, for a present; one golden spoon of ten shekels, full of perfume; one bullock, a son of the herd, one ram, one lamb, a son of a year, for a burnt-offering; one kid of the goats for a sin-offering; and for a sacrifice of the peace-offerings two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five lambs, sons of a year; this is the offering of Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai. On the eleventh day, the prince of the sons of Asher, Pagiel son of Ocran; -- his offering is one silver dish, its weight a hundred and thirty shekels; one silver bowl of seventy shekels, by the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of flour mixed with oil, for a present; one golden spoon of ten shekels, full of perfume; one bullock, a son of the herd, one ram, one lamb, a son of a year, for a burnt-offering; one kid of the goats for a sin-offering; and for a sacrifice of the peace-offerings two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five lambs, sons of a year; this is the offering of Pagiel son of Ocran. On the twelfth day, the prince of the sons of Naphtali, Ahira son of Enan; -- his offering is one silver dish, its weight a hundred and thirty shekels; one silver bowl of seventy shekels, by the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of flour mixed with oil, for a present; one golden spoon of ten shekels, full of perfume; one bullock, a son of the herd, one ram, one lamb, a son of a year, for a burnt-offering; one kid of the goats for a sin-offering; and for a sacrifice of the peace-offerings two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five lambs, sons of a year; this is the offering of Ahira son of Enan.
'Speak unto Aaron, and thou hast said unto him, In thy causing the lights to go up, over-against the face of the candlestick do the seven lights give light.'
And the standard of the camp of the sons of Judah journeyeth in the first place, by their hosts, and over its host is Nahshon son of Amminadab. And over the host of the tribe of the sons of Issachar is Nathaneel son of Zuar. read more. And over the host of the tribe of the sons of Zebulun is Eliab son of Helon; And the tabernacle hath been taken down, and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari have journeyed, bearing the tabernacle. And the standard of the camp of Reuben hath journeyed, by their hosts, and over its host is Elizur son of Shedeur. And over the host of the tribe of the sons of Simeon is Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai. And over the host of the tribe of the sons of Gad is Eliasaph son of Deuel; And the Kohathites have journeyed, bearing the tabernacle, and the others have raised up the tabernacle until their coming in. And the standard of the camp of the sons of Ephraim hath journeyed, by their hosts, and over its host is Elishama son of Ammihud. And over the host of the tribe of the sons of Manasseh is Gamalial son of Pedahzur. And over the host of the tribe of the sons of Benjamin is Abidan son of Gideoni. And the standard of the camp of the sons of Dan hath journeyed (rearward to all the camps), by their hosts, and over its host is Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.
And they turn back from spying the land at the end of forty days.
And Joshua son of Nun, and Caleb son of Jephunneh, of those spying the land, have rent their garments, and they speak unto all the company of the sons of Israel, saying, 'The land into which we have passed over to spy it, is a very very good land; read more. if Jehovah hath delighted in us, then He hath brought us in unto this land, and hath given it to us, a land which is flowing with milk and honey; only, against Jehovah rebel not ye: and ye, fear not ye the people of the land, for our bread they are; their defence hath turned aside from off them, and Jehovah is with us; fear them not.'
and to the sons of Levi, lo, I have given all the tenth in Israel for inheritance in exchange for their service which they are serving -- the service of the tent of meeting.
'And unto the Levites thou dost speak; and thou hast said unto them, When ye take from the sons of Israel the tithe which I have given to you from them, for your inheritance, then ye have lifted up from it the heave-offering of Jehovah, a tithe of the tithe;
Hear, O Israel, Jehovah our God is one Jehovah;
'One witness doth not rise against a man for any iniquity, and for any sin, in any sin which he sinneth; by the mouth of two witnesses, or by the mouth of three witnesses, is a thing established.
And Joshua son of Nun sendeth from Shittim, two men, spies, silently, saying, 'Go, see the land -- and Jericho;' and they go and come into the house of a woman, a harlot, and her name is Rahab, and they lie down there.
And the Philistine draweth nigh, morning and evening, and stationeth himself forty days.
And the weight of the gold that hath come to Solomon in one year is six hundred sixty and six talents of gold,
six steps hath the throne, and a round top is to the throne behind it, and hands are on this side and on that, unto the place of the sitting, and two lions are standing near the hands,
When his voice is gracious trust not in him, For seven abominations are in his heart.
And if the one strengthen himself, the two stand against him; and the threefold cord is not hastily broken.
I am Jehovah, this is My name, And Mine honour to another I give not, Nor My praise to graven images.
And I have brought in to Elam four winds, From the four ends of the heavens, And have scattered them to all these winds, And there is no nation whither outcasts of Elam come not in.
And out of its midst is a likeness of four living creatures, and this is their appearance; a likeness of man is to them, and four faces are to each, and four wings are to each of them, read more. and their feet are straight feet, and the sole of their feet is as a sole of a calf's foot, and they are sparkling as the colour of bright brass; and hands of man under their wings -- on their four sides, and their faces and their wings -- are to them four;
And Jonah beginneth to go in to the city a journey of one day, and proclaimeth, and saith, 'Yet forty days -- and Nineveh is overturned.'
and he saith unto me, 'What art thou seeing?' And I say, 'I have looked, and lo, a candlestick of gold -- all of it, and its bowl is on its top, and its seven lamps are upon it, and twice seven pipes are to the lights that are on its top, and two olive-trees are by it, one on the right of the bowl, and one on its left.'
