Genesis 1:5 to 2:3 · Symbol · Featured Study

The Numbers of Scripture

A symbol study of the numbers of Scripture, from the seven days of Genesis to the 153 fish of John, with the reading each has been given.

The Bible counts days, tribes and years, and the same few numbers return from Genesis to Revelation.

First appears: Genesis 1:5 “God called the light “day,” and the darkness…”

Unknown illuminator, God as Architect of the World, 1220 to 1230. Public domain.

Summary

Six numbers, three, four, seven, ten, twelve and forty, are counted by the text itself in more than one book. The other forty-two numbers of the catalogue carry a meaning that a tradition of readers gives them.

God finishes His work in six days, rests on the seventh and blesses it.
A span of forty days or forty years returns in six separate narratives, from the flood to the fasting of Jesus.
E. W. Bullinger set out a meaning for many of these numbers in Number in Scripture in 1894.
Each of the forty-eight entries gives the meaning a reader has drawn from the number, with its Hebrew and Greek words where the catalogue records them.

The Counts the Text Keeps

Genesis numbers the days of creation from the first to the seventh.

God called the light “day,” and the darkness He called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.

Genesis 1:5BSB

The first day gives the pattern of evening and morning that closes each of the first six days.

And by the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on that day He rested from all His work. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on that day He rested from all the work of creation that He had accomplished.

Genesis 2:2 to 3BSB

God's rest on the seventh day is the count the fourth commandment keeps in Exodus 20:11.

The Six the Bible Numbers Out Loud

The seventh day stands apart from the six.

Day 1lightGenesis 1:5

Day 2the expanse, called skyGenesis 1:8

Day 3dry land, seas and plantsGenesis 1:13

Day 4the two great lights and the starsGenesis 1:19

Day 5sea creatures and birdsGenesis 1:23

Day 6land creatures, and man in God's imageGenesis 1:31

Day 7God rests, blesses the day and sets it apartGenesis 2:3

one day

Day 1lightGenesis 1:5
Day 2the expanse, called skyGenesis 1:8
Day 3dry land, seas and plantsGenesis 1:13
Day 4the two great lights and the starsGenesis 1:19
Day 5sea creatures and birdsGenesis 1:23
Day 6land creatures, and man in God's imageGenesis 1:31
Day 7God rests, blesses the day and sets it apartGenesis 2:3

one day

Genesis gives the order of the days; the drawing gives each day an equal box.

Seven boxes in the order of Genesis 1:1 to 2:3, the seventh shaded; each part opens the verse that closes its day.

SEVEN

The creation week is numbered by the text, and Revelation sets its churches, seals, trumpets and bowls in sevens by its own count.

Genesis 2:2

TWELVE

The twelve tribes are each named in Genesis 49 and Numbers 1, and the twelve apostles are each named and counted in Matthew 10:1 to 4 and Luke 6:13 to 16.

Genesis 49:28

FORTY

Forty days of rain begin the count in Genesis 7:17, and forty days of fasting close it in Matthew 4:2.

Genesis 7:17

TEN

The commandments are given as ten in Exodus 34:28, Deuteronomy 4:13 and Deuteronomy 10:4.

Exodus 34:28

THREE

The third day is narrated as a span in Hosea 6:2, in the passion predictions of the Gospels and in Paul's summary at 1 Corinthians 15:4.

1 Corinthians 15:4

FOUR

The text names four living creatures at Revelation 4:6 and four winds at Ezekiel 37:9, Daniel 7:2, Zechariah 6:5 and Revelation 7:1.

Revelation 4:6

Forty, Ten, Three, Four

The span of forty returns in six narratives from Genesis to Matthew.

Six cells in canon order, each a narrative that counts forty days or forty years; each cell opens its verse.

Two Tags, and How to Read Them

Each entry is either a count the text makes or a meaning the tradition gives.

A count the text makes is a number Scripture repeats as a marker in more than one passage, such as seven days, twelve tribes and forty years. A meaning the tradition gives is a reading that later interpreters draw from the verses where a number stands, held with varying confidence across the centuries.

For each number beyond the six, the verses are real, and the meaning was found by reading the company the number keeps across the canon and naming the pattern.

