Elul אלול
One date in Nehemiah: the wall of Jerusalem was finished on the 25th of Elul, in fifty-two days.
- Found in the Torah
- 1,350,352
- Chance alone: 1,378,768
- Skips 2 to 101,616
- Found in the Tanakh
- 22,638,773
- Chance alone: 22,493,830
- Skips 2 to 399,013
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So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days. That is Nehemiah 6:15, and it is the one time the Tanakh names this month. It closes a story of men building with a weapon in one hand. Today Elul is a month of the shofar and of preparation for the High Holidays, but the Tanakh has nothing to say on that. A different אלול does exist in the text: Jeremiah 14:14 has ואלול in the written letters, a thing of nought, and the reading tradition gives it another vowel. A later tradition reads the month's four letters as the first letters of אני לדודי ודודי לי, I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine, from Song of Songs 6:3, but that is wordplay on the first letters of a verse, and it has nothing to do with a skip.
- As a whole word
- 0
- First, with any prefix
- Jeremiah 14:14
- Last
- Nehemiah 6:15
The measurement
The letters ל and ו repeat, and that is the likely reason the real 27,498 at skips 2 to 1,000 passes all 100 letter shuffles. Word shuffles keep the Hebrew and 38 of 100 reach it. Over every skip the count falls 2.1 percent short.
| At every skip | Torah | Tanakh |
|---|---|---|
| Found | 1,350,352 | 22,638,773 |
| Chance alone | 1,378,768 | 22,493,830 |
| P (≥ found) | 1.00 | 5.5 × 10⁻²⁰⁵ |
| Shortest skip | 2 | 2 |
| Longest skip | 101,539 | 398,900 |
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 133,151 against 132,321 by chance. How these figures are made.
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, forward from Genesis 14:11
וַ֠יִּקְחוּ אֶת־כָּל־רְכֻ֨שׁ סְדֹ֧ם וַעֲמֹרָ֛ה וְאֶת־כָּל־אָכְלָ֖ם וַיֵּלֵֽכוּ׃
And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way.
Shortest skip 2, forward from Genesis 22:6
וַיִּקַּ֨ח אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֶת־עֲצֵ֣י הָעֹלָ֗ה וַיָּ֨שֶׂם֙ עַל־יִצְחָ֣ק בְּנ֔וֹ וַיִּקַּ֣ח בְּיָד֔וֹ אֶת־הָאֵ֖שׁ וְאֶת־הַֽמַּאֲכֶ֑לֶת וַיֵּלְכ֥וּ שְׁנֵיהֶ֖ם יַחְדָּֽו׃
And Abraham took the wood of the burnt-offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took in his hand the fire and the knife; and they went both of them together.
Short skip 50, forward from Leviticus 5:7
… יָדוֹ֮ דֵּ֣י שֶׂה֒ וְהֵבִ֨יא אֶת־אֲשָׁמ֜וֹ אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָטָ֗א שְׁתֵּ֥י תֹרִ֛ים אֽוֹ־שְׁנֵ֥י בְנֵֽי־יוֹנָ֖ה לַֽיקוָ֑ק אֶחָ֥ד לְחַטָּ֖את וְאֶחָ֥ד לְעֹלָֽה׃
And if his means suffice not for a lamb, then he shall bring his forfeit for that wherein he hath sinned, two turtle-doves, or two young pigeons, unto the LORD: one for a sin-offering, and the other for a burnt-offering.
וְהֵבִ֤יא אֹתָם֙ אֶל־הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְהִקְרִ֛יב אֶת־אֲשֶׁ֥ר לַחַטָּ֖את רִאשׁוֹנָ֑ה וּמָלַ֧ק אֶת־רֹאשׁ֛וֹ מִמּ֥וּל עָרְפּ֖וֹ וְלֹ֥א יַבְדִּֽיל׃
And he shall bring them unto the priest, who shall offer that which is for the sin-offering first, and pinch off its head close by its neck, but shall not divide it asunder.
וְהִזָּ֞ה מִדַּ֤ם הַחַטָּאת֙ עַל־קִ֣יר הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ וְהַנִּשְׁאָ֣ר בַּדָּ֔ם יִמָּצֵ֖ה אֶל־יְס֣וֹד הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ חַטָּ֖את הֽוּא׃
And he shall sprinkle of the blood of the sin-offering upon the side of the altar; and the rest of the blood shall be drained out at the base of the altar; it is a sin-offering.
Middle skip 500, forward from Exodus 18:10
וַיֹּאמֶר֮ יִתְרוֹ֒ בָּר֣וּךְ יְקוָ֔ק אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִצִּ֥יל אֶתְכֶ֛ם מִיַּ֥ד מִצְרַ֖יִם וּמִיַּ֣ד פַּרְעֹ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר הִצִּיל֙ אֶת־הָעָ֔ם מִתַּ֖חַת יַד־מִצְרָֽיִם׃
And Jethro said: ‘Blessed be the LORD, who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh; who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.
נָבֹ֣ל תִּבֹּ֔ל גַּם־אַתָּ֕ה גַּם־הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר עִמָּ֑ךְ כִּֽי־כָבֵ֤ד מִמְּךָ֙ הַדָּבָ֔ר לֹא־תוּכַ֥ל עֲשֹׂ֖הוּ לְבַדֶּֽךָ׃
Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee; for the thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.