And Jehovah hath become king over all the land, In that day there is one Jehovah, and His name one.
and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, 'This is My Son -- the Beloved, in whom I did delight.'
While he is yet speaking, lo, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and lo, a voice out of the cloud, saying, 'This is My Son, -- the Beloved, in whom I did delight; hear him.'
Again, I say to you, that, if two of you may agree on the earth concerning anything, whatever they may ask -- it shall be done to them from my Father who is in the heavens, for where there are two or three gathered together -- to my name, there am I in the midst of them.'
Jesus saith to him, 'I do not say to thee till seven times, but till seventy times seven.
And Jesus said to them, 'Verily I say to you, that ye who did follow me, in the regeneration, when the Son of Man may sit upon a throne of his glory, shall sit -- ye also -- upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel;
and he was there in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by the Adversary, and he was with the beasts, and the messengers were ministering to him.
and Jesus answered him -- 'The first of all the commands is, Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one;
and he said to them, 'Having gone, say to this fox, Lo, I cast forth demons, and perfect cures to-day and to-morrow, and the third day I am being perfected;
and having called ten servants of his own, he gave to them ten pounds, and said unto them, Do business -- till I come;
and he said to them, 'These are the words that I spake unto you, being yet with you, that it behoveth to be fulfilled all the things that are written in the Law of Moses, and the Prophets, and the Psalms, about me.'
And there were there six water-jugs of stone, placed according to the purifying of the Jews, holding each two or three measures.
There is one little lad here who hath five barley loaves, and two fishes, but these -- what are they to so many?'
Jesus answered, 'Are there not twelve hours in the day? if any one may walk in the day, he doth not stumble, because the light of this world he doth see;
Father, glorify Thy name.' There came, therefore, a voice out of the heaven, 'I both glorified, and again I will glorify it;'
and he was three days without seeing, and he did neither eat nor drink.
and about a period of forty years He did suffer their manners in the wilderness,
cleanse out, therefore, the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, according as ye are unleavened, for also our passover for us was sacrificed -- Christ, so that we may keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of evil and wickedness, but with unleavened food of sincerity and truth.
Concerning the eating then of the things sacrificed to idols, we have known that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God except one;
yet to us is one God, the Father, of whom are the all things, and we to Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are the all things, and we through Him;
and all these doth work the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each severally as he intendeth. For, even as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of the one body, being many, are one body, so also is the Christ, read more. for also in one Spirit we all to one body were baptized, whether Jews or Greeks, whether servants or freemen, and all into one Spirit were made to drink,
for also in one Spirit we all to one body were baptized, whether Jews or Greeks, whether servants or freemen, and all into one Spirit were made to drink,
but in an assembly I wish to speak five words through my understanding, that others also I may instruct, rather than myriads of words in an unknown tongue.
and the mediator is not of one, and God is one --
one body and one Spirit, according as also ye were called in one hope of your calling;
one body and one Spirit, according as also ye were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in you all,
because in him it did please all the fulness to tabernacle,
for one is God, one also is mediator of God and of men, the man Christ Jesus,
sober, pure, keepers of their own houses, good, subject to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be evil spoken of.
in which God, more abundantly willing to shew to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, did interpose by an oath, that through two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, a strong comfort we may have who did flee for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us,
for by one offering he hath perfected to the end those sanctified;
who sometime disbelieved, when once the long-suffering of God did wait, in days of Noah -- an ark being preparing -- in which few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water;
because three are who are testifying in the heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, and these -- the three -- are one; and three are who are testifying in the earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood, and the three are into the one.
John to the seven assemblies that are in Asia: Grace to you, and peace, from Him who is, and who was, and who is coming, and from the Seven Spirits that are before His throne,
and before the throne is a sea of glass like to crystal, and in the midst of the throne, and round the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes before and behind;
and I will give to My two witnesses, and they shall prophesy days, a thousand, two hundred, sixty, arrayed with sackcloth; these are the two olive trees, and the two lamp-stands that before the God of the earth do stand;
And a great sign was seen in the heaven, a woman arrayed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars,
And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and I saw out of the sea a beast coming up, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon its horns ten diadems, and upon its heads a name of evil speaking,
Here is the wisdom! He who is having the understanding, let him count the number of the beast, for the number of a man it is, and its number is six hundred and sixty six.
and the beast that was, and is not, he also is eighth, and out of the seven he is, and to destruction he doth go away. 'And the ten horns that thou sawest, are ten kings, who a kingdom did not yet receive, but authority as kings the same hour do receive with the beast,
and the ten horns that thou didst see upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and shall burn her in fire,
and he shall go forth to lead the nations astray, that are in the four corners of the earth -- Gog and Magog -- to gather them together to war, of whom the number is as the sand of the sea;
having also a wall great and high, having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve messengers, and names written thereon, which are those of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel, at the east three gates, at the north three gates, at the south three gates, at the west three gates; read more. and the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he who is speaking with me had a golden reed, that he may measure the city, and its gates, and its wall; and the city lieth square, and the length of it is as great as the breadth; and he did measure the city with the reed -- furlongs twelve thousand; the length, and the breadth, and the height, of it are equal; and he measured its wall, an hundred forty-four cubits, the measure of a man, that is, of the messenger; and the building of its wall was jasper, and the city is pure gold -- like to pure glass; and the foundations of the wall of the city with every precious stone have been adorned; the first foundation jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprasus; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst. And the twelve gates are twelve pearls, each several one of the gates was of one pearl; and the broad-place of the city is pure gold -- as transparent glass.