BA Thesis

Islamic Studies, Leiden University

Student: S. Meysami Azad

s1042025

Supervisor: Drs. R.E. Kon

The Symbolic Aspects of Numbers

in the Bible and the Koran

Psalm 90:12. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
Table of Contents

Preface ............................................................................................................................. 3

Chapter One

Introduction: Books and debates on the numbers in the Bible and the Koran

1.1. Cultural and Religious approach .......................................................................... 5

1.2. Structural and Aesthetic approach ....................................................................... 6

1.3. Phenomenal approach .......................................................................................... 7

Chapter Two

Counting and Numbers in the Bible and the Koran

2.1. Background in the Scripture .............................................................................. 11

2.2. Trinity and Heptadic Structure of the Bible and the Koran ............................... 13

2.3. The Numerical System of the Name of God in the Bible and the Koran........... 15

2.4. Number 19 in the Bible and the Koran .............................................................. 18

Chapter Three

Exegetical Aspect of Trinity

3.1. The Master Code of Biblical Hermeneutics....................................................... 26

3.2. Biblical and Koranic examples of the Trinity .................................................... 28

3.2.1. The numbers and verses alluding to the 4, 8, 12 pattern .................................... 29

3.2.2 The numbers and narratives alluding to the 3, 6, 9, 12 pattern .......................... 32

3.3. Number 23 in the Bible ...................................................................................... 40

Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 47

Bibliography ......................................................................................................................... 50

2
Preface

By the third millennium humankind could claim enormous scientific and technical progress, yet the
ongoing religious and political conflicts of the modern world have not been solved. While religious
wars and conflicts are not a modern issue, the focus on peace and human rights more than in any other
time is the concern of our modern world. Therefore there is a need for modern, peaceful interpretations
of sacred texts, which is something that has kept many academics and clerics busy.

The author of this thesis has witnessed a revolution that has played a major role in the religious and
social life of a country, which according to the author has suffered since then from a fundamentalist
interpretation of Islam and the Koran. The corruption of the political system and abuse of religion to
keep power has affected this society in a way in which people either deny Islam particularly or religion
and God totally. The third group, to which the author belongs, has tried to discover a new way of
interpreting for a better understanding of Islam. Twenty years ago as a young man, the author started
to study the Koran and soon his mind was not full of answers but questions. Questions to which he
could not find convincing answers by consulting traditional exegetical works or orthodox religious
scholars.

There were two major reasons for his disagreement with traditional approaches to the Koran with its
exoteric interpretation. First, believing in an esoteric layer of the Koran he rejected a literary approach
to the text which led him to the use of symbolical methods in understanding it. Second, he isolates
Koran from all prejudices which come from the historical narratives, whether false or correct. Due to
the lack of any freedom and democracy regarding political and religious activities, he had to leave his
country to continue his research in a more open society. After a long journey of eighteen months he
arrived finally to a western country in which he had the possibility to study the Bible as well. After the
first forty days of his settlement in a refugee camp his mission was not completed but just started. By
reading the Bible for the first time he just realized that there is only one real background for
understanding the Koran and that is the Bible. However, the problem is being stuck in a loop, since
this contribution is reciprocal and the Bible itself cannot make sense without the Koran. If we consider
the claim of Jesus that he was just a Jew with no new religion, and Muhammad that his message was
the same as that of Abraham, Moses and Jesus, then the Old Testament, New Testament and Koran
should be approached as a triploid. This means that, there are not three separate religions, but only one
religion in development with three major turning points.

Putting the Bible and the Koran side by side, man comes consequently across similarities and
differences. However, differences or contradictions in the external layer of the text not only exist
between those two books but also inside each of them. Nevertheless, many differences or
contradictions will be solved, if we learn to read the philosophy of the text behind its appearance. To
clarify the matter by a simple example, imagine that you read in one part of the text that swimming is
good, and in another part that swimming is bad. There are two ways to compromise that contradiction,
either to take “swimming” symbolically or presume different contexts for each ruling. For example,
one “swimming” could be interpreted in a religious context metaphorically such as to move spiritually
in the sea of revelation; otherwise it refers to swimming in very cold weather and water. The virtue is
to realize that the philosophy of the text is above its appearance, which in this example could be
understood as a recommendation to keep healthy by means of sport, although not every situation
allows to use that means.

3
As a reader you can see in this very example that there are two elements of understanding the text
differently, one is a symbolic aspect of a word, the other is the context or the theme associated to a
word. In language one category of words is dedicated to numbers (one, two, three etc.) in order to
express an idea regarding measure and quantity. However, numbers like other words could be
understood symbolically and consequently with a different meaning in a different context. That the
numbers of the Bible and the Koran should be considered symbolically is not a new trend in
interpretation at all. The new approach in this thesis is firstly, that numbers like other words should be
considered regarding the context of its use, which means one should not relate a fixed meaning to any
number in the text. Although it might work for some specific cases, it does not mean one should
expect that each number signifies only one unique character regardless of the context in which it is
used. For instance, it is typical that number 3 is related to Divine perfection, however in the context of
twelve months of the year it might be seen as just the beginning of a new trinity of 3, 6, 9, 12.
Secondly, the method of contextualization and exegesis is different in this analysis. Many traditional
books on the symbolism of numbers relate the numbers of the Bible and the Koran to ancient cultures
and historical understanding of them. However, that seems to the author as ‘de-contextualization’,
because the revelation has its own unique system and context. Any text, if one considers it as ‘sacred’
or not, borrows from different languages and cultures, but at the same time, it is capable of creating
new meanings and definitions based on the function in that text.

Finally, the most important aspect of this approach stems from combining the Bible and the Koran. Up
to now most of the analysis of the numbers in the Bible or in the Koran has been done in a normative
sphere. Therefore most of the authors have attempted to prove or to disprove a religion or a dogma. No
one has compared the numbers in both books and no one has considered their connections. The goal of
this thesis, on the contrary, is not to prove or disprove any specific religion or enter in an apologetic
discourse. Consequently, the focus is not the theological consequences of this analysis, but the
exegetical aspect of it, which is explained in the third chapter.

This thesis is dedicated to answering first whether the numbers have a symbolical aspect, and if so,
what their background and meaning is. Therefore, in the first chapter the different approaches to the
issue of numbers in the Bible and in the Koran is considered and contextualized. In the second chapter,
an analysis of the systematic structure of numbers will be provide in order to show that there is a close
connection between the pattern of the numbers in the Bible with that of the Koran. In order to
substantiate such a view, many examples of the verses and stories of the Bible and the Koran are
presented, so that we can discover some allegorical aspects of the numbers. Finally the third chapter is
dedicated to the important exegetical consequences of applying such a hermeneutic method. The
notion of ‘the master code’ is presented in that chapter with the attempt to elucidate its central role in
achieving an appropriate interpretation. Although, it is not possible to refer to all numbers individually
- due to the limitation of the scope of this thesis - the main system and its exegetical dimensions will
be the focus for this analysis.

4
 1. Introduction:

Books and debates on the numbers in the Bible and the Koran

1.1 Cultural and Religious approach

There are mainly three categories of literature on the numbers in the scripture and the numerical aspect
of it. The first category is the work that points to the meaning of the numbers in the Bible and the
Koran regarding the cultural and/or textual background of them. A typical example of such works is
the book of Annemarie Schimmel, The Mystery of Numbers, published in 1993. 1 This book is a
reworking of Das Mysterium der Zahl written by Franz Carl Endres in 1951. 2 As Schimmel has
written in her preface, her book mainly concentrates upon the civilization of antiquity and the religious
traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.3 However she also considers numbers in other religions
and cultures as Hinduism and Zoroastrianism. Although this type of work provides a comprehensive
history of the numbers in different cultures and religions it does not attempt to provide any exegetical
or theological information by analyzing the text systematically. It is not therefore surprising that she
points to the theory and the books of Rashad Khalifa (1935-1990) – the eminent Muslim scholar who
analysed the numerical structure of the Koran – under the category of ‘superstitions’, without
presenting any argument.4

Another example of such works is the book of L.A. Snijders, Het verhaal van de getallen van de
Bijbel (1995), although his work is different regarding that he refers only to the numbers of the Bible
and from a Christian point of view. As it is usual for such kinds of works they start thus from number
“one” and they go up to “two” and “three” and so on. Just to represent the method and scope of
interpretation in such works, we refer to number “six” in both books. Schimmel writes: “According to
ancient and Neoplatonic systems, 6 is the most perfect number as it is both the sum and the product of
its parts: it is formed either by adding 1+2+3 or by multiplying 1×2×3. Furthermore it is the product
of the first male (2) and first female(3) numbers... Biblical exegetes were delighted to discover these
mathematical qualities, for they knew that God had completed his work of creation in 6 days.” At the
end of this section, she even points out that, “6 appears strikingly in the molecular structure of the
benzene ring C6H6”.5 Snijders writes about 6 that “In considerations about numbers, ‘six’ gets usually
little attention… however that is true that its meaning borrows to number 12 and particularly is
influenced by its neighbor number 7… thus it is just not complete and total.” 6

One can see how both books interpret the same number in contradictory and different ways, and also
neglect that ‘six’ has a significant exegetical value as it will be explained later. This is a typical
example of ‘de-contextualization’, as discussed in the preface.

1 A. Schimmel, The Mystery Of Numbers, (New York: Oxford University Press, 1993).
2 Ibid, p. vi.
3 Ibid, p. vii.
4 Ibid, pp. 25-26.
5 Ibid, pp. 122-126.
6 L.A. Snijders, Het verhaal van de getallen van de Bijbel, (Baarn: Uitgeverij Ten Have, 1995), p. 54.

5
1.2 Structural and Aesthetic approach

The second category concerns the principle of composition based on numerical patterns. This method
also associates specific symbolic meanings to the numbers, but also tries to reveal the use of specific
numbers in the organization and formation of the Scripture. According to the advocate of this method
not only explicit numbers in the text should be considered, but also verses, words and even letters
should be counted. From this perspective, form and content are closely interrelated, which means
exegetical value is associated with the numbers. Nevertheless, adherents of this approach try to
disassociate themselves from the numerological and kabalistic speculations, and consider numbers free
of any inherent mysticism or magic. Consequently, they do not claim this method could be used as a
proof for the divine origin of the Bible, but they assume that the biblical texts are not the result of a
haphazard formation process, but a deliberate design based on an esoteric knowledge of the scribes,
known only to the insider. 7

The background of such tradition is related to the counting of the verses, words and letters in the
Masoretic tradition. Prof. Labuschagne points out that in the Codex B19 generally known as the
Leningrad codex, which is the oldest complete hand-written manuscript of the text of the Hebrew
Bible (1008-1009 CE), the sum of the verses of Genesis is mentioned as 1534. Since this number is
26×59 it refers to the name of God in the Old Testament (YHWH, 10+5+6+5). He also asserts that in
the Leningrad codex, at the end of Deuteronomy the following data are mentioned:

the sum of the verses of the Torah : 5845 which is 7×835

the sum of the words of the Torah: 79856 which is 7×11408

the sum of the letters of the Torah: 400945 is 17×23585

(17 is an alternative sum of the letters YHWH: 1+0+5+6+5).8

Labuschagne applies ‘the numerical structural analysis’, or ‘logotechnical analysis’ introduced by

Claus Schedl for studying the numerical aspect of the texts in order to unlock the secrets of the
formation of the texts, and discover their precise organization. Although the adherents to this method
have tried to present a more rational scientific approach, some of their accounts seem far-fetched and
controversial.9 Schedl and Labuschagne could be considered as the pioneers of this structural and
aesthetic approach.

7 Casper J. Labuschagne, Numerical Secrets of the Bible, (Texas, BIBAL Press, 2002), pp. 3-4.
8 Ibid, pp. 8, 106, 158.
9 For example: on page 96 of his Numerical Secrets of the Bible Labuschagne admits that the number of the

life span of Sarah, 127, does not seem to have any symbolic meaning, but then he adds it to the life spans of
her husband, her son and her grandson, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to reach number 629 = 37×17.

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1.3 Phenomenal approach

The third category is based on the idea that the Bible or the Koran is the word of God and the word of
God, just like the work of God exhibits numerical design. This approach therefore considers the
numerical system of the Bible phenomenal and extraordinary10 and is the key to understanding its
secrets. As John J. Davis pointed out this system operates on the basis of two assumptions: that there is
a design in the use of numbers (both open or hidden), and there is symbolical or theological
significance connected with the numerical patterns.11

The origin of attributing mystical values to the numbers has been traced back to the ancient Greeks
and Pythagoras. One basis of this approach stems from Pythagoreanism12, the other from Gematria in
which the letters of the alphabet have numerical value, so that each letter or word signifies a number.
There is a disagreement on whether Gematria was ever used by Biblical writers, nevertheless
proponents of the phenomenal approach maintain that the Bible contains such a phenomenon, whether
the scribes have been aware of it or not. Needless to say that as a believer it is easy to presume such a
phenomenon exists by the provision of God, independent of the scribes of the Scripture, although the
proponents of this approach provide more arguments. 13 Furthermore, there are even contemporary
scholars as Meir Bar-Ilan supporting the symbolic aspects of numbers without accepting and using
Gematria, only focusing on explicit numbers mentioned in the Bible.14

In fact number symbolism has a continuous precedent in the history of Abrahamic religions and is not
a modern phenomenon. Although there is no consensus on the use of symbolic numbers in the Bible,
nevertheless there is an agreement on the spread of numerology under the Hellenistic influence among
the Jews. By the rise of Gnosticism, some of the church fathers have also adapted number symbolism
as part of their apologetic for allegorical interpretations.15 According to J.-P. Brach in Hanegraaff’s
Dictionary of Gnosis and Western Esotericism:

The general threefold orientation of ancient Greek arithmology, consisting of cosmological,

ethical and/or theological transpositions of number(s), was retained for the most part by early
Christian thought. But obvious adaptations were needed since Scripture, now, above the
rationale of mathematics or philosophy, had taken over as the novel paradigm of numerical
signification. The “divine inspirationʾ of the books composing the Bible was of course
interpreted as implying that the numbers they contained must have a spiritual relevance.
Moreover, the inescapable fact that most of these numbers did not by any means remain
limited to the primary “Decadʾ, sacred to the ancient Greeks, meant that the original
framework of number symbolism now had to adapt to much broader perspectives and
materials. The variety of biblical texts which happen to feature numerical data or
measurements (dealing with theology, cosmology, history and chronology, liturgy,
eschatology and prophecy), combined with the doctrines of typology and of multi-layered

Note that phenomenal is not used as the adjective of the approach, and do not confuse with
10

phenomenological approach.
11 John J. Davis, Biblical Numerology, (Grand Rapids, Baker Academic, 2008), p. 125.
12 For more on Pythagoreanism: Encyclopaedia Britannica Academic Edition (2015). Available online:

http://academic.eb.com/EBchecked/topic/485235/Pythagoreanism/68376/Metaphysics-and-number-
theory (last seen Web. 28 Apr. 2015).
13 Casper J. Labuschagne, Numerical Secrets of the Bible, 3n3.
14 Meir Bar-Ilan, The Case of Number Symbolism in the Hebrew Bible , in N. Dershowitz and E. Nissan

(Eds.): Choueka Festschrift, Part II, LNCS 8002, (Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2014), pp. 406–423.
15 Davis, Biblical Numerology, (Grand Rapids, Baker Academic, 2008), pp. 127-132.