How the Catalogue Is Built

Chuck Missler carried Bullinger's reading of numbers into his teaching.

The meanings the catalogue gives to 16 and to 28 through 39 trace to Ed F. Vallowe's Biblical Mathematics (1998), a later list of number meanings.

The arithmetic found under the text is set out on The Designer's Fingerprint.

Forty-Eight Numbers, One by One

The catalogue runs from one to forty and adds 50, 70, 120, 144, 153, 490, 666 and 1000.

The whole catalogue in one table1 table or figure

Six of the forty-eight numbers are counted by the text, and forty-two carry a meaning the tradition gives.

Number	The meaning given	Kind of reading	Hebrew word	Greek word
1	Unity, primacy, God's sovereignty	the tradition	Echad (אֶחָד), unity	Heis (εἷς), one
2	Witness, division, partnership, confirmation	the tradition	Shenayim (שְׁנַיִם), two	Duo (δύο), two
3	Divine completeness, Trinity, resurrection	counted by the text	Shalosh (שָׁלוֹשׁ), three	Treis (τρεῖς), three
4	Creation, earth, universality, the world	counted by the text	Arba (אַרְבַּע), four	Tessares (τέσσαρες), four
5	Grace, God's goodness, divine favor	the tradition	Chamesh (חָמֵשׁ), five	Pente (πέντε), five
6	Man, human weakness, labor, incompleteness	the tradition	Shesh (שֵׁשׁ), six	Hex (ἕξ), six
7	Completion, divine perfection, spiritual fullness	counted by the text	Sheva (שֶׁבַע), seven	Hepta (ἑπτά), seven
8	New beginnings, resurrection, regeneration	the tradition	Shemoneh (שְׁמוֹנֶה), eight	Okto (ὀκτώ), eight
9	Divine judgment, finality, fruit of the Spirit	the tradition	Tesha (תֵּשַׁע), nine	Ennea (ἐννέα), nine
10	Testimony, law, completeness of divine order	counted by the text	Eser (עֶשֶׂר), ten	Deka (δέκα), ten
11	Disorder, incompleteness, judgment	the tradition	Achad asar (אַחַד עָשָׂר), eleven	Hendeka (ἕνδεκα), eleven
12	Governmental perfection, divine authority, Israel	counted by the text	Shnem asar (שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר), twelve	Dodeka (δώδεκα), twelve
13	Rebellion, apostasy, depravity	the tradition	Shloshah asar (שְׁלוֹשָׁה עָשָׂר), thirteen	Dekatris or Triskaideka (τρεισκαίδεκα), thirteen
14	Deliverance, salvation, Passover	the tradition	Arbaah asar (אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר), fourteen	Dekatessares (δεκατέσσαρες), fourteen
15	Rest, deliverance, stepping stone to freedom	the tradition	Chamishah asar (חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר), fifteen	Dekapente (δεκαπέντε), fifteen
16	Love, loving-kindness	the tradition	Shisha asar (שִׁשָּׁה עָשָׂר), sixteen	Dekahexi (δεκαέξ), sixteen
17	Victory, spiritual perfection, overcoming	the tradition	Shivah asar (שִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר), seventeen	Dekaepta (δεκαεπτά), seventeen
18	Bondage, oppression, spiritual warfare	the tradition	Shmonah asar (שְׁמוֹנָה עָשָׂר), eighteen	Dekaokto (δεκαοκτώ), eighteen
19	Faith, divine order in judgment	the tradition	Tishah asar (תִּשְׁעָה עָשָׂר), nineteen	Dekaennea (δεκαεννέα), nineteen
20	Redemption, expectancy, waiting period	the tradition	Esrim (עֶשְׂרִים), twenty	Eikosi (εἴκοσι), twenty
21	Great wickedness, exceeding sinfulness of sin	the tradition	Esrim v'echad (עֶשְׂרִים וְאֶחָד), twenty-one	Eikosi kai heis (εἴκοσι καὶ εἷς), twenty-one
22	Light, revelation, the Word	the tradition	not given	Eikosi duo (εἴκοσι δύο), twenty-two
