Cheshvan חשון
Bul in the Book of Kings, Cheshvan to a modern reader, and neither is the full name. Marcheshvan came up from Babylon with the exiles.
- Found in the Torah
- 175,921
- Chance alone: 173,435
- Skips 2 to 101,616
- Found in the Tanakh
- 2,640,577
- Chance alone: 2,667,845
- Skips 2 to 399,013
Create a free accountFree, and this search opens as soon as you are in.
The name in the Hebrew calendar is מרחשון, and people shorten it to חשון. Like the rest of the month names it came back from Babylon with the exiles, as Tishrei explains, and people have long heard mar, bitter, in the front of it, for a month with no festival. The Tanakh has neither form. Its one name for this month is בול, Bul, in 1 Kings 6:38, where Solomon's house is finished, and it is glossed on the spot as the eighth month. The same letters stand once more, in Job 40:20, for the produce of the mountains. We search all three names here.
The measurement
Not one letter shuffle reaches the real 3,610, and word shuffles do so only 6 times in 100. No rank on this site is stronger, and a list of a hundred terms should be expected to throw one up. This month's name is not in the Tanakh at all.
| At every skip | Torah | Tanakh |
|---|---|---|
| Found | 175,921 | 2,640,577 |
| Chance alone | 173,435 | 2,667,845 |
| P (≥ found) | 1.3 × 10⁻⁹ | 1.00 |
| Shortest skip | 2 | 2 |
| Longest skip | 101,455 | 398,828 |
Counted forward and backward on the written text, with final letters treated as ordinary ones. At the laboratory's opening setting, skips 2 to 5,000, the Torah gives 17,195 against 16,645 by chance. How these figures are made.
Other spellings
Each spelling is its own search. Every skip, both directions.
| Spelling | Torah | Tanakh |
|---|---|---|
| חשון0 as a word | 175,921 chance 173,435 | 2,640,577 chance 2,667,845 |
| מרחשון0 as a word | 466 chance 509 | 7,186 chance 7,522 |
| בול2 as a word | 17,415,964 chance 17,655,491 | 313,536,364 chance 311,748,874 |
The sequences, letter by letter
Each letter is shown in the verse it happens to stand in, nothing more. Tap one to read it in the Tanakh, with the rest of the sequence marked.
In the Torah
Shortest skip 2, backward from Genesis 24:40
וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֵלָ֑י יְקוָ֞ק אֲשֶׁר־הִתְהַלַּ֣כְתִּי לְפָנָ֗יו יִשְׁלַ֨ח מַלְאָכ֤וֹ אִתָּךְ֙ וְהִצְלִ֣יחַ דַּרְכֶּ֔ךָ וְלָקַחְתָּ֤ אִשָּׁה֙ לִבְנִ֔י מִמִּשְׁפַּחְתִּ֖י וּמִבֵּ֥ית אָבִֽי׃
And he said unto me: The LORD, before whom I walk, will send His angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father’s house;
Shortest skip 2, backward from Genesis 25:6
וְלִבְנֵ֤י הַפִּֽילַגְשִׁים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לְאַבְרָהָ֔ם נָתַ֥ן אַבְרָהָ֖ם מַתָּנֹ֑ת וַֽיְשַׁלְּחֵ֞ם מֵעַ֨ל יִצְחָ֤ק בְּנוֹ֙ בְּעוֹדֶ֣נּוּ חַ֔י קֵ֖דְמָה אֶל־אֶ֥רֶץ קֶֽדֶם׃
But unto the sons of the concubines, that Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts; and he sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country.
Short skip 50, forward from Numbers 27:4
לָ֣מָּה יִגָּרַ֤ע שֵׁם־אָבִ֨ינוּ֙ מִתּ֣וֹךְ מִשְׁפַּחְתּ֔וֹ כִּ֛י אֵ֥ין ל֖וֹ בֵּ֑ן תְּנָה־לָּ֣נוּ אֲחֻזָּ֔ה בְּת֖וֹךְ אֲחֵ֥י אָבִֽינוּ׃
Why should the name of our father be done away from among his family, because he had no son? Give unto us a possession among the brethren of our father.’