7
 meanings within Scripture, only confirmed the necessity of a wider system of hermeneutics
applied to number.16

Indeed, the system of numerical hermeneutics continued through the Middle Ages in the Christian
circles as well as those of Cabalistic Jews up to the modern times. Since the end of the twentieth
century there have been several authors who have searched for the mathematical phenomenon in the
Bible in order to prove the divine inspiration of this book. Ivan Panin and E.W. Bullinger are the
heralds of this approach, whose trend has been followed by several others such as, R. McCormack,
LeBaron W. Kinney, Karl G. Sabiers, Oskar Goldberg and Friedrich Weinreb. In the Muslim world
Rashad Khalifa started with the same approach to the Koran and he has also been followed by several
other writers, despite the fact that he was assassinated by a Muslim fundamentalist, because of his
controversial claims against the integrity of the Koran, the authenticity of Hadiths, and on being a
prophet.

The basis of such approach is either on counting the words or letters of a verse (or a selected group of
verses), or on calculating the numerical value of a word, in order to associate them with some
significant numbers as 7 or 19. The number of occurrences of some significant words, is also regarded
as crucial. Both the method and the presented data of this approach has been fiercely criticized by
critics and skeptics. Since the method that the author of this thesis is using could be associated to the
third approach, the outline of criticism against such approach will be considered in order to response
in advance to some of the objections which might strike a reader’s mind:

1. There is no Biblical support for the use of numerology or the use of Gematria. The proponents
of this argument point out that nowhere in the Bible prophets or disciples have proceeded such
investigations or analyses. A response to such an argument is that the whole process of
symbolic exegesis has no precedent in the Bible or the Koran, neither Jesus nor Muhammad
nor other prophets proceed an exegetical work, but does this mean by the same token that
exegesis is wrong as such? Such argument is comparable to the inference of those Christians
in the Middle Ages who argued that laughing must be obscene since nowhere in the Gospel is
mentioned Jesus had ever laughed!

2. There is no historical evidence for the use of Gematria in ancient Israel. John J. Davis asserts
that “This whole system of exegesis operates upon the assumption that the Greek and Hebrew
Alphabets always had numerical values attached to them. It is at this point that the whole
system breaks down”.17 One response to this argument, as it was already mentioned, is that
from a theistic point of view, if the Bible is the word of God, the numerical aspects of its
structure is also made by God, independent of the scribes and historical development of the
Hebrew alphabet. The other response is the existence of substantial evidence, which indicate
conscious and intentional employment of numerical values for certain words in the Hebrew
Bible, that will be considered later in this thesis.

3. That numerical patterns are accidental and could be found in many other sentences and texts.
It is true that in any sentence we may find a numerical pattern, but we should not ignore the
fact that a numerical pattern in a random sentence by only 5 features (as John J. Davis pointed
out in his book after presenting an example for it 18 ) is not comparable to a consistent

16 J.P. Brach, Number Symbolism . In: Hanegraaff, W.J., Faivre, A., van den Broek, R., Brach,
J.P. (eds.), Dictionary of Gnosis and Western Esotericism, (Leiden, Brill, 2006), pp. 874–883.
17 John J. Davis, Biblical Numerology, (Grand Rapids, Baker Academic, 2008), p. 140.
18 Ibid, 137.

8
 numerical pattern (particularly with dozens of features) in a whole series of literature like the
Bible, which has been composed by different authors in different times. In this case if there is
a consistent numerical system, it should be either attributed to a conscious choice of the
authors based on a consistent numerical value in different times and cultures or in the case of
super natural features to a super natural source.

4. The use of numerology or Gematria leads to speculative and inconsistent systems. There is no
doubt that the proponents of the phenomenal approach in many cases have inconsistent
representation or evaluation of facts and figures, so that they could adjust them to their system,
but this is not necessarily an inherent part of the system itself. In other words, abuse or misuse
of a method does not prove the fallacy of a method as such. For instance, after Rashad Khalifa
argued that 19 is the basic numerical code of the Koran, he and his followers have tried to
present as much as physical evidence to substantiate this theory. The opponent of this idea,
mainly due to later unorthodox claims of Khalifa, has justly criticized either intentional or
unintentional mistakes in calculations by Khalifa and his followers, while neglecting the fact
that dismantling a group of evidence is different from dismantling the whole system.
Ironically, attempts of the opponents themselves to discredit such a theory, is sometimes as
subjective as the proponents’.

5. The presentation of data and facts is arbitrary and selective. Davis, for example, asserts in his
book that “What is really interesting about these various numerical analysis is not what is
pointed out, but what is omitted”19 Then he analyzes Panin’s treatment of Genesis 1:1 and
shows that many numbers and features are either false or do not support the theory of Panin,
which tries to show everything should be a multiple of 7. He also quotes Oswald T. Allis: “If
the fact that verse one is a perfect example of 7’s appearing in both words and letters means
that its text has been perfectly preserved, are we to infer that verse two has been imperfectly
transmitted to us because it has 52 letters?ʾ As we mentioned above, again we see that few
false arguments are chosen to discredit the whole system. This is somehow the same as the
subjective method that the opponent of the symbolic values of numbers condemn themselves.
First of all, we have to consider that Panin’s claim or the expectation of the critics that if the
first verse exhibits numerical pattern, the rest of the verses must have the same pattern is
unrealistic and an exaggeration. Second, we have to realize that notwithstanding the fact that
many far-fetched features have been presented by Panin, other facts are still facts. Even the
most simple fact that the first verse of the Bible has 7 words should not be disregarded.

6. Inherent to the nature of numbers is the possibility for subjective exegesis. The critics have
pointed out justly that numbers could be used in different ways to prove any theory or idea,
therefore they are dangerous or at least useless. They have provided many examples of
adversaries in history who had associated one another with the same negative number of the
Anti-Christ (666). They have also shown how any person could be related in a way to this
number. For instance, John J. Davis argues that his birth year 1936, could be related to 666
when we consider that the total factors of 36 (1+2+…+34+35+36)=666.20 We should note that
the same mistake is committed, since the objection to misuse and to abuse a system is
extended to rejecting the whole system. He further argues: “There is no objective basis for
controlling this methodology. The interpreter selects his words, and the combination of
numbers that he wishes. In other words 7 might have several combinations (6+1, 2+5, 3+4).

19 John J. Davis, Biblical Numerology, (Grand Rapids, Baker Academic, 2008), p. 139.
20 Ibid, p. 147.

9
 How do we know which of these combinations the author intended to bear symbolic
implications?”21 Numbers like any other element of language have symbolic aspects and in a
hermeneutic process could be subjectively used or abused. There are, however, two kinds of
subjectivity, one that is internal in the text, due to the intention of the author, the other is
external and stems from the one who interprets the text. In fact all exegesis is subjective and
subjective interpretation is an indispensable part of symbolic and esoteric exegesis. (Perhaps
nowhere is it more relevant than here to point to the psychological experiments on observation
attitudes, which have proved that people perceive what they expect and what they need.22) If
there is something uncertain or hidden in a text, the subjective interpretation remains open for
every interpretation, just like a poem. However, there are again two kinds of external
subjectivity, one that deviates the meaning of a text by a selective misrepresentation in order
to adjust it to the ideological goals of the exegete, the other is a selective representation in
order to show how it conforms with the text itself. (For example “Islam” in the Koran is not
the name of a new religion, but also the religion of Abraham is called Islam. If someone
ignores this fact and tries only to refer to it where it is used for Muhammad, this is a
misrepresentation) For the second one, we need therefore textual evidence to support our
choice and argument. For example, when there is a number as 153 mentioned in John 21:11
we can of course analyze it in different ways, (3×3×17) or (9×17) or (3×51) and even
(1+5+3=9). If the choice we make has a strong support in the text, then we do have a basis for
controlling the method.

7. There is per se no secret or allegory in the Bible or Koran, meaning God speaks simply and
clearly, so that everybody can easily understand His word. This is a simplistic view that totally
neglects many verses and stories of the Bible and the Koran to the contrary. There are
abundant examples against such an assumption, which point to the sophisticated nature of
prophecy in both the Bible and the Koran, but the author points only to a few examples:

Proverbs 25:2. It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search
out a matter.

Matthew 13:35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open
my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of
the world.

Koran 56:77 That (this) is indeed a noble Qur'an, 78 In a Book kept hidden, 79 Which none
toucheth save the purified

Koran 73:4 Or a little more; and recite the Qur'an in slow, measured rhythmic tones. 5. Soon
shall We send down to thee a weighty Message.

21John
J. Davis, Biblical Numerology, (Grand Rapids, Baker Academic, 2008), p. 148.
22
Observation is selecting and interpreting. We perceive what we (unconsciously) want to see and as such
we want to see it. In: Jan Van der Lans, Religie ervaren, (Tilburg, KSQV, 2006), p. 19 [transl. by the author].

10
2. Counting and Numbers in the Bible and Koran

Acts 1:7. It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

Koran 10:5. He it is Who appointed the sun a splendour and the moon a light, and measured for her
stages, that ye might know the number of the years, and the reckoning. Allah created not (all) that
save in truth. He detaileth the revelations for people who have knowledge.

2.1 Background in the Scripture

No one can ignore this fact that the Bible starts with the counting of days (periods) of creation. Just in
the first page of the first book of the Bible - the book of Genesis- we read the story of creation in 6
days and that on the 7th day God rested. Moreover, in several parts of Genesis numbers have been
used emphatically, as in the life span of the patriarchs. Thus, in the first encounter with the Scripture
there is a clue to be alert about the counting and the numbers in the Bible. Such an assumption is
reinforced by the title of the fourth book of the Old Testament, called “Numbers”. There are many
other books in the Old Testament in which an excessive use of the numbers is intriguing, for example
in the book of Ezra not only the numbers of people but the numbers of animals and objects are
mentioned (Ezra 2:65-70). Not only in the Old Testament, but also in the New Testament numbers
play a significant role. Also in the beginning of the gospel of Matthew we have the generation tree of
Jesus by which the writer has emphasized number fourteen by repeating it 3 times23.

There is another famous story in the Old Testament regarding the importance of counting, which has
been problematic to many scholars. The story of counting Israelites by David is both in 2 Chronicles
21 and in 2 Samuel 24 narrated24. According to this story God sends a plague to Israel because of the
counting by David. Many scholars have struggled with the explanation of this story and try to find out
why God should be angry because of a census.

The fact that numbers since the ancient times have played a significant role in culture and religion is
attested in many books and encyclopedias.25 Numbers in the Bible have also been considered to be of

23 Matthew 1:17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David
until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon
unto Christ are fourteen generations.
24 I-Chronicles-21:1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. 2 And David

said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the
number of them to me, that I may know it. 3 And Joab answered, The Lord make his people an hundred
times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? why then doth
my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel? 4 Nevertheless the king's word
prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem. 7
And God was displeased with this thing; therefore he smote Israel.
25 (umanity has had a love-hate relationship with numbers from the earliest times. Bones dating from

perhaps 30,000 years ago show scratch marks that possibly represent the phases of the Moon. The ancient
Babylonians observed the movements of the planets, recorded them as numbers, and used them to predict
eclipses and other astronomical phenomena. The priesthood of ancient Egypt used numbers to predict the
flooding of the Nile. Pythagoreanism, a cult of ancient Greece, believed that numbers were the basis of the
entire universe, which ran on numerical harmony . )n: Number symbolism , Encyclopaedia Britannica
Academic Edition (2015). Available online: http://academic.eb.com/EBchecked/topic/1086220/number-
symbolism (last seen Web. 03 Apr. 2015).

11
Hamito-Egyptian origin. 26In harmony with this tradition of using the numbers in ancient cultures and
sacred texts, we can find a significant amount of numbers in the Koran as well.27

Although the first chapter of the Koran does not literally start with the numbers, it starts with the
famous bismillah verse which appears in the beginning of every chapters of the Koran, except one.
This verse has 19 letters and as we will discuss it, 19 has a Biblical background which also seems to
have been used in the structure of the Koran, as for instance the Koran contains 114 chapters which is
a multiple of 6 and 19. Moreover, the Koran contains the “Mysterious Letters” known in Arabic as :
al- urūf al-muqaṭṭa a, which stands in the beginning of 29 chapters of the Koran, and as we will
show later they not only signify numerical values but also have a special position in the structure of
the Koran and a relation with number 19. Since the Arabic letters are each equal to a number,
mysterious letters as such, could be considered from an arithmetical point of view as well. As it is
mentioned in the Encyclopedia of Qur n, many of these numbers and symbols have an ancient
heritage, which could be easily observed at least from a literal point of view. But whether from a
semantic point of view they are in continuation of the Biblical tradition, is the question that the author
attempts to answer. In order to do that, we need to consider numerical system of the Bible and to
elaborate the symbolic aspect of it.

26 Biblical numbers are primarily based on the decimal system, which is of (amito-Egyptian origin…The
numbers in the Bible range from one (Gen. 1:5) to 100,000,000 (Dan. 7:10), though the latter figure is to
be regarded as a hyperbole rather than a literal numerical expression. The largest number to be
understood literally is that given in I Chronicles 21:5 in connection with David's census: 1,100,000 men
from )srael plus , from Judah that drew the sword but cf. the smaller figures in )) Sam. : … )n
later times (the Hasmonean period and throughout the talmudic age), following the Greek example, the
letters of the alphabet were given numerical values. The letters alef to tet represent the digits one to nine;
yod to ẓade, the tens to 90; and kaf to tav 100 to 400; thousands are expressed by the letters for units with
two dots above. The system eventually gave rise to the numerological method called gematria ,… Biblical
numbers are not always intended to be taken at their face value. They are often used indefinitely – as
round figures – or rhetorically, for emphasis or in a hyperbolic sense. At times the rhetorical effect is
achieved through a latent number, i.e., certain words or names occur a given number of times, although
the actual figure is not specified. Many numbers are noteworthy for their symbolic nuances. Hebrew
literature is not altogether unique in this regard; analogues are to be found in Egyptian, Sumerian,
Akkadian, Canaanite, and Hittite writings. Ugaritic, in particular, provides many examples of the rhetorical
and symbolic use of numbers. Especially significant is the biblical use of sacred numbers, which play an
important religious role. There is, in addition, a distinct tendency in Scripture to achieve numerical
harmony or symmetry. )n: )srael Abrahams, Numbers, Typical and )mportant , Encyclopaedia Judaica,
Michael Berenbaum and Fred Skolnik (Eds.), 2nd ed., Vol. 15, (Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2007),
pp. 333-337. Available online through Gale Virtual Reference Library (last seen Web. 3 Apr. 2015).
27 The Qurʾān makes full use of a range of Arabic words denoting numbers and counting. )n doing so, it

employs the number words both in terms of literal counting and of representative images and symbols
(see symbolic imagery), many with an ancient heritage. Words are employed for each of the cardinal unit
numbers and occasional higher numbers, including 10, 11, 12, 19, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 99, 100, 200, 300,
, , , , , , , , , , and , . The number words one and two, although numerically
indicated through grammar in Arabic (along with the generic plural, of course), are used both for
emphasis and counting purposes. Of the ordinal numbers, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 8th appear in the text.
Fractions also figure significantly, primarily because of their legal usage in matters of inheritance (q.v.) as
dealt with in q 4; 1/2, 1/3, / , / , / , / , / , and / are all employed. In: Andrew Rippin,
Numbers and Enumeration , Encyclopaedia of the Qurʾān, Jane Dammen McAuliffe (General Editor),
Georgetown University, Washington DC, Brill Online, 2015. Available online:
http://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/encyclopaedia-of-the-quran/numbers-and-enumeration-
EQSIM_00302 (last seen on 3 April 2015).