23	Death, judgment against sin	the tradition	Esrim v'shalosh (עֶשְׂרִים וְשָׁלוֹשׁ), twenty-three	Eikosi treis (εἴκοσι τρεῖς), twenty-three
24	Priesthood, worship, governmental completion	the tradition	Esrim v'arba (עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבַּע), twenty-four	Eikosi tessares (εἴκοσι τέσσαρες), twenty-four
25	Grace upon grace, forgiveness	the tradition	Esrim v'chamesh (עֶשְׂרִים וְחָמֵשׁ), twenty-five	Eikosi pente (εἴκοσι πέντε), twenty-five
26	The Gospel, YHWH	the tradition	YHWH (יהוה)	Eikosi hex (εἴκοσι ἕξ), twenty-six
27	Proclamation of the Gospel, preaching	the tradition	Esrim v'sheva (עֶשְׂרִים וְשֶׁבַע), twenty-seven	Eikosi hepta (εἴκοσι ἑπτά), twenty-seven
28	Eternal life, covenant	the tradition	Esrim u'shemoneh (עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁמוֹנֶה), twenty-eight	Eikosi okto (εἴκοσι ὀκτώ), twenty-eight
29	Departure, going away	the tradition	Esrim v'tesha (עֶשְׂרִים וְתֵשַׁע), twenty-nine	Eikosi ennea (εἴκοσι ἐννέα), twenty-nine
30	Maturity, dedication for ministry, blood of Christ	the tradition	Shloshim (שְׁלוֹשִׁים), thirty	Triakonta (τριάκοντα), thirty
31	Offspring, progeny, family	the tradition	Shloshim v'echad (שְׁלוֹשִׁים וְאֶחָד), thirty-one	Triakonta kai heis (τριάκοντα καὶ εἷς), thirty-one
32	Covenant, fellowship	the tradition	Shloshim u'shnayim (שְׁלוֹשִׁים וּשְׁנַיִם), thirty-two	Triakonta duo (τριάκοντα δύο), thirty-two
33	Promise, divine promise fulfilled	the tradition	Shloshim v'shalosh (שְׁלוֹשִׁים וְשָׁלוֹשׁ), thirty-three	Triakonta treis (τριάκοντα τρεῖς), thirty-three
34	Naming of a son, sonship	the tradition	Shloshim v'arba (שְׁלוֹשִׁים וְאַרְבַּע), thirty-four	Triakonta tessares (τριάκοντα τέσσαρες), thirty-four
35	Hope, redemption	the tradition	Shloshim v'chamesh (שְׁלוֹשִׁים וְחָמֵשׁ), thirty-five	Triakonta pente (τριάκοντα πέντε), thirty-five
36	Enemy, adversary	the tradition	Shloshim v'shesh (שְׁלוֹשִׁים וְשֵׁשׁ), thirty-six	Triakonta hex (τριάκοντα ἕξ), thirty-six
37	The Word of God, exaltation	the tradition	Shloshim v'sheva (שְׁלוֹשִׁים וְשֶׁבַע), thirty-seven	Triakonta hepta (τριάκοντα ἑπτά), thirty-seven
38	Slavery, bondage to sin	the tradition	Shloshim u'shemoneh (שְׁלוֹשִׁים וּשְׁמוֹנֶה), thirty-eight	Triakonta okto (τριάκοντα ὀκτώ), thirty-eight
39	Disease, affliction, punishment	the tradition	Shloshim v'tesha (שְׁלוֹשִׁים וְתֵשַׁע), thirty-nine	Triakonta ennea (τριάκοντα ἐννέα), thirty-nine
40	Testing, trial, probation, preparation	counted by the text	Arbaim (אַרְבָּעִים), forty	Tessarakonta (τεσσαράκοντα), forty
50	Pentecost, Jubilee, release	the tradition	not given	Pentēkostē, fiftieth (Acts 2:1)
70	The nations, Israel's eldership, the appointed span	the tradition	not given	not given
120	A completed waiting company; the limit of days	the tradition	not given	not given
144	Twelve twelves, the sealed people, the measured city	the tradition	not given	not given
153	The counted catch	the tradition	not given	not given
490	Seventy sevens, forgiveness beyond counting; the decreed weeks	the tradition	shavu'im, sevens (Daniel 9:24)	not given
666	The number of the beast, man's number, counted	the tradition	not given	not given
1000	The vast whole in God's keeping; the millennium	the tradition	Eleph, a thousand, also a clan or military unit	Chilioi, a thousand

Forty-eight rows, one per number, with the meaning given, the kind of reading and the Hebrew and Greek words where the catalogue records them.

