Number: 2 definitions
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Source: archive.org: Smith's Bible DictionaryNumber refers to:—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 (Genesis 4:24) seven times, i.e. completely, (Leviticus 26:24; Psalms 12:6) seven (i.e. many) ways, (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. (Genesis 4:24; Matthew 18:22) Its definite use appears in the offerings of 70 shekels, (Numbers 7:13,19) ff,; the 70 elders, ch. (Numbers 11:16) 70 Years of captivity. (Jeremiah 25:11)
4) Five appears in the table of punishments, of legal requirements, (Exodus 22:1; Leviticus 5:16; 22:14; 27:15; Numbers 5:7; 18:16) and in the five empires of Daniel. (Daniel 2:1) ...
5) Four is used in reference to the 4 winds, (Daniel 7:2) and the so-called 4 corners of the earth; the creatures, each with 4 wings and 4 faces, of Ezekiel, (Ezekiel 1:5) ff.; 4 Rivers of Paradise (Genesis 2:10) 4 Beasts, (Daniel 7:1) ... and Reve 4:6 The 4 equal-sided temple-chamber. (Ezekiel 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. (Revelation 21:19-21)
8) Lastly, the mystic number 666. (Revelation 13:18)
Source: archive.org: Fausset's Bible DictionaryNumber refers to:—After the captivity the Hebrew used the alphabet letters for numbers, 'Αleph ( א ) equalling 1; Βet[h] ( ב ) equalling 2, etc.; Υod[h] ( י ) equalling 10; Qoph ( ק ) equalling 100, etc. The final letters expressed 500 to 900; 'Αleph ( א ) + 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).
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See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: The, The, Number, Bride Ministry Center, The, Eternal, the, Te.
Starts with: Number of, Number of servants, Numbering of the people, Numbers.
Full-text (+11152): Samkhya, Guna, Anga, Bahuvacana, Varnavritta, Pankti, Naga, Siddhartha, Bhavana, Eka, Randhra, Turaga, Ari, Haranetra, Ekavacana, Aditya, Rudra, Indu, Ahiezer, Svara.
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Search found 630 books and stories containing Number, The number; (plurals include: Numbers, The numbers). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Vakyapadiya of Bhartrihari (by K. A. Subramania Iyer)
Verse 1.87 < [Book 1 - Brahma-kāṇḍa (or Āgama-samuccaya)]
Verse 3.14.283 < [Book 3 - Pada-kāṇḍa (14): Vṛtti-samuddeśa (On Ccomplex Formation)]
Verse 3.11.27 < [Book 3 - Pada-kāṇḍa (11): Saṅkhyā-samuddeśa (On Number)]
A Dictionary of the Bible (Hastings) (by Andrew Robert Fausset)
Sahitya-kaumudi by Baladeva Vidyabhushana (by Gaurapada Dāsa)
Definitional Verses (kārikā), Elaborations (vṛtti), and Numeration < [Introduction]
Text 7.81 < [Chapter 7 - Literary Faults]
Text 2.33 < [Chapter 2 - The Natures of Words (śabda)]
Ante-nicene Fathers (by Alexander Roberts)
Chapter XI - The Mystical Meanings in the Proportions of Numbers < [Clement of Alexandria]
Chapter XVI - Absurd interpretations of the Marcosians < [Irenaeus]
Chapter XXIV - Folly of the arguments derived by the heretics from numbers < [Irenaeus]
Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers (by Philip Schaff)
Chapter 30 - Of the Perfection of the Number Six < [City of God]
Chapter L - Of the Occasion on Which He Fed the Multitudes with the Seven Loaves < [The Harmony of the Gospels.]
Chapter VI < [The Life of Constantine with Orations of Constantine and Eusebius.]
Ganitatilaka (Sanskrit text and English introduction) (by H. R. Kapadia)
Part 13 - The Human Population < [Introduction]
Part 13 - The human population < [Introduction]
Page 173 < [Sanskrit Text of the Ganitatilaka]