12
2.2 Trinity and Heptadic Structure of the Bible and the Koran

In the first encounter with the Bible we might notice the emphatic use of numbers 3 and 7. Perhaps
anybody who reads only the first chapter of the Pentateuch, Genesis, will notice this phenomenon.
Further considerations reveal that 3 and 7 not only appear explicitly, but also in several implicit ways;
for instance through their multiples or by the frequency of the occurrence of certain names, elements
and stages, or even through the numerical value of certain words.28 In order to visualize the scope of
the use of the number 3, the author just points to a few examples as follows:

1) Genesis 6:10. And Noah begat 3 sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

2) Genesis 15:9. And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of 3 years old, and a she goat of 3 years old,
and a ram of 3 years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.

3) Genesis 18:2. And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo 3 men stood by him: and when he saw
them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground.

4) Genesis 18:6. And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly 3
measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.

5) Genesis 29:2. And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, 3 were 3 flocks of sheep lying
by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well's mouth.

6) Genesis 30:36. And he set 3 days' journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of
Laban's flocks.

7) Genesis 38:24. And it came to pass about 3 months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy
daughter in law hath played the harlot…

These examples are only a small portion of much more complex usages of number 3 and the same
pattern holds for number 7 as well. Moreover, what is further intriguing is a sense of association
between 3 and 7 in the text. Consider the following examples selected from the Bible and the Koran.

Genesis 31:22. And it was told Laban on the 3rd day that Jacob was fled. 23. And he took his brethren
with him, and pursued after him 7 days' journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead.

1 Kings 11:3. And he had 700 wives, princesses, and 300 concubines: and his wives turned away his
heart.

Job 1:2. And there were born unto him 7 sons and 3 daughters. 3 His substance also was 7000 sheep,
and 3000 camels.

Koran 2:196. … And whosoever cannot find (such gifts), then a fast of three days while on the
pilgrimage, and of seven when ye have returned; that is, ten in all. That is for him whose folk are not
present at the Inviolable Place of Worship. Observe your duty to Allah, and know that Allah is severe
in punishment.

28 R. McCormack, The Heptadic Structure of Scripture, (London: Marshall Brothers, 1923).

13
Numbers 16:49 Now they that died in the plague were 14700, beside them that died about the matter
of Korah.

Note that the number 14700 is 3×7×700.

Numbers 31:32 And the booty, being the rest of the prey which the men of war had caught, was 67500
sheep, 33 And 72000 beeves, 34 And 61000 asses, 35 And 32000 persons in all, of women that had not
known man by lying with him.

Note that the sum of the numbers here is 675000+72000+61000+32000=840000=3×7×40×1000.

Number 84 also appears in Luke 2:36.

Luke 2: 36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she
was of a great age, and had lived with an husband 7 years from her virginity; 37 And she was a widow
of about 84 years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night
and day.

After identifying such pattern, one can try to recognize it in different manifestations. The two
following examples reveal two important numerical systems of the Bible and the Koran, which is
counting the horizontal value (meaning to add the digits: for example 9 is the horizontal value of 18,
81, 27, 72, 36, 63, 45, 54) and contrast of X1+X2 with Y1+Y2. In the first example instead of 3 and 7
we have 21 and 7, since 21 not only points to 3×7, but also has a horizontal value of 3. The second
example refers to 3 and 7, through (20+10)=30 and (50+20)=70.

Haggai 2:1. In the 7th month, in 21th day of the month, came the word of the Lord by the prophet
Haggai,

Haggai 2:16. Since those days were, when one came to an heap of 20 measures, there were but 10:
when one came to the pressfat for to draw out 50 vessels out of the press, there were but 20.

(20+50=70), (10+20=30)

The relation of 3 and 7 could be explained by analyzing the numerical system which is based on the
numerical structure of the name of God in the Bible: YHWH.

14
2.3 The Numerical System of the Name of God in the Bible and the Koran

It is of course possible that we consider the traditional significance of number 3 and 7 in the history of
ancient religions- since both numbers have been associated to different deities and to the perfection
and totality- as the reason for their relation. Nevertheless, a systematic usage in the numeric system of
the Bible and the Koran supports the assumption that there should be more than just a semantic and
historic relation for such association. Just to give a basic example of such functional similarities, is the
trinity structure of the name of God in the Old Testament, “YHWH”, which is made of only 3 letters
of the alphabet and the same of “Allah” (ALLH) in the Koran. Although, both consist of 4 letters, but
one is repeated. In fact the name of God in the Old Testament is the clue to solving this puzzle.

The value of the name of God in Hebrew is (Y+H+W+H)=(10+5+6+5)=26 or (1+0+5+6+5)=17

The value of its 3 letters is (Y+H+W) = (10+5+6) = 21 or (1+0+5+6)=12

1 Kings 16:8. In the 26th year of Asa king of Judah began Elah the son of Baasha to reign over Israel
in Tirzah,

Judges 20:15. And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities, 26000 men
that drew sword, beside the inhabitants of Gibeah, which were numbered seven hundred chosen men.

1 Chronicles 7: 40 All these were the children of Asher, heads of their father's house, choice and
mighty men of valour, chief of the princes. And the number throughout the genealogy of them that
were apt to the war and to battle was 26000 men.

2 Chronicles 26:12 12 The total number of family leaders over the fighting men was 2,600. 13 Under
their command was an army of 307,500 men trained for war, a powerful force to support the king
against his enemies.

Note in the last example the number of the section is also 26, moreover 307500=3×102500=12×25625
and the total of 2600 and 307500 is 310100=7×44300.

Apart from the direct use of the numerical value of YHWH, as in the two above examples, there are
also oblique references to this number. For instance, we can consider one of the riddles of the Old
Testament regarding the numbers of the 12 tribes of Israel, which is mentioned in the beginning of the
book of Numbers. Many scholars have been struggling to explain not only the unusual number of the
whole Israelites but also the unusual numbers of the increase and decrease of the 12 tribes, comparing
the first and the second census. To illustrate these figures the author puts them in a table:

15
Name of the Tribe Numbers in the Numbers in the Increased by Decreased by
first census second census

1.Judah 74600 76500 1900

2.Dan 62700 64400 1700

3.Simeon 59300 22200 37100

4.Zebulun 57400 60500 3100

5.Issachar 54400 64300 9900

6.Nephtali 53400 45400 8000

7.Reuben 46500 43730 2770

8.Gad 45650 40500 5150

9.Asher 41500 53400 11900

10.Ephraim 40500 32500 8000

11.Benjamin 35400 45600 10200

12.Manasseh 32200 52700 20500

603550 601730

George Buchanan Gray writes in A Critical And Exegetical Commentary On Numbers that: “These
numbers must on every ground be regarded as entirely unhistorical and unreal; for (1) They are
impossible; (2) treated as real, and compared with one another, they yield absurd results; and (3) they
are inconsistent with numbers given in earlier Hebrew literature” 29

He points out further that exactly 6 tribes are more than 50000 and 6 tribes are less, in order to
conclude that these numbers are figurative. However, it is not so difficult to see that the difference
between the two censuses is multiple 70 and 26:

603550-601730=1820=(26×70)30

Also the horizontal value of 601730 is 17, which is the alternative numerical value of YHWH. (the
horizontal value of 603550 is 19 which is also very important, but the author will elaborate it in the

29 George Buchanan Gray, A Critical And Exegetical Commentary On Numbers, (Edinburgh, T. & T. Clark
LTD,1903), p. 11.
30 The totals given in the Hebrew and the LXX are the same. In the case of the Hebrew the totals agree with

the sum of the individual items, whereas in the LXX three numbers are different, and that is why they have
been considered as corruption, however the three differences seem to have symbolic values as well
(Reuben: 43750=7×6250 with horizontal value of 19, Benjamin: 35500=500×71 with horizontal value of
13, Asher: 43400=7×6200.

16
next section). To substantiate that 17 is used in other places as well, the author can refer to the book of
Ezra as a good example:

Ezra 1:9 And this is the number of them: 30 chargers of gold, 1000 chargers of silver, 29 knives,10. 30
basons of gold, silver basons of a second sort 410, and other vessels 1000.

30+1000+29+30+410+1000=2499=(7×3)×(7×17)

To substantiate that number 26 is used in other places as well, the author considers the number of the
males between 30 to 50 years old of Levites which is mentioned also in the book of numbers:

Numbers 4:46. So Moses, Aaron and the leaders of Israel counted all the Levites by their clans and
families. 47. All the men from 30 to 50 years of age who came to do the work of serving and carrying
the tent of meeting 48. numbered 8,580.

Again one can see that 8580=26×330.

Moreover, the name of God, YHWH has another significant numerical aspect. If we simply give the
ranking number of each letter to it, then use the analogy from the mathematical formula of A=X and
A=Y, thus X=Y, we can discover the secret counting system which associate both number 3 and 7 to
each other.

Y H W H
1 2 3 4
1 2

By analogy, as we see in the table, H is A, and 2 is X, and 4 is Y; thus H=2 and H=4, means that in the
new system 2=4. By extension this would mean a parallel counting system as it is illustrated in the
following table,

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

1 2 3

Davis points in his book Biblical Numerology to an issue regarding 3 and 7 which is very interesting.
He asserts in the chapter “The Symbolic Use of Numbers”, under the section “The Interpretation of
Sacred Numbers”, that there is only one number in the Bible which is used symbolically and that is 7.
Therefore he denies the symbolic use of 3, despite the fact that Davis accepts that both numbers 3 and
7 mean “completeness”.31 Consequently he has written in an earlier chapter: “There are a number of
textual problems that are clearly copyist errors. When contradictory numbers occur in parallel

31 John J. Davis, Biblical Numerology, (Grand Rapids, Baker Academic, 2008), pp. 115-120.

17
passages, the interpreter must take into view the intent of the passage and the nature of the events, in
order to arrive at a conclusion as to which of the two numbers represent the true reading of the text. An
example of this phenomenon is found in II Samuel 24:1332 where the reading is “7 years” while in the
parallel passage the reading is “3 years” (I Chron. 21:1233)”.34 However, by looking to the above table,
it is clear that copyists have made no mistake, but in fact the scribes have applied a typical Biblical
system in which 3 and 7 are equivalent.

2.4 Number 19 in the Bible and the Koran

Schimmel writes about number 19 in her book The Mystery of Numbers: “Nineteen is, to begin with,
an incomplete 20, but is also a sacred number in the Near East. In ancient Egypt the Book of the Dead
mentions the 19 limbs of the body, each of which had a deity of its own; by adding the deity connected
with the whole body to them, the sacred 20 was attained. For medieval exegetes in the West, 19
combined the 12 signs of the zodiac with the 7 planets.35ʾ However, from the above table, we can not
only see a relation between 3 and 7 but also a relation of both 3 and 7 with 19. Number 19 appears
only 2 times in the Bible as the cardinal 19 and 4 times as the ordinal 19th. Interestingly, its first
occurrence is in section 19 of verse 38= (19×2).36 Although number 19 does not occur explicitly as
frequently as 3 and 7 but it occurs mostly in some implicit or oblique ways. It could be implied via its
multiples, or the horizontal value of a number which is equal to 19, or inferred through a calculation,
for example, as a period between two dates which is not mentioned directly; in the book of Numbers
we can simply see that the first section of the book covers the last 19 days spent by the Israelites in the
wilderness of Sinai:

Numbers 1:1 And the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the
congregation, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the
land of Egypt,

Numbers 10:11 And it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that
the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony.

In some instances 38 which is multiple 2 of 19 has been used:

Deuteronomy 2:14. And the space in which we came from Kadeshbarnea, until we were come over the
brook Zered, was 38 years; until all the generation of the men of war were wasted out from among the
host, as the Lord sware unto them.

32 2 Samuel 24:13 So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine
come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee?
or that there be three days' pestilence in thy land? …
33 1 Chronicles 21:12 Either three years' famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while

that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the Lord, …
34 John J. Davis, Biblical Numerology, (Grand Rapids, Baker Academic, 2008), p. 89.
35
A. Schimmel, The Mystery Of Numbers, (New York: Oxford University Press, 1993), p. 224.
36 In Joshua 19:38, 2 Samuel 2:30- In 2 Kings 25:8, 1 Chronicles 24:16, 25:26 , Jeremiah 52:12.

18
1 Chronicles 23:3. Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and upward: and their
number by their polls, man by man, was 38000.

John 5:5. And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity 38 years.

The use of multiple two in both verses above is in harmony with the content of both verses which
refers to the second period. In order to back such an assumption we can consider another instance of
38 in which the second period, which refers to the beginning of the reign of Antichrist, is symbolized
by a disobedient king of Juda:

1 Kings 16:29. And in the 38th year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over
Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years. 30. And Ahab
the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord above all that were before him.

One of the most intriguing numbers of the Bible which has been criticized fiercely by skeptics, is the
number 603550 which is used in the story of Exodus as we already considered above, but we consider
it in the following verse:

Numbers 1: 45. So were all those that were numbered of the children of Israel, by the house of their
fathers, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war in Israel. 46 Even all
they that were numbered were 603550.

It has been rightly pointed out that this number for the male members above 20 years of age implies
that the total population of the Israelites –from 70 which went with Jacob to Egypt 37- has raised in 400
years to almost about 2000000, which is impossible.38 There have been several speculations on this
number to explain its symbolic value, but none of them is really convincing. However this number is
simply an implicit reference to 19 if we consider its horizontal value: (6+0+3+5+5+0=19). This
method is a basic technique in numerology, Cabala and Gematria, however the author refrains to use
any of these terms, instead, we simply use the “horizontal value”, in order to prevent being associated
to such ideas and approaches.