7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 34 more

1: Unity, primacy, God's sovereignty1 table or figure, 1 paragraph

E. W. Bullinger reads the Shema's Hebrew word for "one," echad, as a composite unity rather than a bare digit.

Three patterns cited for 1.

Pattern cited
One God (Deuteronomy 6:4)
One faith, one Lord, one baptism (Ephesians 4:5)
One mediator (1 Timothy 2:5)

2: Witness, division, partnership, confirmation1 table or figure, 1 paragraph

E. W. Bullinger reads two as the number of difference, sometimes hostile division, sometimes the strength of allied testimony, and catalogues second books and second psalms across the canon where an enemy appears.

Four patterns cited for 2.

Pattern cited
Two witnesses required (Deuteronomy 19:15)
Two tablets of the Law
Two olive trees (Zechariah 4:3)
Sent out two by two (Mark 6:7)

3: Divine completeness, Trinity, resurrection1 table or figure, 1 paragraph

E. W. Bullinger reads three as the number of what is solid and complete, since three dimensions make a solid where two make only a flat plane. He ties it to the Trinity, the resurrection, and repeated triads through the Bible.

Five patterns cited for 3.

Pattern cited
Trinity, Father, Son, Holy Spirit
Jonah three days in the fish
Christ rose on third day
Three patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob
Holy, Holy, Holy (Isaiah 6:3)

4: Creation, earth, universality, the world1 table or figure, 1 paragraph

E. W. Bullinger reads four as the number of the created, material world, man in relation to the earth he was given, and traces a recurring "three plus one" pattern through the tabernacle's materials.

Five patterns cited for 4.

Pattern cited
Four corners of the earth
Four seasons
Four winds (Ezekiel 37:9)
Four living creatures (Revelation 4:6)
Four Gospels

5: Grace, God's goodness, divine favor1 table or figure, 1 paragraph

E. W. Bullinger reads five as grace, four (man's created weakness) plus one (God's added strength), and calls David's five stones a picture of that same weakness carried by divine power.

Five patterns cited for 5.

Pattern cited
Five books of Moses (Torah)
Five smooth stones (1 Samuel 17:40)
Five Levitical offerings
Five loaves fed 5000
Five wise virgins (Matthew 25)

6: Man, human weakness, labor, incompleteness1 table or figure

Five patterns cited for 6.

Pattern cited
Man created on day 6
Six days of labor
Six water pots at Cana
666, number of the beast (Revelation 13:18)
Goliath was 6 cubits tall

7: Completion, divine perfection, spiritual fullness1 table or figure

Four patterns cited for 7.

Pattern cited
Seven days of creation
Seven churches of Revelation
Seven seals, trumpets, bowls
Seven Spirits of God

8: New beginnings, resurrection, regeneration1 table or figure, 1 paragraph

E. W. Bullinger reads eight as seven plus one, resurrection and regeneration beginning a new order past a completed cycle. He calls it "the dominical number" because the Greek letters spelling "Jesus" sum to 888 by his gematria method.

Four patterns cited for 8.

Pattern cited
Eight people saved in ark (1 Peter 3:20)
Circumcision on 8th day
David the eighth son in 1 Samuel 16:10 to 11, the seventh in 1 Chronicles 2:13 to 15
Feast of Tabernacles: 8th day assembly

9: Divine judgment, finality, fruit of the Spirit1 table or figure

Four patterns cited for 9.

Pattern cited
Jesus died at 9th hour (Matthew 27:46)
Nine fruits of the Spirit
Nine gifts of the Spirit
Abraham was 99 when God renewed covenant

10: Testimony, law, completeness of divine order1 table or figure, 1 paragraph

E. W. Bullinger reads ten as a complete and ordered whole, "nothing wanting," the full round of a matter.

Five patterns cited for 10.