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְקוָ֖ק אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃
And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying:
כֵּ֗ן בְּנ֣וֹת צְלָפְחָד֮ דֹּבְרֹת֒ נָתֹ֨ן תִּתֵּ֤ן לָהֶם֙ אֲחֻזַּ֣ת נַחֲלָ֔ה בְּת֖וֹךְ אֲחֵ֣י אֲבִיהֶ֑ם וְהַֽעֲבַרְתָּ֛ אֶת־נַחֲלַ֥ת אֲבִיהֶ֖ן לָהֶֽן׃
’The daughters of Zelophehad speak right: thou shalt surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father’s brethren; and thou shalt cause the inheritance of their father to pass unto them.
וְאֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל תְּדַבֵּ֣ר לֵאמֹ֑ר אִ֣ישׁ כִּֽי־יָמ֗וּת וּבֵן֙ אֵ֣ין ל֔וֹ וְהַֽעֲבַרְתֶּ֥ם אֶת־נַחֲלָת֖וֹ לְבִתּֽוֹ׃
And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying: If a man die, and have no son, then ye shall cause his inheritance to pass unto his daughter.
Middle skip 500, forward from Exodus 28:11
מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה חָרַשׁ֮ אֶבֶן֒ פִּתּוּחֵ֣י חֹתָ֗ם תְּפַתַּח֙ אֶת־שְׁתֵּ֣י הָאֲבָנִ֔ים עַל־שְׁמֹ֖ת בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל מֻסַבֹּ֛ת מִשְׁבְּצ֥וֹת זָהָ֖ב תַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה אֹתָֽם׃
With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones, according to the names of the children of Israel; thou shalt make them to be inclosed in settings of gold.
וְ֠הָאֲבָנִים תִּֽהְיֶ֜יןָ עַל־שְׁמֹ֧ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל שְׁתֵּ֥ים עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה עַל־שְׁמֹתָ֑ם פִּתּוּחֵ֤י חוֹתָם֙ אִ֣ישׁ עַל־שְׁמ֔וֹ תִּֽהְיֶ֕יןָ לִשְׁנֵ֥י עָשָׂ֖ר שָֽׁבֶט׃
And the stones shall be according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names; like the engravings of a signet, every one according to his name, they shall be for the twelve tribes.
… עַל־לֵ֣ב אַהֲרֹ֔ן בְּבֹא֖וֹ לִפְנֵ֣י יְקוָ֑ק וְנָשָׂ֣א אַ֠הֲרֹן אֶת־מִשְׁפַּ֨ט בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֧ל …
And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron’s heart, when he goeth in before the LORD; and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually.
וְלִבְנֵ֤י אַהֲרֹן֙ תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה כֻתֳּנֹ֔ת וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ לָהֶ֖ם אַבְנֵטִ֑ים וּמִגְבָּעוֹת֙ תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה לָהֶ֔ם לְכָב֖וֹד וּלְתִפְאָֽרֶת׃
And for Aaron’s sons thou shalt make tunics, and thou shalt make for them girdles, and head-tires shalt thou make for them, for splendour and for beauty.
Wide skip 5,001, backward from Deuteronomy 3:1
וַנֵּ֣פֶן וַנַּ֔עַל דֶּ֖רֶךְ הַבָּשָׁ֑ן וַיֵּצֵ֣א עוֹג֩ מֶֽלֶךְ־הַבָּשָׁ֨ן לִקְרָאתֵ֜נוּ ה֧וּא וְכָל־עַמּ֛וֹ לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה אֶדְרֶֽעִי׃
Then we turned, and went up the way to Bashan; and Og the king of Bashan came out against us, he and all his people, unto battle at Edrei.
וְלֹֽא־תִסֹּ֤ב נַחֲלָה֙ לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מִמַּטֶּ֖ה אֶל־מַטֶּ֑ה כִּ֣י אִ֗ישׁ בְּנַחֲלַת֙ מַטֵּ֣ה אֲבֹתָ֔יו יִדְבְּק֖וּ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
So shall no inheritance of the children of Israel remove from tribe to tribe; for the children of Israel shall cleave every one to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.