To substantiate that this pattern is used in other places as well, we would like to present a few more
examples; one of the most similar examples to such a pattern is in 1 Chronicles 12:24-37 in which
again some numbers are associated to the tribes of Israel39. There, the sum of the numbers is also
340822 which has a horizontal value of 19, moreover 340822=19×17938

37 Genesis 46: 26-27.

38 George Buchanan Gray, A Critical And Exegetical Commentary On Numbers, (Edinburgh, T. & T. Clark
LTD,1903), p. 12.
39 23 These are the numbers of the men armed for battle who came to David at (ebron to turn Saul s

kingdom over to him, as the Lord had said: 24 from Judah, carrying shield and spear—6,800 armed for
battle; 25 from Simeon, warriors ready for battle—7,100; 26 from Levi—4,600, 27 including Jehoiada,
leader of the family of Aaron, with 3,700 men, 28 and Zadok, a brave young warrior, with 22 officers from
his family; from Benjamin, Saul s tribe— , , most of whom had remained loyal to Saul s house until
then; 30 from Ephraim, brave warriors, famous in their own clans—20,800; 31 from half the tribe of
Manasseh, designated by name to come and make David king—18,000; 32 from Issachar, men who
understood the times and knew what Israel should do—200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their
command; 33 from Zebulun, experienced soldiers prepared for battle with every type of weapon, to help
David with undivided loyalty—50,000; 34 from Naphtali—1,000 officers, together with 37,000 men
carrying shields and spears; 35 from Dan, ready for battle—28,600; 36 from Asher, experienced soldiers
prepared for battle—40,000; 37 and from east of the Jordan, from Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of
Manasseh, armed with every type of weapon—120,000.

19
Numbers 31: 52 And all the gold of the offering that they offered up to the Lord, of the captains of
thousands, and of the captains of hundreds, was 16750 shekels.

16750 has also horizontal value of 19=1+6+7+5.

Ezra 2:64. The whole congregation together was 42360, 65. Beside their servants and their maids, of
whom there were 7337: and there were among them 200 singing men and singing women. 66. Their
horses were seven 736; their mules, 245; 67. Their camels, 435; their asses, 6720

The first intriguing point is that the real sum of the individual items mentioned in the text is not 42360
but 29818. According to the textual critiques, one of the categories of corruption in the Bible, is the
obvious discrepancies between the real sum of a group of numbers and the presented sum in the text 40.
However, such discrepancies will be resolved by considering the symbolic aspect of these numbers.

Number 29818 is 17×1754; interestingly, number 1754 has also a horizontal value of 17. The number
42360 is 12×3530. Moreover, the sum of the 7 numbers in the verse is 58303 which has horizontal
value of 19. (42360+7337+200+736+245+435+6720=58033), and the total of their digits is 91=7×13.

There is another category of discrepancy in the Bible when the same story is narrated by different
numbers. For example in the book of Ezra 2:69 we see a difference with Nehemiah 7:70-72.

Nehemiah 7:70. Some of the heads of the families contributed to the work. The governor gave to the
treasury 1,000 darics[b] of gold, 50 bowls and 530 garments for priests. 71. Some of the heads of the
families gave to the treasury for the work 20,000 darics[c] of gold and 2,200 minas[d] of silver. 72.
The total given by the rest of the people was 20,000 darics of gold, 2,000 minas[e] of silver and 67
garments for priests.

The sum of these numbers is 45847 which is 19×19×127 (and 127 is a Prime number which is used in
the Old Testament41).

Another example of 19 could be chosen from the Gospel,

Matthew 13.8: But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some a hundredfold, some
sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. (100+60+30= 190).

It is noteworthy to add something here about the numerical relation of 19 and 190, because 190 is not
only a multiple 10 and 19 but also the total of its factors; it means (1+2+3…+17+18+19)=190

40 J.W. Wenham, Large Numbers In The Old Testament, Reprinted from Tyndale Bulletin 18/1967, (London,
Tyndale Press, 1967), pp. 6-7.
41 Number 127 has been used 3 times in the book of Esther 1:1, 8:9, 9:30 and also in Genesis 23:1 for the

age of Sara. Prof. M. Bar-Ilan has suggested the Pythagorean concept of perfect number, as the
background for this : The perfect numbers is a number that the sum of its devisors except the
number itself equals itself , , , … . For example, is a perfect number since it is divided by
(6), 3, 2, 1 that equal 6. Ancient mathematicians used to write numbers with psēphoi, that is pebbles, in a
triangular form known as tetractys. )n each and every row the sum of pebbles grew by , so the pebbles
were set like, 1, 2, 3, in an arithmetic progression. After setting 6 pebbles, for example, the last row of
pebbles was , and if one sets pebbles in a tetractys, he gets at the last row, and by the fourth perfect
number , the last row has numbers. )n: Meir Bar-Ilan, The Case of Number Symbolism in the
Hebrew Bible , in N. Dershowitz and E. Nissan (Eds.): Choueka Festschrift, Part II, LNCS 8002, (Springer-
Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2014), p. 414. In our view 127 is simply 120+7 which denotes the same concept
of perfectness due to the Biblical background of both 7 and 12.

20
Such a pattern of course is not new and it is based on Genesis 17:17, however in the following
example the focus of the verse is number 9.

Genesis 17:17. Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be
born unto him that is 100 years old? and shall Sarah, that is 90 years old, bear?

Another example is in Luke 2:36 in which numbers 7, 12 and 19 have been alluded to via 7 and 84

Luke 2: 36. And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she
was of a great age, and had lived with an husband 7 years from her virginity;37. And she was a widow
of about 48 years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night
and day

Also the name of Jesus in Hebrew is Yeshu’ (YHWShW’=10+5+6+300+6+70=397) and horizontal

value 397 19= (3+9+7).

Number 19 in the Koran has been mentioned only once directly. However, in a very significant
context in which someone seems to have been denying the divine origin of the Koran, and in response
has said: “Upon it (Koran?) is 19”! Therefore Franz Rosenthal has written an entire article on this
number. After referring to the different exegetical interpretation of 19 in Islamic tradition, he has
suggested that it is possible that Muhammad has derived the concept from the Mandaeans or very
closely related gnostic sect.42 Traditionally, as one can see in the translation in the table below, this
verse had been related to Hell, and 19 to the guardian angels of Hell. However, the context of this
verse is obviously referring to the Koran itself. Note how in verse 29 the word laww ha from lawh -
meaning tablet- is capable to juxtapose with the d̲h̲ikr which is one of the titles of the Koran in verse
31, since both are combined with li-lbashar, for the man. (Also note the word saqar has numerical
value 360, which is used in the 3 verses 26, 27, 42 with sum 95=19×5 ). We expect therefore that 19
should have an affirmative function for the Koran, and indeed in recent decades, after the digitalization
of the Koran, new research has found some connection of this number with the structure of the Koran.

24. And said: This is naught else than magic ‫ٰه ا َّ سحر ي ثر‬ ‫ف‬
from of old;

25. This is nothing but the word of a mortal!" ‫البشر‬ ‫ٰه ا َّ ق‬

26. Him shall I fling unto the burning. ‫سأصليه س ر‬

27. Ah, what will convey unto thee what that ‫م أد ا م س ر‬

burning is!

28. It leaveth naught; it spareth naught ‫ّ تب ي ّ ت‬

29. Manifestations for the man ‫ل َاحة للبشر‬

30. Above it are nineteen ‫علي تسعة عشر‬

F. Rosenthal, “Nineteen , in: Muslim Intellectual and Social History: A Collection of Essays, (Aldershot ,
42

Variorum , 1990), p. 318.

21
 31. And We have not made the fellows of the fire
others than angels, and We have not made their
ً‫َّ مَئ ةً م جعلن ع َ ت م َّ فتنة‬ َ‫م جعلن أصح الن‬
number but as a trial for those who disbelieve,
ً‫يزداد الَ ين آمن ا ي ن‬ ‫للَ ين كفر ا ليستي ن الَ ين أ ت ا ال ت‬
that those who have been given the book may be
certain and those who believe may increase in ‫الَ ين في‬ ‫لي‬ ‫ال من‬ ‫ّ يرت الَ ين أ ت ا ال ت‬
ََ ‫َ ب ٰ ا مث ًَ ك ٰ لك يضل‬ َ ‫قل ب م مرض ال فر م ا أ اد‬
faith, and those who have been given the book
and the believers may not doubt, and that those in ‫من يش ء ي ي من يش ء م يعلم جن د بك َّ ه م هي‬
whose hearts is a disease and the unbelievers ‫َّ كر ٰ للبشر‬
may say: What does Allah mean by this parable?
Thus Allah make err whom He pleases, and He
guides whom He pleases, and none knows the
hosts of your Lord but He Himself; and this is
naught but a reminder to the mortals.

The first person who started this research was Rashad Khalifa, who was in the beginning very
welcomed among the Muslims. However, very soon he left the orthodox beliefs, denied authenticity of
Hadith (prophet’s narration), and exaggerated his results in order to try to adjust every aspect of his
theology to this number. From that moment, critiques against his research has been raised among
Muslims, and unfortunately his research was entirely rejected and blamed. However, the main problem
with the method of Rashad Khalifa and his followers is that they do not know anything about other
symbolic aspects of the numbers in the Koran, and have been trying to adjust everything to 19. The
result was that he went so far that even he considered the two last verses of Sura 9 as a later addition to
the Koran, since they did not fit to his suggested numerical pattern of the Koran, based on the
multiples of 19.

It is still important to judge objectively some of the results which stemmed from this theory about the
role of 19 in the structure of the Koran and the Mysterious Letters. It is of course out of the scope and
goal of this thesis to examine all of the results presented by Khalifa and his proponents, but conform
with the goal of this paper, which is the presentation of numerical aspect of the Bible and Koran, the
author points out some major but simple facts regarding the role of 19 in the Koran:

1. Koran contains 114 chapters, which is multiple 6 and 19.

2. Interestingly, the sum of these 114 chapters would be 6555=3×19×23×5, with a horizontal
value of 21=3×7.

3. Some famous Koranic titles for the Koran, also display interesting relations with this
numerical system. The title “Mad̲j̲ d” mentioned in 50:1 and 85:21 has the numerical value of
(40+3+10+4)=57=19×3.

4. The title “al-Mub nʾ mentioned in 43:3 combined with al-K tab (also mentioned in 15:1 and
36:69 combined with Koran but without al) has the numerical value of
133=(1+30+40+2+10+50)=19×7.

5. The title “al- ak mʾ in 36:2 has the horizontal value of 19 =1+(3+0)+8+(2+0)+(1+0)+(4+0).

22
 6. 113 chapters of the Koran start with bi smi ll hi l-ra m ni l-ra m kown as
“tasmiyaʾ(bismillah), which consists of 19 letters.

7. The only chapter without tasmiya is chapter 9, but exactly 19 chapters later in chapter 27
(which has again a horizontal value of 9=2+7 ), tasmiya occurs exceptionally two times, in
order to compensate the omitted one.

8. All four words in tasmiya have a significant numerical value respectively 12, 12, 23, 19.

19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
‫م‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ح‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ن‬ ‫م‬ ‫ح‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ل ه‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ا‬ ‫م‬ ‫س‬ ‫ب‬
40 10 8 200 30 1 50 40 8 200 30 1 5 30 30 1 40 60 2 786
19 23 12 12 66

9. The total numerical value of tasmiya is 786, which has a horizontal value of 21=(7+8+6)=3×7.

10. bi smi ll h occurs 3 times in the counted verses in 1:1, 11:41 and 27:30 and interestingly the
sum of the chapters is 39 with horizontal value of 12, and the sum of the verses is 72 with
horizontal value of 9.

11. The third word of tasmiya occurs 57 times in the Koran which is also multiple 3 of 19.

12. The last word of tasmiya occurs 34 as al-ra m, and 61 without al, as ra m, a total of 95
which is also multiple 5 of 19.

13. Regarding the relation of 3 and 7 and the connection of the Mysterious Letters with them, we
can consider that the third chapter with the Mysterious Letters, is the seventh chapter of the
Koran. The numerical value of the Mysterious Letters of this chapter ALMṢ is
(1+30+40+90)=161=7×23.

14. Among various compositions of the Mysterious Letters ḤM has the maximum frequency in 7
chapters. The total used Ḥ and M in these 7 chapters is 2147=19×113.

15. We can further see that only the Mysterious Letters of 19 chapters, have been counted as a
verse.

16. Also only 19 chapters after chapter 19 have the Mysterious Letters.

17. Between the first chapter with Mysterious Letters (chapter 2) and the last chapter (chapter 68),
38= 19×2 chapters have no Mysterious Letters.

18. The total numerical value of the Mysterious Letters is 3385 which has a horizontal value of
19=(3+3+8+5).

19. 9 letters from tasmiya, have been used in the Mysterious letters with numerical value of 784,
which has again horizontal value of 19=(7+8+4).

20. Letter Ṣ is used in the Mysterious Letters of 3 chapters, in chapter 7, 19 and 38=(19×2). The
numerical value of the 7 other letters in this group is 23.

23
 21. The occurrence of letter Ṣ in the 3 chapters which have Ṣ in their Mysterious Letters is
152=19×8. Interestingly in most of the copies of the Koran in 7:69 the word “bastataʾ is
spelled with a Sad (but with a Sin written above it), however in the Tashkent copy, it is spelled
with a Sin.43

22. The sum of the numbers of the chapters with the Mysterious Letters which begins with L is
(2+3+7+10+11+12+13+14+15+29+30+31+32)=209=19×11.

23. The 19th chapter from the end of the Koran contains 19 verses and traditionally believed to be
the first revelation to Muhammad : Koran 96:1 Read: In the name of thy Lord Who createth.

24. Chapter 50 is entitled “ f”, and initiated with the Mysterious Letter and it contains
(including the Mysterious Letter Ḳ) 57 f’s which is 19×3. Interestingly, the first verse of
this chapter is “wal- ur n al-Mad̲j̲ d”, and as we already pointed out it has the numerical
value of 57. Note that the Koran itself has the significant numerical value of
( ur n=100+200+1+50=351=(3×3×3×13) with a horizontal value of 9.

25. The only other chapter with the Mysterious Letter “ fʾ is chapter 42 which has also 57
f’s. Moreover both chapters are related to 19 through the sum of the number of chapter and
its verses. Chapter 50 has 45 verses and chapter 42 has 53 verses, therefore
(50+45)=(42+53)=95=19×5.

26. Chapter 36 is called “Yasin” and has the Mysterious letters “Y” and “S” in the beginning. The
total frequency of occurrence of these two letters in this chapter (including its tasmiya and
Mysterious Letters) is 285=19×15. Interestingly, the second verse of this chapter is: “Wal-
Koran al-Hakim”, and as we mentioned al-hakim has the horizontal value of 19.

