Arguably the most (in)famous number in the Bible, 666 is said to be the number of the Beast. A reference to the number of the Antichrist can be found in Revelation 13:18: “Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.”
This is a reinforcement of the number seven and God’s perfection. The Day of Pentecost is determined after counting seven perfect cycles of seven days, ending on a seventh-day Sabbath (Leviticus 23:10-16).
The number is related to Moses’ role in God’s plan. The fifth book of the Bible is called Deuteronomy (which actually means "fifth book”). The book’s fifth chapter and fifth verse mention Moses' role.
This is a symbolic number of the Church. Revelation 7:4 reads: “And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.”
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Number 153 is of particular importance taking into account gematria (the Hebrew system of assigning letters to numbers). Ezekiel 47:10 makes reference to a vision of living water teeming with fish. The place is called En-Eglaim, which, according to gematria, means 153. This is therefore a number of abundance. The number also attests to the overflow of God's blessing in John 21:11, “[...] It was full of large fish, 153 [...].”
This number symbolizes a cycle of time. Satan was bound for 1,000 years, according to Revelation 20:1–3. In addition, Jesus will return and reign for 1,000 years.
This number appears 146 times in the Bible. It symbolizes trials and a complete cycle of time. Moses lived 40 years in the desert, 40 years in Egypt, and was on Mount Sinai for 40 days; Jesus fasted for 40 days in the desert, where he was tempted by Satan; and it took 40 days for Jesus to ascend to Heaven, following his resurrection.
Number 120 denotes a time of waiting. According to Genesis 6:1-3, this was the timeframe given by God for humanity to repent. “Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.”
There are several mentions of the number throughout the Bible and its meaning is not similar in all of them. For instance, Tola was a judge of Israel for 23 years. There is also Psalm 23, which is one of the most popular Psalms. Jezebel, one of the wickedest women in the Bible, is mentioned 23 times.
This number is associated with rest. The 15th day of the first Hebrew month is the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is a day for rest. The same applies to the 15th day of the seventh Hebrew month, which marks the beginning of the Feast of Tabernacles, also a rest day.
Number 21 is closely related with wickedness and sin. In 2 Timothy, Paul the apostle makes reference to 21 sins.
This number denotes completion of a waiting period. The children of Israel waited to be freed of Jabin, king of Canaan, for 20 years. Solomon gave Hiram, the king of Tyre, 20 cities in Galilee after completing God’s house in Jerusalem in seven years and Solomon's own house in 13 (a total of 20 years).
This is the number of spiritual authority and completion. Jacob had 12 sons, whose descendants formed the 12 tribes of Israel. Jesus had 12 apostles. In addition, Revelation also mentions 12 angels at 12 gates, among other references to the number 12.
Number 30 symbolizes dedication to a calling. Aaronic priests were initially dedicated when they turned 30. David became king of Israel when he was 30 years old. This was also the age John the Baptist started his ministry, and the age Jesus started spreading the gospel.
Number 11 symbolizes chaos, disorder, and judgment. Genesis 11 mentions men’s rebellion against God and how they built the tower of Babel. King of Judah Jehoiakim ruled for 11 years.
Number nine symbolizes finality. Jesus died at the ninth hour of the day. There are also nine fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
This number symbolizes rebirth and new beginnings. God saved eight people from the flood, and Jesus Christ appeared eight times after he resurrected.
Number seven symbolizes spiritual perfection and completeness. The number appears 735 times in the Bible. God created the universe in seven days. There are seven days in a week, God's Sabbath occurs on the seventh day, there are seven churches, seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, etc.
This number is used to symbolize humanity, which was created on the sixth day. Labor was done for six days a week, and Hebrew slaves served six years. The number also symbolizes all that is weak about the human condition, including its sinful nature.
Number 10 is about power and government. It symbolizes testimony, law, responsibility, and order. Examples include the Ten Commandments and the Day of Atonement, which occurs on day 10 of the seventh month.
Number four is symbolic of creation, God's work on earth, and universal truth. Revelation 7:1 also mentions the number: “And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.”
This is the number of grace and God’s teachings. The Tabernacle contained five curtains, five pillars, etc. The Book of Psalms has five sections, there are five books of God’s Laws (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy).
Number three symbolizes strength, stability, and completeness. The number is associated with the three Patriarchs of Judaism and the three pilgrimage festivals. It’s also associated with the Holy Trinity (the father, the son, and the holy spirit) and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Number one is about unity. As mentioned in John 10:30, God and Jesus are one. The number also highlights that there is only one god. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” - (1 Timothy 2:5).
This number symbolizes separation and punishment. Ezekiel 4:5 reads: “For I have laid upon thee the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days: so shalt thou bear the iniquity of the house of Israel.”
Being a combination of the numbers 10 and seven, number 70 is also an important number in the Bible, which mostly symbolizes judgment. Moses gathered 70 elders of Israel to serve as judges.
This number is about praising God, as in Psalms 111. Romans 12:5 also mentions the number by repeating “one” three times. It reads “Likewise, we, being many, are one body in Christ, and each one members of one another.”
This is the number of witnesses, but it’s also used to symbolize union, and division. References can be found in Exodus 25:22; Matthew 26:60; Luke 10:1; and Ephesians 5:31. The number also symbolizes the dual nature of humankind (Galatians 6:8).
This number is associated with God’s promises. The 33rd time Abraham's name is mentioned in the Bible is when his son, Isaac, was born.
The number 666 is arguably the most (in)famous number in the Bible. And while many of us know it's the number of the Antichrist, there are many other numbers in the Bible that deserve our attention. Indeed, biblical numerology is a fascinating subject with a wide range of interpretations and meanings.
In this gallery, we bring you some of the most important numbers of the Bible and what they actually mean. Click through and get to know them.