Ephraim אפרים
The younger son who took the right hand. For the prophets, the name stands for the whole northern kingdom.
- Found in the Torah
- 16,627
- Chance alone: 16,464
- Skips 2 to 76,212
- Found in the Tanakh
- 236,960
- Chance alone: 236,721
- Skips 2 to 299,260
Create a free accountFree, and this search opens as soon as you are in.
Joseph puts Manasseh at Jacob's right hand and Ephraim at his left, and Jacob crosses his arms, in Genesis 48:14. That small movement is the last thing to reverse an order of birth in Genesis, a book full of them. Ephraim's name comes from the verb for bearing fruit, in Genesis 41:52: for God hath made me fruitful in the land of my affliction. Later the name goes much further. By Isaiah and Hosea, אפרים means the whole northern kingdom. Hosea alone uses it 30 times bare, and famously says Ephraim is joined to idols, let him alone. So when you see this word in a prophet, you are reading about a state and not a tribe.
- As a whole word
- 149
- First, with any prefix
- Genesis 41:52
The measurement
16,627 against 16,464.4 in the Torah and 236,960 against 236,720.9 in the Tanakh, each within 1 percent. The count has no more to say about a northern kingdom than about a son.
| At every skip | Torah | Tanakh |
|---|---|---|
| Found | 16,627 | 236,960 |
| Chance alone | 16,464 | 236,721 |
| P (≥ found) | 0.10 | 0.31 |
| Shortest skip | 3 | 2 |
| Longest skip | 75,397 | 298,864 |
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 2,010 against 2,089 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 3, backward from Exodus 5:17
וַיֹּ֛אמֶר נִרְפִּ֥ים אַתֶּ֖ם נִרְפִּ֑ים עַל־כֵּן֙ אַתֶּ֣ם אֹֽמְרִ֔ים נֵלְכָ֖ה נִזְבְּחָ֥ה לַֽיקוָֽק׃
But he said: ‘Ye are idle, ye are idle; therefore ye say: Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.
תֶּ֗בֶן אֵ֤ין נִתָּן֙ לַעֲבָדֶ֔יךָ וּלְבֵנִ֛ים אֹמְרִ֥ים לָ֖נוּ עֲשׂ֑וּ וְהִנֵּ֧ה עֲבָדֶ֛יךָ מֻכִּ֖ים וְחָטָ֥את עַמֶּֽךָ׃
There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us: Make brick; and, behold, thy servants are beaten, but the fault is in thine own people.’
Short skip 50, forward from Leviticus 19:21
וְהֵבִ֤יא אֶת־אֲשָׁמוֹ֙ לַֽיקוָ֔ק אֶל־פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד אֵ֖יל אָשָֽׁם׃
And he shall bring his forfeit unto the LORD, unto the door of the tent of meeting, even a ram for a guilt-offering.
וְכִפֶּר֩ עָלָ֨יו הַכֹּהֵ֜ן בְּאֵ֤יל הָֽאָשָׁם֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְקוָ֔ק עַל־חַטָּאת֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָטָ֑א וְנִסְלַ֣ח ל֔וֹ מֵחַטָּאת֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר חָטָֽא׃
And the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the guilt-offering before the LORD for his sin which he hath sinned; and he shall be forgiven for his sin which he hath sinned.
וְכִי־תָבֹ֣אוּ אֶל־הָאָ֗רֶץ וּנְטַעְתֶּם֙ כָּל־עֵ֣ץ מַאֲכָ֔ל וַעֲרַלְתֶּ֥ם עָרְלָת֖וֹ אֶת־פִּרְי֑וֹ שָׁלֹ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֗ים יִהְיֶ֥ה לָכֶ֛ם עֲרֵלִ֖ים לֹ֥א יֵאָכֵֽל׃
And when ye shall come into the land, and shall have planted all manner of trees for food, then ye shall count the fruit thereof as forbidden; three years shall it be as forbidden unto you; it shall not be eaten.
וּבַשָּׁנָ֣ה הַחֲמִישִׁ֗ת תֹּֽאכְלוּ֙ אֶת־פִּרְי֔וֹ לְהוֹסִ֥יף לָכֶ֖ם תְּבוּאָת֑וֹ אֲנִ֖י יְקוָ֥ק אֱ־לֹהֵיכֶֽם׃
But in the fifth year may ye eat of the fruit thereof, that it may yield unto you more richly the increase thereof: I am the LORD your God.