27. 7 chapters (40-46) have the Mysterious letters “Ḥʾ and “M” , which has itself numerical value
of (40+8)=48 with the significant horizontal value of 12. The sum of the numbers of this 7
chapters is (40+41+42+43+44+45+46)=301=(7×43). Moreover the total occurrences of “Ḥ”
and “M” in these chapters is 2147=19×113.

28. Chapter 19 has 5 Mysterious Letters in the beginning and the total occurrence of them in this
chapter is 798=19×42.

29. The Mysterious Letters LM used in 8 chapters of the Koran; in chapter 2, 3, 7, 13, 29, 30, 31,
32. Since the letter is omitted in different styles of writing, Rashad Khalifa has been
criticized about his counting which shows the occurrences of these initials is also multiple of
19. However, even if we totally refrain that result, there are still several significant numerical
pattern in this group: for example, the sum of these 8 chapter (2+3+7+13+29+30+31+32) is
147=3×7×7. The numerical value of LM is 1+30+40=71, therefore the total value of these
group is 71×8=568 which has the horizontal value of 19=(5+6+8).

30. In the Koran, 30 whole numbers and 8 fractions are used, thus 38 in total and 38=19×2.44

31. The sum of the 30 Whole Numbers mentioned in the Koran is also multiple of 19:
(1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+10+11+12+19+20+30+40+50+60+70+80+99+100+200+300+1000+2
000+3000+5000+50000+100000)=162146=19×8534.45

43 Edip Yuksel, Nineteen: God’s Signature in Nature and Scripture, (USA: Brainbow Press, 2011), p. 203.
44 Ibid, p. 233.

24
 32. The total frequency of the use of numbers in the Koran is 304 also multiple 16 and 19.46

33. The sum of the 8 fractions mentioned in the Koran (1/10+1/8+1/6+1/5+1/4+1/3+1/2+2/3)=

281/120, is also significant since 281-120=161=7×23; (also 281+120=401=3×123, and 123 is
mentioned in the book of Numbers 33:39 for the age of Aron which itself is 3×41); Moreover
281 is the 60th Prime Number.

34. The last example of the numerical harmony in the Koran, but not the least, has been found (by
Kourosh Jam Neshan) through scrutinizing on Chapter 89 which starts as following: 1. By the
Dawn, 2. And ten nights, 3. And the Even and the Odd, 4. And the night when it departeth, 5.
There surely is an oath for thinking man. As we can see there is an oath on Even and Odd
numbers! It is discovered that by adding the number of verses of each of 114 chapters to the
number of that chapter, we will have exactly 57=19×3 Odd numbers and 57=19×3 Even
numbers! Moreover, the sum of the Odd numbers is 6555=(19×3×23×5) which is exactly
equal to the sum of the numbers of 114 chapters of the Koran, and the sum of the Even
numbers is 6236 which is the number of the total verses of the Koran.

By considering such sophisticated phenomenon in the Koran, the author can claim that we have a
strong evidence for the integrity of the Koran, which fulfills many prophecies of the Old Testament
about it. Just in order to elaborate the matter the author would like to present the following.

Isaiah 2:1. And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be
established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow
unto it.

Isaiah 33:20. Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet
habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be
removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken.

Isaiah 40:8. 8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

Isaiah 55:13. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the
myrtle tree: and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

Malachi 3:16. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and
heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that
thought upon his name.

45 Edip Yuksel, Nineteen: God’s Signature in Nature and Scripture, (USA: Brainbow Press, 2011), p. 233.
46 Ibid.

25
3. Exegetical Aspect Of Trinity

3.1 The Master Code of the Biblical Hermeneutics

Although these structural aspects of the numbers 3, 7, and 19 are fascinating, they still have no direct
exegetical value for the understanding of the Scripture. Due to the manifestation of the same system in
different eras and different texts, one might conclude that there is the same symbolic system, and
therefore the same source for the Bible and Koran. However, one can hardly prove that the source is
supernatural, notwithstanding the extraordinary sophisticated numerical system. As the author has
already considered in the section on books and discourse about this issue, skeptics would argue that
the similarity is simply due to the theological and cultural contribution from Judaism to Christianity
and from both of these to Islam, and the sophistication is either man-made or inherent in the nature of
the numbers. There is still another aspect of the numbers which might demonstrate an extra ordinary
quality of the Bible and the Koran, and that is the exegetical function of the numbers in the prophecies.
In order to decipher the exegetical aspect of numbers in the Bible and the Koran, we have to pay
attention to other systems -based on a trinity in the Bible and the Koran- which features Judaism,
Christianity and Islam. In this case it could be claimed that there has been a prediction in advance,
according to the plan or the knowledge of a transcenden source. In fact what one should examine is the
claim of this transcendent source that has foretold some of the major events in the Bible and Koran:

Isaiah 14:24. The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass;
and as I have purposed, so shall it stand.

Isaiah 42:9. Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they
spring forth I tell you of them.

Isaiah 46:10. 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not
yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.

A way to find Biblical and Koranic references to this phenomenon, is to propose a hypothesis in which
we can assume that these three religions are considered as three branches of the same tree of the
Abrahamic religion. This assumption has been implied from the beginning of the Bible:

Genesis 17:4. As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee (Abraham), and thou shalt be a father of
many nations.

Isaiah 56:7. …for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.

There are therefore, three periods in which the development of Abrahamic religion is supposed to
reach its final textual evolution, which is, however, not an end, but a new era, something one might
call its fourth dimension. From this point of view, it could be examined whether or not the figurative
stories, parables and the numbers which are used in the Bible and the Koran substantiate such a
hypothesis.

In order to realize how this symbolism is illustrated by various stories and numbers one need to define
the major theme of this scenario and identify the main actors. It is in fact a process of associating the

26
macro construction to its micro structures and elements, based on figurative similarities, and therefore
one needs to start from a macro structure by defining its main characteristics. In other words, to find
out the similarities of several children to their parents, one needs to identify the parents first and then
find and define the parents’ characteristics. That is what we may call ‘the master code’ which clarifies
the orientation of the symbolism in its various expressions. The role of a master code in the
interpretation is to allocate a metaphor in its own context. A general misunderstanding in the
interpretation of symbols in the Bible and the Koran stems from a failure in identifying the master
code. It is simply tantamount to interpreting a dream, that we need to identify the subject (referent) of
the dream before the interpretation. In fact, there is a close relation to the interpretation of dreams and
the interpretation of prophecy, since both are based on personal symbolism. Although each person has
a general cultural and environmental background which specifies the symbolic elements of his dreams,
each dream is still very personal and has a unique meaning. Besides the literal association of prophecy
and dreams in biblical stories -as in Genesis 28:11-1747 and many other instances- the story of Joseph
at the beginning of the Bible has great significance in this regard. In fact 6 dreams which are narrated
in the story of Joseph (Genesis 37:5-11 and 40:5-22 and 41:1-33) not only have metaphorical relations
to a supposed master code of the Bible, but also represent a methodological pattern to decipher
prophecies.

The methodological aspects of the interpretation of dreams is that any event could be expressed by
more than one dream, and in fact the repetition of dreams by various expressions is even a
confirmation of its authenticity.48 The second and most important methodological point, as already
mentioned, is the personalization and contextualization of dreams. It is neither logical nor possible
torefer the interpretation of the dream of Joseph to Pharaoh or vice versa. The dream of Joseph says
something about Joseph and his family, not about Pharaoh and Egypt, and that is the matter of
personalization and identification. Without having Joseph identified and characterized, which defines
the master code of his dream, interpretation of his dream is mere speculation. However, having the
proper vision of Joseph and his context, opens the gate to associate symbolic elements of his dream to
factual events. By the same token, for the interpretation of the prophecies of the Bible, it is necessary
to obtain a proper vision of the events to which they refer. It is important to notice that reading the
Bible in its own context, means that factual events do not refer to the historical events, but to the
theological ones. Therefore, searching for the prediction of future political events like that of World
War II or the terror attack on Ishaq Rabin etc. in the Bible 49 , is just the de-contextualization of
prophecy and theology. It should be emphasized that even major religious events or characters do not
belong to the context of the Bible, since the context of the Bible is only limited to specific actors who
have specific roles in accomplishment of the whole story. Thus, it should be kept in mind that even
prominent figures in the history of religion either from a political point of view (Nero, Hitler) or
religious point of view (Luther, Calvin) does not have any place in the context of prophecies.

47 Genesis 28:11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set;
and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.12
And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold
the angels of God ascending and descending on it. 13 And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am
the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it,
and to thy seed;
48 Genesis 41:32 And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is

established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.

49
As it has been described in the best seller book written by Michael Drosnin, The Bible Code, (New York,
Simon & Schuster, 1997).

27
As it is already mentioned above, the theme and content of the dreams in Genesis 37:5-1150, 40:5-2251
and 41:1-3352, are crucial to defining the master code. The first two dreams define the role of one
messiah (the Messiah from the tribe of Joseph who is responsible for the interpretation of the
revelations), and the second two dreams refer to the other messiah (the Messiah from the tribe of
Judah, who is responsible for the revelations), 53 and to the antichrist (who is responsible for the
corruption of the revelations). The two dreams of Pharaoh symbolize the first period of the formation
of Abrahamic religion, in which there is an abundance of revelations and prophecy. It also predicts the
second period, in which there are no revelations or prophecy. The metaphors of the Bible could
usually be deciphered by the other parts of the Bible, as one can see in the following verse:

Amos 8:11. Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a
famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord

In sum, the major themes of the Bible regarding this trinity include a period of construction, then the
second period of destruction, and the third period of reconstruction. The theme of destruction and
reconstruction could be observed in many verses, for instance respectively in the two following verses:

Ezekiel 24:21. Speak unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will profane my
sanctuary, the excellency of your strength, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pitieth;
and your sons and your daughters whom ye have left shall fall by the sword.

Ezekiel 36:25. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your
filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new
spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you
an heart of flesh.

3.2 Biblical and Koranic examples of the Trinity

Koran 39:6. …He created you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation, in a threefold
gloom.

In the Bible and the Koran there are various expressions of the master code, in which numbers play a
significant role. It is in this position that the numbers have an exegetical significance. The first
numeric system which symbolizes this trinity is simply based on multiples of 3 and 7. For instance
(3,6,9,12) or (7,14,21), the second one is based on dividing 12 into 3, as (4,8,12). In order to visualize
this system in a more imaginable way, we can represent them in the following table:

50 Genesis 37:6 And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: 7 For, behold,
we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your
sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.8 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou
indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for
his dreams, and for his words.
51 Genesis 40:9-19.
52 Genesis 41:1-7.
53
For the distinction between the two different messiahs in Judaism see the Encyclopaedia Judaica s.v.
Messiah. Ginsberg, Harold Louis, et al., Messiah , Encyclopaedia Judaica, Michael Berenbaum and Fred
Skolnik (Eds.), 2nd ed., Vol. 14, (Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2007), pp. 110-115, (website visited on
9 Oct. 2015).

28
Pre-formation Formation Deformation Reformation Conformation
Pre Abrahamic Judaism Christianity Islam Post Abrahamic/Unification
3-6 6-9 9-12
4 8 12
7 14 21

Please note that this is just an evolutionary model of the development of the Abrahamic religion, and
not an evaluation model of the three major monotheistic religions. As the author has already stated, the
goal of this thesis is only considering the symbolic aspect of the numbers in the Bible and the Koran
and not a comparative study of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, in order to prove or disprove any of
them.

3.2.1 The numbers and verses alluding to the 4, 8, 12 pattern

There are many examples of direct reference to numbers 8 and 12, but since number 12 is also part of
the 3, 6, 9, 12 pattern, only a few prominent examples of number 8 will be presented as follows:

Genesis 17:12. And he that is 8 days old shall be circumcised among you.

Numbers 7:8. And 4 wagons and 8 oxen he gave unto the sons of Merari.

2Chronicles 29:17. Now they began on the first day of the first month to sanctify, and on the 8th day of
the month came they to the porch of the Lord: so they sanctified the house of the Lord in 8 days; and
in the sixteenth day of the first month they made an end.

John 20:26. And after 8 days again his disciples were within…

Koran 69:17. And the angels will be on the sides thereof, and 8 will uphold the Throne of thy Lord that
day, above them.

The matter of the long ages of patriarchs in Genesis 5 is one of the oldest puzzles of the Bible to the
exegetes. It is outside the scope of this paper to analyze all of the figures in this section, however there
is also a numerical pattern which proves that these numbers are figurative. However, we will consider
only the first figure which refers to Adam:

Genesis 5:3. And Adam lived an 130 years, and begat a son in his own likeness, and after his image;
and called his name Seth: 4. And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were 800 years: and he
begat sons and daughters:5. And all the days that Adam lived were 930 years: and he died.

One can simply see that these 3 numbers allude to the trinity via their horizontal value: 130 (1+3+0)=4,
800 (8+0+0)=8, 930 (9+3+0)=12, which symbolizes the 3 periods in which the messiah completes his
mission. The next example supports this view:

Genesis 6:3. And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet
his days shall be an 120 years.

29
Since “the Spirit of Godʾ, who is assumed to be responsible for the literal revelations, alludes to the
messiah of the house of Judah, the age of Moses could also be considered in total harmony with this
system.

Deuteronomy 34:7. And Moses was an 120 years old when he died.

Ezra 8: 35 Also the children of those that had been carried away, which were come out of the captivity,
offered burnt offerings unto the God of Israel, 12 bullocks for all Israel, 96 rams, 77 lambs, 12 he
goats for a sin offering: all this was a burnt offering unto the Lord.

Note here that 96 is 8×12

The Koran also explicitly endorses such an account of the numbers in the following verses:

Koran 9:36. Lo! the number of the months with Allah is 12 months by Allah's ordinance in the day that
He created the heavens and the earth. 4 of them are sacred: that is the right religion. So wrong not
yourselves in them.

Koran 24:4. And those who accuse honourable women but bring not 4 witnesses, scourge them (with)
80 stripes and never (afterward) accept their testimony - They indeed are evil-doers.

Traditional Islam considers some 350 verses of the Koran relevant to the Islamic jurisprudence known
as Shari’a law.54 An example of those verses is Koran 24:4, however we can simply see that the
numbers are perfectly pointing to a theological issue. This could be considered as strong evidence on
how crucial the exegetical aspects of the numbers are for a modern understanding of the Bible and the
Koran.

The two following examples illustrate perfectly how similar the Bible and the Koran are in using this
pattern:

Exodus 22:30. Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep: 7 days it shall be with his
dam; on the 8th day thou shalt give it me.

Koran 69:7. Which He imposed on them for 7 long nights and 8 long days so that thou mightest have
seen men lying overthrown, as they were hollow trunks of palm-trees.