Pattern cited
Ten Commandments
Ten plagues of Egypt
Tithe, the tenth
Ten virgins (Matthew 25)
Ten lepers healed (Luke 17)

11: Disorder, incompleteness, judgment1 table or figure, 1 paragraph

E. W. Bullinger reads eleven as disorder and incompleteness, either ten plus one, exceeding a completed order, or twelve minus one, falling short of governmental completeness.

Three patterns cited for 11.

Pattern cited
Eleven apostles after Judas' fall
Joseph's eleven brothers bowed to him
Eleven curtains for the tabernacle (Exodus 26:7)

12: Governmental perfection, divine authority, Israel1 table or figure, 1 paragraph

E. W. Bullinger reads twelve as governmental perfection, three (the divine) multiplied by four (the earthly), the number of organized rule, and points to the tribal lists' consistent trimming to twelve as evidence of a deliberate pattern.

Five patterns cited for 12.

Pattern cited
Twelve tribes of Israel
Twelve apostles
Twelve gates of New Jerusalem
Twelve foundations (Revelation 21:14)
Twelve baskets of fragments

13: Rebellion, apostasy, depravity1 table or figure, 1 paragraph

E. W. Bullinger takes Genesis 14:4 as the governing "first occurrence," a method he applies throughout the book, and from it reads later multiples of thirteen as marking rebellion, apostasy or corruption. He treats the number alongside eight, arguing that names connected with God's people tend toward multiples of eight while names connected with his enemies tend toward multiples of thirteen.

Four patterns cited for 13.

Pattern cited
Ishmael circumcised at 13 (Genesis 17:25)
Rebellion in Genesis 14:4 (13th year)
13 famines in Scripture
Bar/Bat Mitzvah age

14: Deliverance, salvation, Passover1 table or figure, 1 paragraph

E. W. Bullinger reads 14 as 2x7, a doubled measure of the sevenfold completeness he assigns to seven, and cites Matthew's pattern as his chief example.

Three patterns cited for 14.

Pattern cited
Passover on 14th of Nisan
14 generations x 3 in Matthew 1
14th day of first month (Exodus 12:6)

15: Rest, deliverance, stepping stone to freedom1 table or figure, 1 paragraph

E. W. Bullinger reads it as 3x5, divine perfection acting through grace, calling it a number tied to acts "wrought by the energy of Divine grace."

Three patterns cited for 15.

Pattern cited
Feast of Unleavened Bread on 15th
Feast of Tabernacles on 15th (Leviticus 23:34)
Hezekiah given 15 more years (2 Kings 20:6)

16: Love, loving-kindness1 table or figure

Three patterns cited for 16.

Pattern cited
16 characteristics of love (1 Corinthians 13:4 to 8)
16 judges in Israel
Jehoash reigned 16 years in Jerusalem

17: Victory, spiritual perfection, overcoming1 table or figure

Three patterns cited for 17.

Pattern cited
Ark rested on 17th of 7th month (Genesis 8:4)
Joseph was 17 when sold (Genesis 37:2)
Romans 8:35 to 39 lists 17 things that cannot separate us from God's love

18: Bondage, oppression, spiritual warfare1 table or figure

Three patterns cited for 18.

Pattern cited
Woman bound 18 years (Luke 13:11)
Israel under Moab 18 years (Judges 3:14)
18 who died when tower fell (Luke 13:4)

19: Faith, divine order in judgment1 table or figure, 1 paragraph

Bullinger's treatment of nineteen is brief. Bullinger reads it as 10+9, the perfection of divine order combined with the number nine, which he elsewhere ties to judgment or finality. He notes that nineteen is the Hebrew letter-value (gematria) of both "Eve" and "Job."

Two patterns cited for 19.

Pattern cited
19th book is Psalms
Faith connected to divine order

20: Redemption, expectancy, waiting period1 table or figure

Four patterns cited for 20.

Pattern cited
Jacob served Laban 20 years
Solomon's building projects took 20 years
20 years under Jabin (Judges 4:3)
Age of military service (Numbers 1:3)

21: Great wickedness, exceeding sinfulness of sin1 table or figure

Two patterns cited for 21.

Pattern cited
Feast of Tabernacles was 21st day
21 chapters in John's Gospel

22: Light, revelation, the Word1 table or figure, 1 paragraph

Bullinger reads twenty-two as double eleven, and eleven, for Bullinger, marks disorganization and disintegration, particularly of God's word. He notes that Jeroboam and Ahab, two of Israel's worst kings, each reigned twenty-two years (1 Kings 14:20, 1 Kings 16:29). The Hebrew alphabet has 22 letters.