וְשָׁפְט֥וּ אֶת־הָעָ֖ם בְּכָל־עֵ֑ת אֶת־הַדָּבָ֤ר הַקָּשֶׁה֙ יְבִיא֣וּן אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה וְכָל־הַדָּבָ֥ר הַקָּטֹ֖ן יִשְׁפּוּט֥וּ הֵֽם׃
And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.
… אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה הִנֵּ֨ה אָנֹכִ֜י בָּ֣א אֵלֶיךָ֮ בְּעַ֣ב הֶֽעָנָן֒ בַּעֲב֞וּר יִשְׁמַ֤ע …
And the LORD said unto Moses: ‘Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and may also believe thee for ever.’ And Moses told the words of the people unto the LORD.
Wide skip 5,000, forward from Numbers 33:1
אֵ֜לֶּה מַסְעֵ֣י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָצְא֛וּ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם לְצִבְאֹתָ֑ם בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁ֖ה וְאַהֲרֹֽן׃
These are the stages of the children of Israel, by which they went forth out of the land of Egypt by their hosts under the hand of Moses and Aaron.
… הַנְּשִׂאִ֔ים רָאשֵׁ֥י אָב֖וֹת לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
And the heads of the fathers’ houses of the family of the children of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of the sons of Joseph, came near, and spoke before Moses, and before the princes, the heads of the fathers’ houses of the children of Israel;
… אֶת־לְבָב֔וֹ לְמַ֛עַן תִּתּ֥וֹ בְיָדְךָ֖ כַּיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃
But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him; for the LORD thy God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, that He might deliver him into thy hand, as appeareth this day.
וְזֹ֖את הַתּוֹרָ֑ה אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֣ם מֹשֶׁ֔ה לִפְנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
And this is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel;
Outside the Torah
Shortest skip 2, forward from Joshua 7:12
וְלֹ֨א יֻכְל֜וּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לָקוּם֙ לִפְנֵ֣י אֹיְבֵיהֶ֔ם עֹ֗רֶף יִפְנוּ֙ לִפְנֵ֣י …
Therefore the children of Israel cannot stand before their enemies, they turn their backs before their enemies, because they are become accursed; I will not be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.
Middle skip 500, forward from Judges 4:22
… מְבַקֵּ֑שׁ וַיָּבֹ֣א אֵלֶ֔יהָ וְהִנֵּ֤ה סִֽיסְרָא֙ נֹפֵ֣ל מֵ֔ת וְהַיָּתֵ֖ד בְּרַקָּתֽוֹ׃
And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him: ‘Come, and I will show thee the man whom thou seekest.’ And he came unto her; and, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the tent-pin was in his temples.
לִבִּי֙ לְחוֹקְקֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הַמִּֽתְנַדְּבִ֖ים בָּעָ֑ם בָּרֲכ֖וּ יְקוָֽק׃
My heart is toward the governors of Israel, That offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD.
בָּ֤אוּ מְלָכִים֙ נִלְחָ֔מוּ אָ֤ז נִלְחֲמוּ֙ מַלְכֵ֣י כְנַ֔עַן בְּתַעְנַ֖ךְ עַל־מֵ֣י מְגִדּ֑וֹ בֶּ֥צַע כֶּ֖סֶף לֹ֥א לָקָֽחוּ׃
The kings came, they fought; Then fought the kings of Canaan, In Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; They took no gain of money.
הֲלֹ֨א יִמְצְא֜וּ יְחַלְּק֣וּ שָׁלָ֗ל רַ֤חַם רַחֲמָתַ֨יִם֙ לְרֹ֣אשׁ …
’Are they not finding, are they not dividing the spoil? A damsel, two damsels to every man; To Sisera a spoil of dyed garments, A spoil of dyed garments of embroidery, Two dyed garments of broidery for the neck of every spoiler?’
By skip range, shuffled texts and book
| Skips, Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| 2 to 10 | 253 | 244 |
| 11 to 100 | 2,581 | 2,441 |
| 101 to 1,000 | 24,664 | 24,291 |
| 1,001 to 5,000 | 105,653 | 105,345 |
| 5,001 to 101,616 | 1,217,201 | 1,246,446 |
Shuffled Torahs
The Torah's own count at skips 2 to 1,000 is 27,498. Each family below rebuilt the text 100 times (seed 5787). What each family keeps.
| Control family | Runs at or above 27,498 | Median run | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letter shuffle | 0/100 | 26,964 | 26,616 to 27,432 |
| Words within each verse | 38/100 | 27,448 | 27,127 to 27,858 |
Where the sequences start
| Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Genesis | 375,975 | 353,088 |
| Exodus | 255,882 | 287,336 |
| Leviticus | 198,578 | 202,598 |
| Numbers | 265,384 | 287,400 |
| Deuteronomy | 254,533 | 248,346 |
| Tanakh | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Torah | 6,420,584 | 5,728,491 |
| Prophets | 10,841,795 | 10,406,273 |
| Writings | 5,376,394 | 6,359,066 |
Run this search yourself
Change the skips, set אלול beside another word, and run the controls on your own question.
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