The following examples have a special significance which endorses that the 4, 8, 12 pattern is
synonymous to the 3, 6, 9, 12 pattern, complying with the above table.

Koran 28:27. He said: Lo! I fain would marry thee to one of these two daughters of mine on condition
that thou hirest thyself to me for (the term of) 8 pilgrimages. Then if thou completest 10 it will be of
thine own accord, for I would not make it hard for thee. Allah willing, thou wilt find me of the
righteous. 28.He said: That (is settled) between thee and me. Whichever of the two terms I fulfil,
there will be no injustice to me, and Allah is Surety over what we say.

54 Knut S. Vikør, Between God and the Sultan, (London, C. Hurst & Co. Ltd, 2005), p. 33.

30
In the verse above one can see how two numbers of 8 and 9 in two different patterns refer to the same
period and therefore have the same symbolic value. The symbolic numerical value of the above verse
is not referring to 8 or 10, but to 8 or 18 with a horizontal value of 9. Such simultaneous use of both
systems occur in different occasions55, for example in the significant story of the building of the house
of God by Solomon:

1 Kings 6:1 And it came to pass in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come out of the land
of Egypt, in the 4th year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month,
that he began to build the house of the Lord.

Here one can see both patterns through 4+8+0=12 and 4+8+0+4+2=18 with a horizontal value of 9.

2 Chronicles 3:1 Then Solomon began to build the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah,
where the Lord had appeared to his father David. It was on the threshing floor of Araunah[a] the
Jebusite, the place provided by David. 2 He began building on the second day of the second month in
the fourth year of his reign. (2+2+4=8)

2 Chronicles 2:17. Solomon took a census of all the foreigners residing in Israel, after the census his
father David had taken; and they were found to be 153,600. 18. He assigned 70,000 of them to be
carriers and 80,000 to be stonecutters in the hills, with 3,600 foremen over them to keep the people
working.

Note that not only 3600 is referring to 9 due to its horizontal value, but also 153600 is 300×2911. One
might need explanation why 153600 is not configured in other shapes, for example 75×211, or 150×210
etc. It is simply because this configuration is supported by the theme of the verse which refers to a
second census counting the foreigners among Israelites. Moreover, the three mentioned numbers
70,000 and 80,000 and 3,600 are also in harmony with that choice, since the first is referring to 7 and
the second to 8 and the third to 9 ( signifying to the second period).

Switching from one pattern to another happens also in the New Testament when we consider how 8 or
6 is used interchangeably, as in the following verses. This explains perfectly why in the above table 8
is under 6-9.

Matthew 17:1. And after 6 days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up
into an high mountain apart,

Luke 9:28. And it came to pass about an 8 days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James,
and went up into a mountain to pray.

This assertion would be endorsed by comparing the numerical structure of the name of God in the
Bible (YHWH) with the numerical structure of the name of God in the Koran (ALLH). When one
scrutinizes their numerological structure, there is a trivial relation to both patterns. The author has

55Another good example is the story of a righteous king of Judah in 2 Kings 22:1 Josiah was 8 years old
when he began to reign, and he reigned 31 years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jedidah, the
daughter of Adaiah of Boscath. 2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all
the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left. 3 And it came to pass in the
18 year of king Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the
house of the Lord, saying,… we can see here the first verse is pointing to 4, 8, 12 pattern, whereas the third
verse to 6, 9, 12.

31
already considered the trinity structure of both YHWH and ALLH in which only 3 letters are used, but
the author did not elaborate on all the numerological significance of them in contrast. The table below
shows how each name has obliquely alluded to the aforementioned patterns. In the first rank we have
counted the value of all letters, and the second rank refers to the letters that each name contains.

Y=10 H=5 W=6 H=5 26 or 17 2+6=8

Y=10 H=5 W=6 21(3×7) or 12(3×4) 1+0+5+6=12

A=1 L=30 L=30 H=5 66(3×22) or 12(3×4) 1+3+0+3+0+5=12

A=1 L=30 H=5 36(3×12) or 9(3×3) 1+3+0+5=9

3.2.2 The numbers and narratives alluding to 3, 6, 9, 12 pattern

There are enormous amounts of direct and indirect instances of occurrence of the 3, 6, 9, 12 pattern in
the verses of the Bible and the Koran. The author has already considered quite a few examples of
number 3, therefore the author will only present a few examples of 6 and 9 which have significant
exegetical importance and higher occurrence.

A direct and simple use of this pattern is in the book of Leviticus:

Leviticus25: 21. Then I will command my blessing upon you in the 6th year, and it shall bring forth
fruit for 3 years.22. And ye shall sow the eighth year, and eat yet of old fruit until the 9th year; until
her fruits come in ye shall eat of the old store.

In the book of Judges there are a couple of interesting examples in which several issues are
noteworthy.

Judges 8:10.Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about 15000 men,
all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell 120000 men that drew sword.

The first example simply shows the use of 15000 in order to refer to 6 by its horizontal value, and
120000 pointing to 12.

Judges 12:6. Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not
frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell
at that time of the Ephraimites 42000. 7. And Jephthah judged Israel 6. years. Then died Jephthah the
Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.

The second example again refers to 6 not only by its horizontal value of 42000 but also since a.
42=7×6, and b. the Shin in Shibboleth is 300 and the Samech in Sibboleth is 60, c. the verse number is
12:6, d. 6 literary appears in the verse 7. This could be perhaps considered as good evidence that the
numerical value of the Hebrew alphabet had been already used in the numerical system of the Old
Testament. Conforming the horizontal value of 42, the number 24 is alternatively used to refer to 6 in
the following examples:

Numbers 25:9. And those that died in the plague were 24000.

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1 Chronicles 23:4. Of which, 24000 were to set forward the work of the house of the Lord; and 6000
were officers and judges:

1 Samuel 13:5 And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, 30000 chariots,
and 6000 horsemen,

Since 6-9 refers to the second era and alludes to the era of Christianity, it has been used emphatically
in the New Testament. The first example, is a direct and simple parable, in which the 3,6,9,12 pattern
is directly recognizable. There are also examples which point to this pattern by the horizontal value of
their numbers.

Matthew 20:1. For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out
early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.2. And when he had agreed with the labourers
for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.3. And he went out about the 3rd hour, and saw
others standing idle in the marketplace,4. And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and
whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.5. Again he went out about the 6th and 9th
hour, and did likewise.6. And about the 11th hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and
saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?7. They say unto him, Because no man hath hired
us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.

The birth of Jesus, which refers to the advent of Christianity in the second period conforms with such
a pattern:

Luke1:26. And in the 6th month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named
Nazareth

The following example refers to the theme of famine, and conforms with the dream of Pharaoh, which
alludes to the second period. Here Jesus actually has told what was to come after him.

Luke 4:25. But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven
was shut up 3 years and 6 months, when great famine was throughout all the land;

In all of the canonic Gospels the same numerical figure is presented by the (symbolic) crucifixion of
Jesus to indicate this pattern:

Matthew 27:45. Now from the 6th hour there was darkness over all the land unto the 9th hour.46. And
about the 9th hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My
God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

There are many numbers in the Gospels which confirm such an account, but now the author only
presents 3 examples of 18 which have horizontal value of 9:

Luke 13:3. Or those 18, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were
sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?

10. And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity 18 years, and was bowed together,
and could in no wise lift up herself.

16. And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these 18
years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?

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The last example is an interesting one, since it is one of those combinations of horizontal value and
(X1+X2) in contrast with (Y1+Y2). In such paradigm more than one number are associated with two
different classes. For example the text reads: 4 men and 3 women…, 2 men and 6 women. In such
cases the text has made two groups of men (that their number refers to 2+4=6) and women (that their
number refers to 3+6=9).

Luke 16:5. So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much
owest thou unto my lord?6. And he said, 100 measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and
sit down quickly, and write 50.7. Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said,
100 measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write 80.

100+50=150 and 1+5+0=6

100+80=180 and 1+8+0=9

By observing the last example, the author would like to examine one of the most intriguing stories of
the Koran which alludes to Jesus and his companions, since the numbers of that story have exactly the
pattern considered above:

Koran

18:9. Or deemest thou that the People of the Cave and the Inscription are a wonder among Our
portents?

10. When the young men fled for refuge to the Cave and said: Our Lord! Give us mercy from Thy
presence, and shape for us right conduct in our plight.

11. Then We sealed up their hearing in the Cave for a number of years.

12. And afterward We raised them up that We might know which of the two parties would best
calculate the time that they had tarried.

13. We narrate unto thee their story with truth. Lo! they were young men who believed in their Lord,
and We increased them in guidance.

14. And We made firm their hearts when they stood forth and said: Our Lord is the Lord of the
heavens and the earth. We cry unto no Allah beside Him, for then should we utter an enormity.

15. These, our people, have chosen (other) gods beside Him though they bring no clear warrant
(vouchsafed) to them. And who doth greater wrong than he who inventeth a lie concerning Allah?

16. And when ye withdraw from them and that which they worship except Allah, then seek refuge in
the Cave; your Lord will spread for you of His mercy and will prepare for you a pillow in your plight.

17. And thou mightest have seen the sun when it rose move away from their cave to the right, and
when it set go past them on the left, and they were in the cleft thereof. That was (one) of the portents of
Allah. He whom Allah guideth, he indeed is led aright, and he whom He sendeth astray, for him thou
wilt not find a guiding friend.

18. And thou wouldst have deemed them waking though they were asleep, and We caused them to turn
over to the right and the left, and their dog stretching out his paws on the threshold. If thou hadst

34
observed them closely thou hadst assuredly turned away from them in flight, and hadst been filled with
awe of them.

19. And in like manner We awakened them that they might question one another. A speaker from
among them said: How long have ye tarried? They said: We have tarried a day or some part of a day,
(Others) said: Your Lord best knoweth what ye have tarried. Now send one of you with this your silver
coin unto the city, and let him see what food is purest there and bring you a supply thereof. Let him be
courteous and let no man know of you.

20. For they, if they should come to know of you, will stone you or turn you back to their religion; then
ye will never prosper.

21. And in like manner We disclosed them (to the people of the city) that they might know that the
promise of Allah is true, and that, as for the Hour, there is no doubt concerning it. When (the people of
the city) disputed of their case among themselves, they said: Build over them a building; their Lord
knoweth best concerning them. Those who won their point said: We verily shall build a place of
worship over them.

22. (Some) will say: They were 3, their dog the 4th , and (some) say: 5, their dog the 6th, guessing at
random; and (some) say: 7, and their dog the 8th. Say (O Muhammad): My Lord is Best Aware of their
number. None knoweth them save a few. So contend not concerning them except with an outward
contending, and ask not any of them to pronounce concerning them.

23. And say not of anything: Lo! I shall do that tomorrow,

24. Except if Allah will. And remember thy Lord when thou forgettest, and say: It may be that my
Lord guideth me unto a nearer way of truth than this.

25. And (it is said) they tarried in their Cave 300 years and add 9.

26. Say: Allah is Best Aware how long they tarried. His is the Invisible of the heavens and the earth.
How clear of sight is He and keen of hearing! They have no protecting friend beside Him, and He
maketh none to share in His government.

It is outside the scope of this paper to analyze this story thoroughly, therefore the author only points to
the numerical pattern in it.

1. The story starts in verse number 9.

2. The story is narrated in chapter 18 which has the horizontal value of 9.

3. The story is narrated also along 18 verses.

4. The people of the Kahf, which means Cave, and Ra m, which means the Inscription have
significant numerical values:

A=1 L=30 K=20 H=5 F=80 1+3+0+2+0+5+8+0= 19

A=1 L=30 R=200 Ḳ=100 Ī=10 M=40 1+3+0+2+0+0+1+0+0+1+0= 12

35
 5. KHF has 3 letters and plus R M would be7 in total, moreover the numerical value of both is
multiple of 7

K 20 R 200

H 5 Ḳ 100

F 80 Ī 10

M 40

105=3×7×5 350=70×5

6. Remember how the author showed by the example of Matthew 17:1 and Luke 9:28 56 how 8
and 6 in the Gospels were used to refer to the second period, here again one sees the same
pattern in the horizontal value of both words since 105 has a horizontal value of 6 and 350 has
a horizontal value of 8. Together they have the numerical value of 455 with the horizontal of
14=7×2

7. The numbers of verse 22 follows the pattern (X1+X2+X3) in contrast with (Y1+Y2+Y3)
which provide exactly the same figures in Luke 16:5

Numbers related to The people: 3+5+7=15 Horizontal value 6

Numbers related to the Dog : 4+6+8=18 Horizontal value 9

8. Verse 25 has been a challenge to the Koranic exegetics, since it makes literally no sense!
“They tarried 300 years and added 9ʾ. However, one can see that it should be read
allegorically as they tarried (for a period of) 3 till they reached 9, which again implies that
they tarried from 6 to 9. Here we can see how the second period - the period of the absence of
the messiah till his return in the third period - has been signified through the people who
stayed in the cave from 6 to 9, and came back to their folk after 9.

9. The last point to mention is the number of the last verse of this story, which is number 26.
Although there are still more numerical symbols in this story, as the numerical value of the
word dog and its relation with the Antichrist via number 13. “KLB” in Arabic, has numerical
value of 52=20+30+2=13×4.

There was no more space to discuss number 13 and its association with the Antichrist
thoroughly, however, to substantiate what the author just said about 13, the author would like
to point very briefly to the famous problematic story of the census by David in 2 Samuel 24:9
and 1 Chronicles 21:5

2 Samuel 24: 9. And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and
there were in Israel 800000 valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were
500000 men.

56Matthew 17:1 And after 6 days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up
into an high mountain apart.
Luke 9:28. And it came to pass about an 8 days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and
went up into a mountain to pray.

36
 1 Chronicles 24:5. And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David. And all
they of Israel were 1100000 men that drew sword: and Judah was 470000 men that drew
sword.

The problem of the large numbers in these two sections and their discrepancy seemed quite
intractable, however the key lies again in the horizontal value, since both figures point to 13.

800000+500000=1300000

1100000+470000=1570000 and 1+5+7=13

Also note that the difference of the sum of the two numbers is 270000 with horizontal value of 9.

Focusing back on the issue of methodology and to avoid any accusations of being whimsy and
arbitrary, the author would like to substantiate the contra-argument that has already been presented
based on a textual background for the choice which was made. For example when one comes
across two numbers as 15 and 18, skeptics may ask why do not consider them as 3×5 and 3×6?
The justification is the patterns one can find in the Bible and Koran themselves. In order to clarify
this, the author can present many examples, however, the author just content to choose a few of
very important examples.

The first interesting example is from the book of Ezra, since it is again one of the issues which has
been considered as the corruption of the text:

Ezra 1:9. And this is the number of them: 30 chargers of gold, 1000 chargers of silver, 29
knives,10. 30 basons of gold, silver basons of a second sort 410, and other vessels1000.11. All the
vessels of gold and of silver were 5400. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up with them of the
captivity that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem.