וַיִּסְעוּ֙ מִמָּרָ֔ה וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ אֵילִ֑מָה וּ֠בְאֵילִם שְׁתֵּ֣ים עֶשְׂרֵ֞ה עֵינֹ֥ת מַ֛יִם וְשִׁבְעִ֥ים תְּמָרִ֖ים וַיַּחֲנוּ־שָֽׁם׃
And they journeyed from Marah, and came unto Elim; and in Elim were twelve springs of water, and threescore and ten palm-trees; and they pitched there.
וַיִּמָּֽסְרוּ֙ מֵאַלְפֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶ֖לֶף לַמַּטֶּ֑ה שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֥ר אֶ֖לֶף חֲלוּצֵ֥י צָבָֽא׃
So there were delivered, out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.
Outside the Torah
Shortest skip 2, forward from 1 Kings 11:29
… בַּדֶּ֗רֶךְ וְה֤וּא מִתְכַּסֶּה֙ בְּשַׂלְמָ֣ה חֲדָשָׁ֔ה וּשְׁנֵיהֶ֥ם לְבַדָּ֖ם בַּשָּׂדֶֽה׃
And it came to pass at that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; now Ahijah had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field.
Middle skip 500, forward from Judges 20:31
… כְּפַ֣עַם בְּפַ֗עַם בַּֽמְסִלּוֹת֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אַחַ֜ת עֹלָ֣ה בֵֽית־אֵ֗ל וְאַחַ֤ת גִּבְעָ֨תָה֙ …
And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite and kill of the people, as at other times, in the field, in the highways, of which one goeth up to Beth-el, and the other to Gibeah, about thirty men of Israel.
וַיַּהֲפֹ֥ךְ אִֽישׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בַּמִּלְחָמָ֑ה וּבִנְיָמִ֡ן הֵחֵל֩ לְהַכּ֨וֹת …
And the men of Israel turned in the battle, and Benjamin began to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons; for they said: ‘Surely they are smitten down before us, as in the first battle.’
וַיִּפְנ֞וּ וַיָּנֻ֤סוּ הַמִּדְבָּ֨רָה֙ אֶל־סֶ֣לַע הָֽרִמּ֔וֹן שֵׁ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת אִ֑ישׁ וַיֵּֽשְׁבוּ֙ בְּסֶ֣לַע רִמּ֔וֹן אַרְבָּעָ֖ה חֳדָשִֽׁים׃
But six hundred men turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon, and abode in the rock of Rimmon four months.
מַה־נַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה לָהֶ֛ם לַנּוֹתָרִ֖ים לְנָשִׁ֑ים וַאֲנַ֨חְנוּ֙ נִשְׁבַּ֣עְנוּ בַֽיקוָ֔ק לְבִלְתִּ֛י תֵּת־לָהֶ֥ם מִבְּנוֹתֵ֖ינוּ לְנָשִֽׁים׃
How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?’
By skip range, shuffled texts and book
| Skips, Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| 2 to 10 | 32 | 30.7 |
| 11 to 100 | 301 | 307 |
| 101 to 1,000 | 3,277 | 3,056 |
| 1,001 to 5,000 | 13,585 | 13,251 |
| 5,001 to 101,616 | 158,726 | 156,790 |
Shuffled Torahs
The Torah's own count at skips 2 to 1,000 is 3,610. Each family below rebuilt the text 100 times (seed 5787). What each family keeps.
| Control family | Runs at or above 3,610 | Median run | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letter shuffle | 0/100 | 3,389 | 3,252 to 3,524 |
| Words within each verse | 6/100 | 3,512 | 3,380 to 3,659 |
Where the sequences start
| Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Genesis | 41,923 | 44,415 |
| Exodus | 37,283 | 36,144 |
| Leviticus | 30,143 | 25,485 |
| Numbers | 42,174 | 36,152 |
| Deuteronomy | 24,398 | 31,239 |
| Tanakh | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Torah | 726,024 | 679,418 |
| Prophets | 1,137,796 | 1,234,219 |
| Writings | 776,757 | 754,207 |
Run this search yourself
Change the skips, set חשון beside another word, and run the controls on your own question.
Create a free accountFree, and this search opens as soon as you are in.