Middle skip 508, backward from Deuteronomy 25:3
אַרְבָּעִ֥ים יַכֶּ֖נּוּ לֹ֣א יֹסִ֑יף פֶּן־יֹסִ֨יף לְהַכֹּת֤וֹ עַל־אֵ֨לֶּה֙ מַכָּ֣ה רַבָּ֔ה וְנִקְלָ֥ה אָחִ֖יךָ לְעֵינֶֽיךָ׃
Forty stripes he may give him, he shall not exceed; lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should be dishonoured before thine eyes.
… ה֔וּא וְאֵלָ֕יו ה֥וּא נֹשֵׂ֖א אֶת־נַפְשׁ֑וֹ וְלֹֽא־יִקְרָ֤א עָלֶ֨יךָ֙ אֶל־יְקוָ֔ק וְהָיָ֥ה …
In the same day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the LORD and it be sin in thee.
… חֲדָשָׁ֔ה לֹ֤א יֵצֵא֙ בַּצָּבָ֔א וְלֹא־יַעֲבֹ֥ר עָלָ֖יו לְכָל־דָּבָ֑ר נָקִ֞י יִהְיֶ֤ה …
When a man taketh a new wife, he shall not go out in the host, neither shall he be charged with any business; he shall be free for his house one year, and shall cheer his wife whom he hath taken.
כִּֽי־תִדֹּ֥ר נֶ֨דֶר֙ לַיקוָ֣ק אֱ־לֹהֶ֔יךָ לֹ֥א תְאַחֵ֖ר לְשַׁלְּמ֑וֹ כִּֽי־דָּרֹ֨שׁ יִדְרְשֶׁ֜נּוּ יְקוָ֤ק אֱ־לֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ מֵֽעִמָּ֔ךְ וְהָיָ֥ה בְךָ֖ חֵֽטְא׃
When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not be slack to pay it; for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it will be sin in thee.
וְהָיָ֥ה לִפְנֽוֹת־עֶ֖רֶב יִרְחַ֣ץ בַּמָּ֑יִם וּכְבֹ֣א הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ יָבֹ֖א אֶל־תּ֥וֹךְ הַֽמַּחֲנֶה׃
But it shall be, when evening cometh on, he shall bathe himself in water; and when the sun is down, he may come within the camp.
Wide skip 5,001, backward from Numbers 14:23
אִם־יִרְאוּ֙ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתִּי לַאֲבֹתָ֑ם וְכָל־מְנַאֲצַ֖י לֹ֥א יִרְאֽוּהָ׃
surely they shall not see the land which I swore unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that despised Me see it.
וַיִּשְׁמַ֨ע מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶת־הָעָ֗ם בֹּכֶה֙ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֔יו אִ֖ישׁ לְפֶ֣תַח אָהֳל֑וֹ וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֤ף יְקוָק֙ מְאֹ֔ד וּבְעֵינֵ֥י מֹשֶׁ֖ה רָֽע׃
And Moses heard the people weeping, family by family, every man at the door of his tent; and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly; and Moses was displeased.
כַּפּ֨וֹת זָהָ֤ב שְׁתֵּים־עֶשְׂרֵה֙ מְלֵאֹ֣ת קְטֹ֔רֶת עֲשָׂרָ֧ה עֲשָׂרָ֛ה הַכַּ֖ף בְּשֶׁ֣קֶל הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ כָּל־זְהַ֥ב הַכַּפּ֖וֹת עֶשְׂרִ֥ים וּמֵאָֽה׃
twelve golden pans, full of incense, weighing ten shekels apiece, after the shekel of the sanctuary; all the gold of the pans a hundred and twenty shekels;
כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֣י נִזְר֑וֹ מִכֹּל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יֵעָשֶׂ֜ה מִגֶּ֣פֶן הַיַּ֗יִן מֵחַרְצַנִּ֛ים וְעַד־זָ֖ג לֹ֥א יֹאכֵֽל׃
All the days of his Naziriteship shall he eat nothing that is made of the grape-vine, from the pressed grapes even to the grapestone.