We already saw that the real total is 2499=(7×3)×(7×17), but why Ezra does say that the total is
5400? The reason is that 54 not only is 6×9, but also has the horizontal value of 9. One can further
see that the theme is also in harmony with the restoration of Jews by returning from the exile,
which implies to the second period.

Another significant example is in the book of Daniel:

Daniel 12:9. He replied, “Go your way, Daniel, because the words are rolled up and sealed until
the time of the end. 10 Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will
continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.
11. “From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes
desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. 12. Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the
end of the 1,335 days.

37
 The first clue is the numerical pattern supported by the number of the section:12. and verses: 9-12,
in which the core of the prophecy is narrated. The second, could be inferred from the analysis of
the two mysterious numbers: 1290 and 1335.

1290

1335

But more significant is the horizontal value of both numbers (1+2+9+0)=(1+3+3+5) which is 12,
and conforms perfectly to the numerical value of the section and verses. Nevertheless, something
is wrong with adjusting 12 as the horizontal value of 1290 to the content of the verse 11, which
actually refers to the second period. This implies that there might be more behind these two
figures, and indeed one can find it out via the horizontal value of their subtraction. 1335-1290=45
and 4+5=9

In the book of Deuteronomy the famous verse which refers to the third period and the last revelation
has an intriguing numerology in which both numbers of section and verse is 18, alluding to 9.

Deuteronomy 18:18. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will
put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.

Christians may assume that this prophecy refers to Jesus, whereas Jesus in the Gospel of John has
endorsed that there is someone else to come after him, who should fulfill that prophecy:

John 16:13. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall
not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to
come.

It is now very easy to decipher one of the most puzzling numbers of the Gospel of John, number 153 57
with the horizontal value of 9=1+5+3

It is also easy to realize why the Koran has claimed that it has been revealed in the month of Ramaḍ n,
which is the 9th month of the Arabic calendar.58 Interestingly, the numerical value of the word Koran is
351=100+200+1+50, which has also a horizontal value of 9. This also clarifies why in the Koran the
miracles of Moses counted as 9. The Koran has been fiercely criticized, by Jews and Christians
because of inaccuracies on that issue, however, it is now clear, why this number has been used.59

The importance of 9 instigates us to examine the numerical value of its position in the Koran. This
number is used only 4 times in the Koran, in 17:101, 18:25, 27:12 and 27:48. Immediately one can see
that 3 of its occurrences are in a chapter with a horizontal value of 9, one can also see that 27:12 and

57 John 21:10 Jesus said to them, Bring some of the fish you have just caught. So Simon Peter climbed
back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net
was not torn.
58 The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of

the guidance, and the Criterion (of right and wrong). And whosoever of you is present, let him fast the
month, and whosoever of you is sick or on a journey, (let him fast the same) number of other days. Allah
desireth for you ease; He desireth not hardship for you; and (He desireth) that ye should complete the
period, and that ye should magnify Allah for having guided you, and that peradventure ye may be thankful.
59 And verily We gave unto Moses 9 tokens, clear proofs (of Allah's Sovereignty). Do but ask the Children

of Israel how he came unto them, then Pharaoh said unto him: Lo! I deem thee one bewitched, O Moses.

38
27:48 has an interesting symbolism in common, since the horizontal value of the number of the
chapter is 9 and the horizontal value of the number of the second verse in which it occurs is equal to
the number of the first verse, 12. But there is still something fascinating, since the total of the 4
numbers in this group is 27+12+27+48=114=19×6 which is, as is known, the number of the total
chapters of the Koran. As such, we might conclude that the redaction of the Koran – on the contrary to
the prevalent traditional narrative - has not been an arbitrary process.

Certainly, it might be questioned, why that group was separated to two couples? In fact, there is still
another fascinating aspect of these numbers which relates them to 9. Just by subtracting 48-12, (the
number of the verses of chapter 27 in which 9 occurs) there is 36 which has also a horizontal value of
9. This is the reason that connects the two couples together. In fact the position of the first two verses
also contains 36 verses, since chapter 17 has 111 verses, and 11+25=36 which has also a horizontal
value of 9. This deduction is strongly supported by two more astounding features: a. from the second 9
in 18:25 up to the third 9 in 27:12 are 1007 verses =19×53, b. there are also a significant results of the
same action of adding the 4 numbers of this couple. There is also an amazing connection with the
Koran, since 17+101+18+25=161=7×23, and as it has already been pointed to 161 in the feature 13 of
the Mysterious Letters.

Up to now, the author did not consider number 23 in our analysis, but in fact if one looks back to the
aforementioned features of the Mysterious Letters (pp. 23-26), many times the author came upon this
number:

1) Feature 2: the sum of 114 chapters of the Koran would be 6555=3×19×23×5.

2) Feature 8: the 3th word of tasmiya has a numerical value of 23.

3) Feature 13: the 3th chapter with Mysterious Letter, is chapter 7, with the numerical value of
161=7×23.

4) Feature 33: The sum of the 8 fractions mentioned in the Koran (1/10+1/8+1/6+1/5+1/4+1/3
+1/2+2/3)= 281/120, and 281-120=161=7×23.

5) Feature 34: The odd numbers one can reach by adding the numbers of the chapter to their verses
is also 6555=3×19×23×5.

Not only these, but there is more evidence in the structure of the Mysterious Letters that could
imply that the occurrence of this number is not accidental but systematic. The author points to a
few fascinating examples:

6) Mysterious Letters of chapter 27 (with the horizontal value of 9), in which the number 9 occurs
two times, and the only chapter with two tasmiya, is (ṬS) with the numerical value of 9+60=
69=23×3.

7) It has been already pointed out that the 3rd chapter with Mysterious Letters, is chapter 7, and
the numerical value of its mysterious letters is 161=7×23. However, there is still something more
fascinating about it -as has been pointed out partly in feature 20- regarding its relation with
number 23. In fact Mysterious Letters of this chapter are a combination of two components. One
part contains the LM group and the other is the Ṣ=90 group. As seen the 3 times occurrences of
this letter by chapters 7 and 19 and 38=19×2 refers to the 3, 7, 19 correspondence. Moreover, the
rest of the letters combined with these three Ṣ are also 7 letters with a numerical value of 23.

39
 Chapter 7 L M 1, 30, 40 Ṣ 90

Chapter 19 K H Y ’ 20, 5, 10, 70 Ṣ 90

Chapter 38 Ṣ 90

1+3+4+2+5+1+7=23 27=3×3×3

2+7= 9

8) The last example which is very decisive, is that the 23rd chapter with Mysterious Letters, is the
only chapter which has two combinations of them: (ḤM) (’SḲ), with numerical values of
(40+8=48) and (70+60+100=230) which respectively allude to 12 and 23. Besides, that is the 7th
chapter with Mysterious Letters in reverse order, and (ḤM) is the most frequent combination, used
7 times successively in chapters 40-46 with the sum of (4+0+4+1+4+2+4+3+4+4+4+5+4+6)
=49=7×7.

Such systematic application of 23 to the numerical structure of the Mysterious Letters, and its
affiliation with 9 requires a systematic numerical justification. In order to find out the symbolic
value and background of 23, one needs to examine the occasions in which this number has
occurred in the Bible.

3.3 Number 23 in the Bible

Through the monitoring of number 23 in the Old Testament one will find out that in most of the
occasions, number 23 (and its multiples) undeniably and intentionally has been used in connection
with salvation and revelation60. Its first occurrence is an obvious example:

Judges 10:1. And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo,
a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim. 2. And he judged Israel 23 years, and
died, and was buried in Shamir.

The second example also shows a clear connection with the revelation, however the theme of this
verse refers to the second period and that is why number 13 is used: (also note that 13+23=36 which
has horizontal value of 9)

Jeremiah 25:3. From the 13th year of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, even unto this day, that is
the 23th year, the word of the Lord hath come unto me, and I have spoken unto you, rising early and
speaking; but ye have not hearkened.

60We say most of the occasions, since as we have already pointed out, in some occasions number should
not be regarded individually but in a group. For example in 2 Kings 13 we have both numbers 23 and 17,
but they allude either to 40=23+17 or to 13=2+3+1+7. (2 Kings 13:1 in the 23th year of Joash the son of
Ahaziah king of Judah Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned 17 years. 2
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat,
which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom).

40
The third example is also very relevant since it refers to the theme of the restoration of the House of
God. The symbolic relevance of the House of God and His Book is based on the definition of the
House of God and her relation with the function of the Scripture. The House of God is where people
meet God and God speaks to them and this is actually what happens when people read His words in
His Book. Therefore the symbolic aspect of the House of God is crucial to discover what has been said
about His Book.

2 Kings 12:4. And Jehoash said to the priests, All the money of the dedicated things that is brought
into the house of the Lord, even the money of every one that passeth the account, the money that every
man is set at, and all the money that cometh into any man's heart to bring into the house of the Lord, 5.
Let the priests take it to them, every man of his acquaintance: and let them repair the breaches of the
house, wheresoever any breach shall be found. 6. But it was so, that in the 23th year of king Jehoash
the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house.7. Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the
priest, and the other priests, and said unto them, Why repair ye not the breaches of the house? now
therefore receive no more money of your acquaintance, but deliver it for the breaches of the house.

The same symbolism is used in the story of the consecration of the House of God by Solomon. Note
also the number 8 in harmony with the 4, 8, 12 pattern.

2 Chronicles 7: 9. And in the 8th day they made a solemn assembly: for they kept the dedication of the
altar 7 days, and the feast 7 days. 10. And on the 23th day of the 7th month he sent the people away
into their tents, glad and merry in heart for the goodness that the Lord had shewed unto David, and to
Solomon, and to Israel his people.

Another interesting example is in the book of Esther which refers to the Salvation of Jews. The
important aspect of this story is the symbolism of sealing with the king’s ring, since Muhammad in the
Quran has been entitled as the Seal of the Prophets.61 Moreover, the sum of the numbers of the verse is
also significant 3+23+127=153 as already discussed, this is the famous number of John 21:11 with the
horizontal value of 9.

Esther 8:8. Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's
ring: for the writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no man
reverse. 9. Then were the king's scribes called at that time in the 3rd month, that is, the month Sivan,
on the 23th day thereof; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews,
and to the lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of the provinces which are from India unto Ethiopia,
127 provinces, unto every province according to the writing thereof, and unto every people after their
language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language.

That the numbers of the Bible and the Koran sometimes are presented in a group, has been considered
several times through these examples, but a good and intriguing instance is in the book of Haggai
which alludes to the third period, since it refers again to the restoration of the House of God. In this
short story several numbers in a format of the dates, are combined as follows:

Haggai 1:1. In the second year of Darius the king, in the 6th month, in the first day of the month, came
the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah,

61Koran 33:40 Muhammad is not the father of any man among you, but he is the messenger of Allah and the
Seal of the Prophets.

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and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, saying, 2. Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying,
This people say, The time is not come, the time that the Lord's house should be built.

14. And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the
spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people;
and they came and did work in the house of the Lord of hosts, their God, 15. In the 24th day of the 6th
month, in the second year of Darius the king.

Haggai 2:1. In the 7th month, in the 21st day of the month, came the word of the Lord by the prophet
Haggai, saying, 2. Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua
the son of Josedech, the high priest, and to the residue of the people, saying, 3. Who is left among you
that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison
of it as nothing?

9. The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts: and in
this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts.10. In the 24th day of the 9th month, in the second
year of Darius, came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying,

18 Consider now from this day and upward, from the 24th day of the 9th month, even from the day that
the foundation of the Lord's temple was laid, consider it.

20. The word of the Lord came to Haggai a second time on the 24th day of the month:

Year Month Day

2 6 1 2+6+1=9

2 6 24

7 21

2 9 24 (2+2+2)+(6+6+9)+(1+24+24)=76=19×4

9 24

24

6 37 118 6+37+118=161=7×23

One can simply see how the figures in this story have been used to point to a few significant
numbers. The first fact is the sum of the numbers in the first verse which points to 9, as the symbol
of the beginning of the third period. The second fact is that the sum of the three complete dates
(day, month, year) is 76=19×4. The third fact is that the sum of all 6 figures (consisting of 14
numbers) is 161=7×23. Moreover, both numbers 23 and 19 have been utilized in the numerical
structure of the book of Haggai, since the book has in total 38 verses (19×2), from which 23 are
allocated in the second section. Also here one finds the symbolism of the Seal as follows:

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 Haggai 2:23 In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the
son of Shealtiel, saith the Lord, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the
Lord of hosts.

Skeptics may argue that this is accidental or the author is juggling with the numbers. In order to
remove any doubt that this might only be a coincidence or an arbitrary game with numbers, the
author would like to substantiate the matter in another book which not only has used 23 in a
similar structure as Haggai, but also 23 occurs literally. In the book of Jeremiah when at the end of
the book he refers to the salvation 62of the King of Judah during the Babylonian exile, 23 has
played a significant role:

Jeremiah 52:4. And it came to pass in the 9th year of his reign, in the 10th month, in the 10th day
of the month, that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem,
and pitched against it, and built forts against it round about. 5. So the city was besieged unto the
11th year of king Zedekiah.6. And in the 4th month, in the 9th day of the month, the famine was
sore in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land….12. Now in the 5th month,
in the 10th day of the month, which was the 19th year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, came
Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, which served the king of Babylon, into Jerusalem, …28. This
is the people whom Nebuchadrezzar carried away captive: in the 7th year 3023 Jews: 29. In the
18th year of Nebuchadrezzar he carried away captive from Jerusalem 832 persons:30. In the 23th
year of Nebuchadrezzar Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive of the Jews
745 persons: all the persons were 4600.31. And it came to pass in the 37th year of the captivity of
Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the 12th month, in the25th day of the month, that Evilmerodach king
of Babylon in the first year of his reign lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and brought
him forth out of prison.

By sorting out the figures, one can see that there are two groups as follows:

a. The captives and years: (7+18+23)=48 which have horizontal value of 12, and 4600 captives
which is a multiple of 200 and 23. (Note that number 46 has been also associated with the building
of the temple in John 2:20 Then said the Jews, 46 years was this temple in building, and wilt thou
rear it up in 3 days?)

62 The theme of the story is obviously referring to the captivity of Israel in Babylon, which symbolizes the
second period (that is why two times number 13 has been alluded through day 9th , month 4th , and
through number 832), but at the end the theme changes to the restoration of the King of Judah as
following : Jeremiah 52: 32 And spake kindly unto him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that
were with him in Babylon, 33 And changed his prison garments: and he did continually eat bread before him
all the days of his life.

