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The Flood מבול

מבול is kept for one event. It stands in Genesis, and once in a psalm, and the Tanakh's other floods take other words.

Found in the Torah
948,711
Chance alone: 968,721
Skips 2 to 101,616
Found in the Tanakh
17,175,126
Chance alone: 17,176,188
Skips 2 to 399,013

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When Isaiah or the Psalms want a flood they have זרם and שטף and other words. מבול is reserved. It belongs to the story of Noah, where it stands twelve times, and a single line of Psalm 29 borrows it to say that the Lord sat enthroned at the flood. Its origin is uncertain, and nothing else in Hebrew is built from it. So this is a rare case of a word that refers, in practice, to one thing. The bare form stands once, at Genesis 9:11, in the promise that there would be no more. Almost every other case has the article, המבול, the Flood, as if there could only be the one.

As a whole word
1
First, with any prefix
Genesis 6:17
Last
Psalm 29:10

The measurement

Nothing stands out. The count sits 2.1 percent under the formula overall, and the shuffled Torahs land on either side of it. A dull result is a result, and most terms give one.

At every skipTorahTanakh
Found948,71117,175,126
Chance alone968,72117,176,188
P (≥ found)1.000.60
Shortest skip22
Longest skip101,570398,919

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 92,253 against 92,969 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 30:40
מבול, skip 2 forward, from Genesis 30:40לועדרילדואשתםעלצםבול
A matrix 2 letters wide.

Open at skip 2

  1. Genesis 30:40מבול

    … וְכָל־ח֖וּם בְּצֹ֣אן לָבָ֑ן וַיָּֽשֶׁת־ל֤וֹ עֲדָרִים֙ לְבַדּ֔וֹ וְלֹ֥א שָׁתָ֖ם עַל־צֹ֥אן לָבָֽן׃

    And Jacob separated the lambs—he also set the faces of the flocks toward the streaked and all the dark in the flock of Laban— and put his own droves apart, and put them not unto Laban’s flock.

Shortest skip 2, forward from Genesis 45:18
מבול, skip 2 forward, from Genesis 45:18אתבתיכואאיואתנהלםבול
A matrix 2 letters wide.

Open at skip 2

  1. Genesis 45:18מבול

    וּקְח֧וּ אֶת־אֲבִיכֶ֛ם וְאֶת־בָּתֵּיכֶ֖ם וּבֹ֣אוּ אֵלָ֑י וְאֶתְּנָ֣ה לָכֶ֗ם אֶת־טוּב֙ אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם וְאִכְל֖וּ אֶת־חֵ֥לֶב הָאָֽרֶץ׃

    and take your father and your households, and come unto me; and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land.

Short skip 50, forward from Exodus 6:16
מבול, skip 50 forward, from Exodus 6:16םבניראובןבכרישראלחנוךבנישמעוןימואלוימיןואהפחתשמעוןואלהשמותבנילווישבעושלשיומאתשנהבנימרםויצהרוחרוןועזיאלומררימחליומשיאלהמשפחתלולאשהותלדואתאהרןואתהובנייצהרקרחונפגוזכריאהרןאתאלישבעבתעמינדבאביהואאתאלעזרואתאיתמרוםבול
One row of this matrix is 50 letters wide. The 21 columns around the sequence are shown.

Open at skip 50

  1. Exodus 6:16מ

    וְאֵ֨לֶּה שְׁמ֤וֹת בְּנֵֽי־לֵוִי֙ לְתֹ֣לְדֹתָ֔ם גֵּרְשׁ֕וֹן וּקְהָ֖ת וּמְרָרִ֑י וּשְׁנֵי֙ חַיֵּ֣י לֵוִ֔י שֶׁ֧בַע וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֛ים וּמְאַ֖ת שָׁנָֽה׃

    And these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations: Gershon and Kohath, and Merari. And the years of the life of Levi were a hundred thirty and seven years.

  2. Exodus 6:18ב

    וּבְנֵ֣י קְהָ֔ת עַמְרָ֣ם וְיִצְהָ֔ר וְחֶבְר֖וֹן וְעֻזִּיאֵ֑ל וּשְׁנֵי֙ חַיֵּ֣י קְהָ֔ת שָׁלֹ֧שׁ וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֛ים וּמְאַ֖ת שָׁנָֽה׃

    And the sons of Kohath: Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel. And the years of the life of Kohath were a hundred thirty and three years.

  3. Exodus 6:19ו

    וּבְנֵ֥י מְרָרִ֖י מַחְלִ֣י וּמוּשִׁ֑י אֵ֛לֶּה מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הַלֵּוִ֖י לְתֹלְדֹתָֽם׃

    And the sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their generations.

  4. Exodus 6:20ל

    … דֹּֽדָתוֹ֙ ל֣וֹ לְאִשָּׁ֔ה וַתֵּ֣לֶד ל֔וֹ אֶֽת־אַהֲרֹ֖ן וְאֶת־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וּשְׁנֵי֙ חַיֵּ֣י …

    And Amram took him Jochebed his father’s sister to wife; and she bore him Aaron and Moses. And the years of the life of Amram were a hundred and thirty and seven years.