Four patterns cited for 22.

Pattern cited
22 Hebrew letters
Psalm 119 has 22 sections
22 books in Hebrew Bible (Jewish count)
Jeroboam reigned 22 years

23: Death, judgment against sin1 table or figure

Three patterns cited for 23.

Pattern cited
Psalm 23, valley of death
23 sins listed in Romans 1:29 to 31
23,000 fell in one day (1 Corinthians 10:8)

24: Priesthood, worship, governmental completion1 table or figure

Three patterns cited for 24.

Pattern cited
24 priestly courses (1 Chronicles 24)
24 elders around throne (Revelation 4:4)
24 hours in a day

25: Grace upon grace, forgiveness1 table or figure, 1 paragraph

Bullinger's treatment of twenty-five is brief.

Three patterns cited for 25.

Pattern cited
Levites began service at 25 (Numbers 8:24)
Ezekiel's temple vision in 25th year (Ezekiel 40:1)
5x5 = grace squared

26: The Gospel, YHWH1 table or figure, 1 paragraph

The letters of the divine name YHWH (יהוה) total 26 in gematria.

Three patterns cited for 26.

Pattern cited
YHWH = 26 in gematria
26th generation from Adam to Moses
Leviticus 26, blessings and curses

27: Proclamation of the Gospel, preaching1 table or figure

Three patterns cited for 27.

Pattern cited
27 books in New Testament
3x3x3 = divine completeness cubed
27th chapter of Proverbs

28: Eternal life, covenant1 table or figure

Three patterns cited for 28.

Pattern cited
Four weeks of seven (the moon's own cycle is ~29.5 days)
4x7 = earth x perfection
Jehu reigned 28 years (2 Kings 10:36)

29: Departure, going away1 table or figure

Two patterns cited for 29.

Pattern cited
Amaziah reigned 29 years (2 Kings 14:2)
Prime number, indivisible

30: Maturity, dedication for ministry, blood of Christ1 table or figure, 1 paragraph

Bullinger's Number in Scripture treats thirty briefly as 3 x 10, 'the perfection of Divine order, marking the right moment.'

Five patterns cited for 30.

Pattern cited
Priests began at 30 (Numbers 4:3)
Jesus began ministry at 30 (Luke 3:23)
Joseph before Pharaoh at 30 (Genesis 41:46)
David became king at 30 (2 Samuel 5:4)
30 pieces of silver (Matthew 26:15)

31: Offspring, progeny, family1 table or figure

Three patterns cited for 31.

Pattern cited
31 kings defeated (Joshua 12:24)
Proverbs 31, virtuous woman
31 chapters in Proverbs

32: Covenant, fellowship1 table or figure

Three patterns cited for 32.

Pattern cited
Elohim named 32 times in Genesis 1
4x8 = creation x new beginning
32 paths of wisdom (Kabbalistic tradition)

33: Promise, divine promise fulfilled1 table or figure

Three patterns cited for 33.

Pattern cited
Jesus' earthly ministry ~33 years
David reigned 33 years in Jerusalem (1 Kings 2:11)
33 vertebrae in human spine

34: Naming of a son, sonship1 table or figure

Two patterns cited for 34.

Pattern cited
34th chapter of Exodus, covenant renewal
Connected to naming and sonship themes

35: Hope, redemption1 table or figure

Two patterns cited for 35.

Pattern cited
5x7 = grace x perfection
Cities of refuge system (Numbers 35)

36: Enemy, adversary1 table or figure

Three patterns cited for 36.

Pattern cited
36 died at Ai (Joshua 7:5)
6x6 = human weakness squared
36 hidden righteous in Jewish tradition (Tzadikim Nistarim)

37: The Word of God, exaltation1 table or figure

Three patterns cited for 37.

Pattern cited
Prime number, indivisible
Job chapter 37, God speaks from whirlwind
37 recorded miracles of Jesus

38: Slavery, bondage to sin1 table or figure

Three patterns cited for 38.