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 b. The Dates: As one can see below, exactly as in Haggai, the figures 23×7 and 19×4 have been
intended:

10 10 9

11

9 4 9+4=13 note how 13 is associated with famine and hunger in verse 6

10 5 19

25 12 37

54 31 76=19×4 (10+9+10+25)+(10+4+5+12)+(9+11+19+37)=161=7×23

The last example, but not least is from the book of Daniel. The theme of the prophecy of Daniel is
one of the most convincing evidence to the conscious use of number 23 by the prophets. As seen
above the second period is the era of corruption of the Scripture by Antichrist and the
disappearance of the Messiah from among the Jews. This theme has been repeatedly symbolized
in the prophecies of Daniel. Knowing the 4, 8, 12 pattern, it is so easy to recognize how these
numbers have been used to symbolize the second and third period. For instance when Daniel refers
to the third period he uses 62 and 120 to allude to 8, and 12:

Daniel 5:31. And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about 62 years old. 6:1. It pleased
Darius to set over the kingdom 120 princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;

The following verses are decisive in the prophecies of Daniel, one can simply see how number 23
has been alluded to through 2300, and both the theme of the end times in which the Messiah
would return to cleanse the abomination of Antichrist and to end the prophecy63.

Daniel 8: 13. Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint
which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of
desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?14. And he said unto
me, Unto 2300 days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. 15. And it came to pass, when I, even I
Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as
the appearance of a man. 16. And I heard a man's voice between the banks of Ulai, which called,
and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision. 17. So he came near where I stood:
and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of
man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision.

63Note the end of prophecy here refers to the end of the prophecy of the Messiah of the House of Judah,
and therefore to the end of the literary revelation of God. It does not refer to the end of the prophecy of the
House of Joseph which refers to the interpretation and exegesis of the revelation.

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 Daniel 9:24. 70 weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the
transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in
everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. 25.
Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to
build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be 7 weeks, and 62 weeks: the street shall be
built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

Note that not only 62 is used again to refer to 8, but also it is combined with 7 which alludes to 23,

since 7+62=69=23×3.

Another interesting example is in the book of Zechariah. In the section 14 in the verse 9 one reads:

Zechariah 14:9. And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord,
and his name one.

The interesting matter about this verse is that it predicts that the name of God will be unified by the
final revelation and at the same time the sum of the numbers of verse and section is 14+9=23 but also
the word “one” in Arabic is w hid (echad in Hebrew), and if it is written with (alif),as Rashad
Khalifa insisted, the numerical value of it is 6+1+8+4=19. Rashad Khalifa and his proponents assert
that the numerical background of 19 in the Koran is the numerical value of this word.64 (used 68 times
in the Koran from which 28 times refer to the oneness of God65).

The author would like to present the last example of 23 from the Koran, in which as already
considered 23 appears only obliquely.

Koran 11:44. And it was said: O earth, swallow down your water, and O cloud, clear away; and the
water was made to abate and the affair was decided, and the ark rested on the Judi, and it was said:
Away with the unjust people.

In the above verse one can see how meticulously the numerical and theological symbolism have been
combined. As already pointed out the tribe of Judah symbolically is the receiver of the literary
revelation, and in the story of Noah, that aspect is combined with the duration of the last revelation.
The name of the mountain on which the ark of Noah has descended in this verse, not only point to the
tribe of Judah, but also to the number 23 through its numerical value 3+6+4+10.

Since the Koran has been revealed during 23 years, such systematic occurrences of 23 both directly or
indirectly in the Old Testament, could be considered as a proof for the hypothesis that the author has
set out to test the exegetical value of the numbers in both books. As the author has contended the
numbers of the Bible and the Koran have a symbolic aspect which is used not only in the numerical
structure of the Scripture, but also in theological prophecies. This means that notwithstanding, the
qualitative aspect of the numbers by definition does not correspond to any historical data or dates, but
their quality corresponds both to the numerical pattern in the structure of the text, and to the
theological development and prophetical predictions. For example, it does not conform with the
methodology of the symbolic interpretation to relate either the age of Muhammad 63 or his date of

64
Rashad Khalifa, Quran: Visual Presentation of the Miracle, (Tuscon, Islamic Production, 1982), p. 243.
65 Koran 2:163. Your Allah is One Allah; there is no Allah save Him, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

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birth, 570AD, which have the respective horizontal value of 9 and 12, to the symbolism of the 3-6-9-
12 pattern. In fact, there is no single number or date in the Bible or the Koran which could be directly
or indirectly associated to any historical date, since the dates are simply not universal. However, there
are many numbers that have been used to depict and predict the theological events and development in
the future, and that is of course the goal of the prophecy by definition. The stories of the Bible and the
Koran, behind their historical surface, are pointing to the theological events, and numbers like words
are a part of this process.

Number 23 is a unique and decisive evidence which could be considered as a proof that the prophecies
of the Old Testament have been fulfilled according to the plan or knowledge of its revelator and
inspiratory source, regardless of who or what it is. The sceptics may argue that the numbers could just
be man-made designs or accidents, which could be by some efforts adjusted to any text, but the author
has tried to elaborate in this paper that these numbers might have predicted the theological events that
had been predestined, and the author has also substantiated that those prophecies have been fulfilled. It
is perhaps not a coincidence that in the book of Numbers section 23, verse 23 one reads:

Numbers 23:23. Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against
Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!

It is noteworthy that none of the books or the articles, which has been considered by the author of this
thesis, have paid any attention to this number. Even a comprehensive book as the book of Schimmel
totally skips this number.

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Conclusion

In this thesis the author has briefly discussed the three main approaches to the issue of the numbers in
the Bible and the Koran, namely: the Cultural and Religious approach, the Structural and Aesthetic
approach, and the Phenomenal approach.

The first approach refers to the methods that consider numbers in a mixture of cultural and religious
contexts. One problem with this approach is that the numbers are interpreted as they had been used
and understood by the people, in fact it points more than what they really mean according to the
internal textual function, to how people have used and understood them. The other problem is that they
associate a fixed meaning and interpretation to each number without distinguishing different contexts
in which a number is used.

The second approach has tried to find out the hidden roles of the numbers in the structure of the text,
however it fails to present any theological interpretation of the numbers and they consider the numbers
only as an ends for textual analysis. Moreover, the method of counting verses, words, and even the
letters have been fiercely criticized.

The third approach, not only has tried to show the hidden role of the numbers in the structure of the
Bible and the Koran, but also has tried to prove the supernatural essence of revelation and use it as a
sign of integrity of the text. Consequently, it uses numerical aspects as a proof of God in general and
to accredit a specific religion in particular. This approach has been also criticized for controversial
methodology and inconsistencies.

Although the approach of the author could be considered under the third category, it should not be
misunderstood and associated with it totally. For one thing, since each category includes different
methods and the method of the author is unique not only in combining the Bible and the Koran, but
also in considering both numerical structure and symbolic aspect of numbers together. For another, the
aim of the author is not evaluating any religion or proving or disproving, but just to point to a
symbolic understanding of both the Bible and the Koran in order to avoid any misunderstanding. A
well-known example is the contradiction of religion and science regarding the creation story of the
world in the Bible and in the Koran if we read them literally. By reading the Bible and the Koran
literally, not only they contradict science, but also contradict themselves.

In fact, in the view of the author of this thesis there should be a distinction between belief, believers
and the Scripture, in other words between interpretation, interpreter, and the text. Therefore this thesis
should not be misunderstood as an apologetic attempt, however, the results certainly have theological
consequences, not only for Judaism and Christianity, but also for Islam. Today there are many Islams
and this thesis is not meant to prove any of them, but to the contrary. Just in order to elaborate the
matter that the view of the author is not for or against any religion, but against some misunderstanding
and literally method of interpretation, the author would like to point to a few consequences of
symbolic understanding of numbers. Traditionally, Ramadhan is considered as a holy month in which
Muslims should fast, and fasting is considered as one of the five pillars of Islam, whereas according to
this thesis there is no month more holy than the other and Ramadhan is only symbolizing number 9.
Traditionally, the Hadj is another pillar of Islam, however if we consider the days in which the Hadj is
observed, 8th to 12th of the 12th month, one can simply see how it alludes to the figurative calendar of
the Bible and the Koran. Traditionally it is assumed that the Koran has allowed to marry 4 wives,

47
however if one considers the verse it represents 9 again, since 2+3+4=9, (Koran 4:3. And if ye fear
that ye will not deal fairly by the orphans, marry of the women, who seem good to you, two or three or
four; and if ye fear that ye cannot do justice (to so many) then one (only) or (the captives) that your
right hands possess.) Not only these direct theological consequences, but also indirect consequences
are crucial; for instance traditionally Muslims consider Muhammad as the perfect man with perfect
understanding of the Koran, however lack of any evidence that Muhammad has ever explained these
symbolic aspects of the Koran might lead to question the validity of such attribute of Muhammad. By
the same token one can question the attribute and role of Imams in Shi’ism. Traditional Islam awaits
the return of Jesus, just as Christianity, however the symbolic interpretation the author has used in this
thesis, implies that he has returned already. Although it is out of the scope of this thesis to refer to
many other theological consequences for Judaism and Christianity and Islam, the author hopes in a
near future that a new reading of the Bible and the Koran be presented with the awareness of the
symbolic meanings of the text in general and the numbers in particular.

The awareness of the symbolic aspect of numbers in the Bible and the Koran, not only in the field of
theology is useful and important, but also in the business of translation. Ignorance of the qualitative
value of the numbers of the Bible has let some translators to change some of the numbers to their
quantitative equivalent, which is of course a fatal mistake. For example, in the New International
version, Matthew 27: 45 is translated as: “From noon until 3 in the afternoon darkness came over all
the land. 46 About 3 in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli,[c] lema sabachthani?ʾ
Which is a wrong translation. But the right translation is: “Now from the 6th hour there was darkness
over all the land unto the 9th hour. 46 And about the 9th hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli,
Eli, lama sabachthani?”

The most important arguments and outlines of this thesis are in fact that the prophecy by definition is a
theological prediction and not a historical or political or scientific one. Consequently, it should be
interpreted and understood in its own context. This means, the stories in the Bible and the Koran, are
not historical facts or data, and they should not be associated with historical or political events. The
language of both the Bible and the Koran is symbolic66, and the numbers are part of this system, and
therefore have a symbolic aspect.

In the view of the author and of many other scholars, the examination of the numbers has proven that
the numbers of the Bible could not be considered as factual or historical data, since in many occasions
they are too large or contradictory. Therefore, quite a few scholars have suggested different forms of
linguistic or mathematical solutions for this problem. The author too, has tried to present a numerical
method based on associating numbers with a master code in the story of the Bible and the Koran. In
this view, the master code of the story is based on a trinity which predicates the evolution of textual
revelation of Abrahamic Religions in three major periods. This might support the claim of the Koran
that the religion is one 67 , but it has been developed in three major periods, which correspond to
Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

The numbers also exhibit such a trinity, but they have been presented in different forms. In order to
recognize this form, one has to keep in mind three major methodic issues:

1. Numbers should not be considered only individually, but also in a group.

66Psalms 78:2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old.
67Koran 10:19 Mankind were but one community; then they differed; and had it not been for a word that
had already gone forth from thy Lord it had been judged between them in respect of that wherein they
differ.

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 2. Numbers could exhibit other numbers by the sum of their digits or via multiples.

3. Numbers should not be associated to a fix interpretation without considering their context.

The author has elaborated that the numbers not only have a significant role in the structure of the Bible
and the Koran, but are used as prophetic instruments. However, numbers of the Bible and the Koran,
as already contended, never refer to a real date or data by their quantitative aspect. It is therefore
wrong to expect any of these numbers to manifest a historical date, neither in the past nor in the future.
An obvious evidence for such assertion is the fact that those who have predicted a specific date for the
end of the world or the return of Jesus, must have adjusted their prediction time after time. However,
symbolic numbers just like symbolic words in a sentence, exhibit a contextual harmony referring to
the symbolic periods according to the symbolic system of the Bible and therefore requires an esoteric
exegesis of the Bible and the Koran.

49
Bibliography

Books and Articles:

Abrahams, Israel, “Numbers, Typical and Important”, in: Encyclopaedia Judaica, Michael Berenbaum
and Fred Skolnik (Eds.), 2nd ed., Vol. 15, (Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2007), pp.
333-337.

Bar-Ilan, Meir, “The Case of Number Symbolism in the Hebrew Bible”, in: N. Dershowitz and E.
Nissan (Eds.), Choueka Festschrift, Part II, LNCS 8002, (Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
2014), pp. 406–423.

Brach, J.P., “Number Symbolism”, in: Hanegraaff, W.J., Faivre, A., van den Broek, R., Brach, J.P.
(Eds.), Dictionary of Gnosis and Western Esotericism, (Leiden, Brill, 2006), pp. 874–883.

Buchanan Gray, George, A Critical And Exegetical Commentary On Numbers, (Edinburgh, T. & T.
Clark LTD, 1903).

Davis, John J., Biblical Numerology, (Grand Rapids, Baker Academic, 2008).

Drosnin, Michael, The Bible Code, (New York, Simon & Schuster, 1997).

Encyclopaedia Judaica, Michael Berenbaum and Fred Skolnik (Eds.), 2nd ed., Vol. 14, (Detroit:
Macmillan Reference USA, 2007).

Khalifa, Rashad, Quran: Visual Presentation of the Miracle, (Tuscon, Islamic Production, 1982).

Labuschagne, Casper J., Numerical Secrets Of the Bible, (Texas, BIBAL Press, 2002).

Van der Lans, Jan, Religie ervaren, (Tilburg, KSQV, 2006).

McCormack, R., The Heptadic Structure of Scripture, (London: Marshall Brothers, 1923).

Rippin, Andrew, “Numbers and Enumeration”, in: Jane Dammen McAuliffe (General Editor),
Encyclopaedia of the Qur n, (Georgetown University, Washington DC., Brill Online, 2015).

Rosenthal, F., “Nineteen”, in: Muslim Intellectual and Social History: A Collection of Essays,
(Aldershot, Variorum, 1990).

Schimmel, Annemarie, The Mystery Of Numbers, (New York: Oxford University Press, 1993).

Snijder, L.A., Het verhaal van de getallen van de Bijbel, (Baarn: Uitgeverij Ten Have, 1995).

Stewart, Ian, Britanica Academic, s.v. “Number Symbolism” (accessed on October 9, 2015).

Thesleff, Holger, Britanica Academic, s.v. “Pythagoreanism” (accessed on October 9, 2015).

Vikør, Knut S., Between God and the Sultan, (London, C. Hurst & Co. Ltd, 2005).

Wenham, J.W. , Large Numbers In The Old Testament, Reprinted from Tyndale Bulletin 18/1967,
(London, Tyndale Press, 1967).

Yuksel, Edip, Nineteen: God’s Signature in Nature and Scripture, (USA: Brainbow Press, 2011).

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Websites:

The Koran used in this thesis as a reference is the translation of Pickthal, which could be found in the
following website:

http://quran.al-islam.org/

The Bible translation used in this thesis as a reference is the King James version, which could be
found in the following website:

https://www.biblegateway.com/

51