Deborah דבורה
Two women bear the name, a nurse in Genesis and a judge in Judges, and each gets her own spelling. It means a bee.
- Found in the Torah
- 15,270
- Chance alone: 15,747
- Skips 2 to 76,212
- Found in the Tanakh
- 277,426
- Chance alone: 276,755
- Skips 2 to 299,260
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Two women called Deborah stand in the Tanakh, spelled two ways. The first is Rebecca's nurse, who is buried under an oak below Beth-el in Genesis 35:8, one verse and no more, as דברה. The second is the judge of Judges 4, a prophetess who sits under a palm tree, and she is דבורה, with a ו. Her song in Judges 5 is one of the great poems of the Tanakh, and the chapter gives it whole. Her name is the word for a bee, as in Psalm 118:12, they compass me about like bees. Nothing in the text connects the two women, but a reader cannot help noticing that each is placed under a tree. As an equidistant term the shorter spelling is the easier to find, and you can see by how much.
- As a whole word
- 6
- First, with any prefix
- Judges 4:4
- Last
- Isaiah 7:18
The measurement
Almost every shuffled Torah reaches or passes the real 362 at skips 2 to 1,000: all 100 letter shuffles and 98 word shuffles. In this range the name is scarcer than chance would make it, and a page that only reported surpluses would have left this out.
| At every skip | Torah | Tanakh |
|---|---|---|
| Found | 15,270 | 277,426 |
| Chance alone | 15,747 | 276,755 |
| P (≥ found) | 1.00 | 0.10 |
| Shortest skip | 3 | 2 |
| Longest skip | 75,327 | 299,095 |
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 1,911 against 1,998 by chance. How these figures are made.
Other spellings
Each spelling is its own search. Every skip, both directions.
| Spelling | Torah | Tanakh |
|---|---|---|
| דבורה6 as a word | 15,270 chance 15,747 | 277,426 chance 276,755 |
| דברה8 as a word | 204,419 chance 209,626 | 3,392,079 chance 3,408,182 |
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 3, backward from Genesis 29:2
Short skip 54, backward from Exodus 35:4
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֶל־כָּל־עֲדַ֥ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר זֶ֣ה הַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה יְקוָ֖ק לֵאמֹֽר׃
And Moses spoke unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: ‘This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying:
לֹא־תְבַעֲר֣וּ אֵ֔שׁ בְּכֹ֖ל מֹשְׁבֹֽתֵיכֶ֑ם בְּי֖וֹם הַשַּׁבָּֽת׃
Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.’
שֵׁ֣שֶׁת יָמִים֮ תֵּעָשֶׂ֣ה מְלָאכָה֒ וּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י יִהְיֶ֨ה לָכֶ֥ם קֹ֛דֶשׁ שַׁבַּ֥ת שַׁבָּת֖וֹן לַיקוָ֑ק כָּל־הָעֹשֶׂ֥ה ב֛וֹ מְלָאכָ֖ה יוּמָֽת׃
Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you a holy day, a sabbath of solemn rest to the LORD; whosoever doeth any work therein shall be put to death.
וַיַּקְהֵ֣ל מֹשֶׁ֗ה אֶֽת־כָּל־עֲדַ֛ת בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אֵ֚לֶּה הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה יְקוָ֖ק לַעֲשֹׂ֥ת אֹתָֽם׃
And Moses assembled all the congregation of the children of Israel, and said unto them: ‘These are the words which the LORD hath commanded, that ye should do them.
וְרָא֤וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י מֹשֶׁ֔ה כִּ֣י קָרַ֔ן ע֖וֹר פְּנֵ֣י מֹשֶׁ֑ה וְהֵשִׁ֨יב מֹשֶׁ֤ה אֶת־הַמַּסְוֶה֙ עַל־פָּנָ֔יו עַד־בֹּא֖וֹ לְדַבֵּ֥ר אִתּֽוֹ׃
And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face sent forth beams; and Moses put the veil back upon his face, until he went in to speak with Him.
Middle skip 500, backward from Deuteronomy 28:48
… עֹ֤ל בַּרְזֶל֙ עַל־צַוָּארֶ֔ךָ עַ֥ד הִשְׁמִיד֖וֹ אֹתָֽךְ׃
therefore shalt thou serve thine enemy whom the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things; and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee.
וְהָיִ֣יתָ לְשַׁמָּ֔ה לְמָשָׁ֖ל וְלִשְׁנִינָ֑ה בְּכֹל֙ הָֽעַמִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־יְנַהֶגְךָ֥ יְקוָ֖ק שָֽׁמָּה׃
And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all the peoples whither the LORD shall lead thee away.
יַכְּכָ֣ה יְקוָ֔ק בְּשִׁגָּע֖וֹן וּבְעִוָּר֑וֹן וּבְתִמְה֖וֹן לֵבָֽב׃
The LORD will smite thee with madness, and with blindness, and with astonishment of heart.
אָר֥וּר אַתָּ֖ה בְּבֹאֶ֑ךָ וְאָר֥וּר אַתָּ֖ה בְּצֵאתֶֽךָ׃
Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out.
וְרָאוּ֙ כָּל־עַמֵּ֣י הָאָ֔רֶץ כִּ֛י שֵׁ֥ם יְקוָ֖ק נִקְרָ֣א עָלֶ֑יךָ וְיָֽרְא֖וּ מִמֶּֽךָּ׃
And all the peoples of the earth shall see that the name of the LORD is called upon thee; and they shall be afraid of thee.