Pattern cited
38 years of wilderness wandering (Deuteronomy 2:14)
Man infirm 38 years (John 5:5)
38 years of judgment

39: Disease, affliction, punishment1 table or figure

Two patterns cited for 39.

Pattern cited
39 books in Old Testament
39 categories of forbidden work on Sabbath (Mishnah)

40: Testing, trial, probation, preparation1 table or figure, 1 paragraph

Bullinger reads it as 5 x 8, grace leading to renewal, and calls it probation and chastisement of a covenant people, never judgment of enemies.

Seven patterns cited for 40.

Pattern cited
40 days of flood (Genesis 7:17)
Moses on Sinai 40 days (Exodus 24:18)
Israel in wilderness 40 years (Numbers 14:33)
Jesus tempted 40 days (Matthew 4:2)
40 days before ascension (Acts 1:3)
Eli judged 40 years
Saul, David, Solomon each reigned 40 years

50: Pentecost, Jubilee, release1 table or figure

Four patterns cited for 50.

Pattern cited
Jubilee, the fiftieth year of liberty (Leviticus 25:10)
Pentecost, the fiftieth day from firstfruits (Leviticus 23:15 to 16; Acts 2)
Fifty loops and clasps uniting the tabernacle (Exodus 26:5 to 6)
The Beth-shemesh number, 1 Samuel 6:19 reads 50,070 slain, a genuine textual crux

70: The nations, Israel's eldership, the appointed span1 table or figure

Four patterns cited for 70.

Pattern cited
Seventy souls into Egypt (Exodus 1:5; Deuteronomy 10:22)
Seventy elders before God (Exodus 24:1; Numbers 11:16 to 25)
Seventy years of exile, prophesied and counted (Jeremiah 25:11; Daniel 9:2)
Seventy weeks decreed (Daniel 9:24)

120: A completed waiting company; the limit of days1 table or figure

Two patterns cited for 120.

Pattern cited
Moses' 120 years divide as 40+40+40 (Egypt, Midian, wilderness, Acts 7:23, Acts 7:30, Acts 7:36)
120 priests at the first temple's filling; 120 disciples before Pentecost's filling

144: Twelve twelves, the sealed people, the measured city1 table or figure

Two patterns cited for 144.

Pattern cited
12 × 12, tribes and apostles woven through the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:12 to 14)
12,000 sealed per tribe, twelve tribes named (Revelation 7:5 to 8)

153: The counted catch1 table or figure

Two patterns cited for 153.

Pattern cited
An eyewitness count, the only three-digit catch in Scripture
The unrent net (John 21) beside the breaking nets (Luke 5)

490: Seventy sevens, forgiveness beyond counting; the decreed weeks1 table or figure

One pattern cited for 490.

Pattern cited
Daniel's seventy sevens, divided 7 + 62 + 1 (Daniel 9:25 to 27)

666: The number of the beast, man's number, counted1 table or figure, 1 paragraph

The count presumes isopsephy, in which Greek and Hebrew letters carried numeric values.

Two patterns cited for 666.

Pattern cited
Six tripled, man's number falling short of seven, three times
666 talents of gold at the peak of Solomon's accumulation (1 Kings 10:14)

1000: The vast whole in God's keeping; the millennium1 table or figure, 1 paragraph

The Greek chilioi gives the early church's name for millennial hope, chiliasm.

Three patterns cited for 1000.

Pattern cited
'A thousand years' six times in Revelation 20:1 to 7
A thousand generations of covenant keeping (Deuteronomy 7:9; Psalm 105:8)
One chasing a thousand, covenant strength (Joshua 23:10; Deuteronomy 32:30)

What the Counts Teach

The resurrection on the third day and the catch of 153 fish are two counts of the New Testament.

that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

1 Corinthians 15:4BSB

This verse is why the third day stands among the counts the text keeps.

So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many, the net was not torn.

John 21:11BSB

This verse is the one place the number 153 stands in Scripture.

The same God who blessed the seventh day keeps every word He has spoken, and a reader who follows His counts learns to trust Him.

Sources

Scripture is the Berean Standard Bible.

E. W. Bullinger, Number in Scripture: Its Supernatural Design and Spiritual Significance, 1894; second edition, London, 1895.

Every cited work: the sources registry →