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְקוָ֜ק אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה פְּקֹ֨ד כָּל־בְּכֹ֤ר זָכָר֙ לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מִבֶּן־חֹ֖דֶשׁ וָמָ֑עְלָה וְשָׂ֕א אֵ֖ת מִסְפַּ֥ר שְׁמֹתָֽם׃
And the LORD said unto Moses: ‘Number all the first-born males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names.
Outside the Torah
Shortest skip 2, backward from Jeremiah 15:15
אַתָּ֧ה יָדַ֣עְתָּ יְקוָ֗ק זָכְרֵ֤נִי וּפָקְדֵ֨נִי֙ וְהִנָּ֤קֶם לִי֙ מֵרֹ֣דְפַ֔י אַל־לְאֶ֥רֶךְ אַפְּךָ֖ תִּקָּחֵ֑נִי דַּ֕ע שְׂאֵתִ֥י עָלֶ֖יךָ חֶרְפָּֽה׃
Thou, O LORD, knowest; Remember me, and think of me, and avenge me of my persecutors; Take me not away because of Thy long-suffering; Know that for Thy sake I have suffered taunts.
Middle skip 500, backward from Ezekiel 12:23
… ע֖וֹד בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּ֚י אִם־דַּבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם קָֽרְבוּ֙ הַיָּמִ֔ים וּדְבַ֖ר כָּל־חָזֽוֹן׃
Tell them therefore: Thus saith the Lord GOD: I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel; but say unto them: The days are at hand, and the word of every vision.
וְכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר סְבִיבֹתָ֥יו עזרהעֶזְר֛וֹ וְכָל־אֲגַפָּ֖יו אֱזָרֶ֣ה לְכָל־ר֑וּחַ וְחֶ֖רֶב אָרִ֥יק אַחֲרֵיהֶֽם׃
And I will disperse toward every wind all that are round about him to help him, and all his troops; and I will draw out the sword after them.
לְעֵינֵיהֶ֖ם חֲתָר־לְךָ֣ בַקִּ֑יר וְהוֹצֵאתָ֖ בּֽוֹ׃
Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby.
לְמַ֨עַן֙ בְּחֻקֹּתַ֣י יֵלֵ֔כוּ וְאֶת־מִשְׁפָּטַ֥י יִשְׁמְר֖וּ וְעָשׂ֣וּ אֹתָ֑ם וְהָיוּ־לִ֣י לְעָ֔ם וַאֲנִ֕י אֶהְיֶ֥ה לָהֶ֖ם לֵא־לֹהִֽים׃
that they may walk in My statutes, and keep Mine ordinances, and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God.
וִֽידַעְתֶּם֙ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י יְקוָ֔ק אֲשֶׁ֤ר בְּחֻקַּי֙ לֹ֣א הֲלַכְתֶּ֔ם וּמִשְׁפָּטַ֖י לֹ֣א עֲשִׂיתֶ֑ם וּֽכְמִשְׁפְּטֵ֧י הַגּוֹיִ֛ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר סְבִיבוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם עֲשִׂיתֶֽם׃
and ye shall know that I am the LORD; for ye have not walked in My statutes, neither have ye executed Mine ordinances, but have done after the ordinances of the nations that are round about you.’
By skip range, shuffled texts and book
| Skips, Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| 2 to 10 | 3 | 3.9 |
| 11 to 100 | 39 | 38.9 |
| 101 to 1,000 | 365 | 386 |
| 1,001 to 5,000 | 1,603 | 1,660 |
| 5,001 to 76,212 | 14,617 | 14,375 |
Shuffled Torahs
The Torah's own count at skips 2 to 1,000 is 407. Each family below rebuilt the text 100 times (seed 5787). What each family keeps.
| Control family | Runs at or above 407 | Median run | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letter shuffle | 87/100 | 430 | 367 to 485 |
| Words within each verse | 77/100 | 422 | 369 to 467 |
Where the sequences start
| Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Genesis | 4,960 | 4,216 |
| Exodus | 3,129 | 3,431 |
| Leviticus | 2,530 | 2,419 |
| Numbers | 3,316 | 3,432 |
| Deuteronomy | 2,692 | 2,966 |
| Tanakh | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Torah | 66,125 | 60,286 |
| Prophets | 104,495 | 109,514 |
| Writings | 66,340 | 66,922 |
Run this search yourself
Change the skips, set אפרים 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.