Wide skip 5,002, forward from Leviticus 15:25
… דָּמָ֜הּ יָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֗ים בְּלֹא֙ עֶת־נִדָּתָ֔הּ א֥וֹ כִֽי־תָז֖וּב עַל־נִדָּתָ֑הּ כָּל־יְמֵ֞י …
And if a woman have an issue of her blood many days not in the time of her impurity, or if she have an issue beyond the time of her impurity; all the days of the issue of her uncleanness she shall be as in the days of her impurity: she is unclean.
וְאִ֛ם הֵאָכֹ֥ל יֵאָכֵ֖ל בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֑י פִּגּ֥וּל ה֖וּא לֹ֥א יֵרָצֶֽה׃
And if it be eaten at all on the third day, it is a vile thing; it shall not be accepted.
… קָרְבָּנוֹ֙ לְכָל־נִדְרֵיהֶם֙ וּלְכָל־נִדְבוֹתָ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־יַקְרִ֥יבוּ לַיקוָ֖ק לְעֹלָֽה׃
Speak unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them: Whosoever he be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel, that bringeth his offering, whether it be any of their vows, or any of their free-will-offerings…
וַעֲשִׂיתֶם֙ אֶת־חֻקֹּתַ֔י וְאֶת־מִשְׁפָּטַ֥י תִּשְׁמְר֖וּ וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֣ם אֹתָ֑ם וִֽישַׁבְתֶּ֥ם עַל־הָאָ֖רֶץ לָבֶֽטַח׃
Wherefore ye shall do My statutes, and keep Mine ordinances and do them; and ye shall dwell in the land in safety.
וְאִ֣ם מִשְּׂדֵ֣ה אֲחֻזָּת֗וֹ יַקְדִּ֥ישׁ אִישׁ֙ לַֽיקוָ֔ק וְהָיָ֥ה עֶרְכְּךָ֖ לְפִ֣י זַרְע֑וֹ זֶ֚רַע חֹ֣מֶר שְׂעֹרִ֔ים בַּחֲמִשִּׁ֖ים שֶׁ֥קֶל כָּֽסֶף׃
And if a man shall sanctify unto the LORD part of the field of his possession, then thy valuation shall be according to the sowing thereof; the sowing of a homer of barley shall be valued at fifty shekels of silver.
Outside the Torah
Shortest skip 2, forward from Psalm 41:2
Middle skip 500, backward from Ezekiel 38:13
שְׁבָ֡א וּ֠דְדָן וְסֹחֲרֵ֨י תַרְשִׁ֤ישׁ וְכָל־כְּפִרֶ֨יהָ֙ יֹאמְר֣וּ …
Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the magnates thereof, shall say unto thee: Comest thou to take the spoil? hast thou assembled thy company to take the prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take great spoil?
… לְבֻשֵׁ֤י מִכְלוֹל֙ כֻּלָּ֔ם קָהָ֥ל רָב֙ צִנָּ֣ה וּמָגֵ֔ן תֹּפְשֵׂ֥י חֲרָב֖וֹת …
and I will turn thee about, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed most gorgeously, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them handling swords:
וְעַבְדִּ֤י דָוִד֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם וְרוֹעֶ֥ה אֶחָ֖ד יִהְיֶ֣ה לְכֻלָּ֑ם וּבְמִשְׁפָּטַ֣י יֵלֵ֔כוּ וְחֻקֹּתַ֥י יִשְׁמְר֖וּ וְעָשׂ֥וּ אוֹתָֽם׃
And My servant David shall be king over them, and they all shall have one shepherd; they shall also walk in Mine ordinances, and observe My statutes, and do them.
וְקָרַ֨ב אֹתָ֜ם אֶחָ֧ד אֶל־אֶחָ֛ד לְךָ֖ לְעֵ֣ץ אֶחָ֑ד וְהָי֥וּ לַאֲחָדִ֖ים בְּיָדֶֽךָ׃
and join them for thee one to another into one stick, that they may become one in thy hand.
… וְאָמַרְתָּ֨ אֶל־הָר֜וּחַ כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יְקוִ֗ק מֵאַרְבַּ֤ע רוּחוֹת֙ בֹּ֣אִי הָר֔וּחַ …
Then said He unto me: ‘Prophesy unto the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath: Thus saith the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.’
By skip range, shuffled texts and book
| Skips, Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| 2 to 10 | 2 | 3.7 |
| 11 to 100 | 36 | 37.2 |
| 101 to 1,000 | 324 | 369 |
| 1,001 to 5,000 | 1,549 | 1,588 |
| 5,001 to 76,212 | 13,359 | 13,749 |
Shuffled Torahs
The Torah's own count at skips 2 to 1,000 is 362. Each family below rebuilt the text 100 times (seed 5787). What each family keeps.
| Control family | Runs at or above 362 | Median run | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letter shuffle | 100/100 | 408 | 365 to 467 |
| Words within each verse | 98/100 | 403 | 354 to 462 |
Where the sequences start
| Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Genesis | 4,223 | 4,033 |
| Exodus | 3,049 | 3,282 |
| Leviticus | 1,936 | 2,314 |
| Numbers | 3,498 | 3,282 |
| Deuteronomy | 2,564 | 2,836 |
| Tanakh | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Torah | 59,056 | 70,481 |
| Prophets | 130,757 | 128,035 |
| Writings | 87,613 | 78,239 |
Run this search yourself
Change the skips, set דבורה beside another word, and run the controls on your own question.
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