Middle skip 500, forward from Leviticus 9:19
מבול, skip 500 forward, from Leviticus 9:19יקוקויקחמשהאתםמעלכפיהםאתמשמרתיקוקולאתמותוכאשרלוויקרבובניאהרןאתהביםמןהשורוןהאילהאליהאלואלאלצפןניעזיאלדדאוקואכלוהמצתאצלהמזבחכקראנהאתיכאהואכלתיחטאןלוסנפירוקשקשתבימיםובוףאשרלוארבערגליםשקץהוכויטמאואתותשברומכלהאכמבול
One row of this matrix is 500 letters wide. The 21 columns around the sequence are shown.

Open at skip 500

  1. Leviticus 9:19מ

    וְאֶת־הַחֲלָבִ֖ים מִן־הַשּׁ֑וֹר וּמִן־הָאַ֔יִל הָֽאַלְיָ֤ה וְהַֽמְכַסֶּה֙ וְהַכְּלָיֹ֔ת וְיֹתֶ֖רֶת הַכָּבֵֽד׃

    and the fat of the ox, and of the ram, the fat tail, and that which covereth the inwards, and the kidneys, and the lobe of the liver.

  2. Leviticus 10:4ב

    … מֹשֶׁ֗ה אֶל־מִֽישָׁאֵל֙ וְאֶ֣ל אֶלְצָפָ֔ן בְּנֵ֥י עֻזִּיאֵ֖ל דֹּ֣ד אַהֲרֹ֑ן וַיֹּ֣אמֶר …

    And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said unto them: ‘Draw near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp.’

  3. Leviticus 10:12ו

    … הַנּוֹתֶ֨רֶת֙ מֵאִשֵּׁ֣י יְקוָ֔ק וְאִכְל֥וּהָ מַצּ֖וֹת אֵ֣צֶל הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ כִּ֛י קֹ֥דֶשׁ …

    And Moses spoke unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons that were left: ‘Take the meal-offering that remaineth of the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and eat it without leaven beside the altar; for it is most holy.

  4. Leviticus 10:19ל

    … לִפְנֵ֣י יְקוָ֔ק וַתִּקְרֶ֥אנָה אֹתִ֖י כָּאֵ֑לֶּה וְאָכַ֤לְתִּי חַטָּאת֙ הַיּ֔וֹם הַיִּיטַ֖ב …

    And Aaron spoke unto Moses: ‘Behold, this day have they offered their sin-offering and their burnt-offering before the LORD, and there have befallen me such things as these; and if I had eaten the sin-offering to-day, would it have been well-pleasing in the sight of the LORD?

Wide skip 5,000, forward from Numbers 7:55
מבול, skip 5000 forward, from Numbers 7:55תשדהמקנתואשרלאמשדהאחזיםמתוךבניישראלתחתכלבכישכיתשטהאשתוומעלהבומעששניהםמלאיסלתבלולהבששוןבןעמינדועלצבאמטהבממנוויוציאדבתהארץאשרןיקוקולעמדפניהעדהלשרניוולקחאלעזרהכהןמדמהבלהיםאלבלעםויאמרמיהאנששלוםוהיתהלוולזרעואחריםבול
One row of this matrix is 5,000 letters wide. The 21 columns around the sequence are shown.

Open at skip 5,000

  1. Numbers 7:55מ

    … שֶׁ֖קֶל בְּשֶׁ֣קֶל הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ שְׁנֵיהֶ֣ם מְלֵאִ֗ים סֹ֛לֶת בְּלוּלָ֥ה בַשֶּׁ֖מֶן לְמִנְחָֽה׃

    his offering was one silver dish, the weight thereof was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meal-offering;

  2. Numbers 10:14ב

    וַיִּסַּ֞ע דֶּ֣גֶל מַחֲנֵ֧ה בְנֵֽי־יְהוּדָ֛ה בָּרִאשֹׁנָ֖ה לְצִבְאֹתָ֑ם וְעַל־צְבָא֔וֹ נַחְשׁ֖וֹן בֶּן־עַמִּינָדָֽב׃

    And in the first place the standard of the camp of the children of Judah set forward according to their hosts; and over his host was Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

  3. Numbers 13:32ו

    וַיּוֹצִ֜יאוּ דִּבַּ֤ת הָאָ֨רֶץ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תָּר֣וּ …

    And they spread an evil report of the land which they had spied out unto the children of Israel, saying: ‘The land, through which we have passed to spy it out, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of great stature.

  4. Numbers 16:9ל

    … אֶת־עֲבֹדַת֙ מִשְׁכַּ֣ן יְקוָ֔ק וְלַעֲמֹ֛ד לִפְנֵ֥י הָעֵדָ֖ה לְשָׁרְתָֽם׃

    is it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them;

Outside the Torah

Shortest skip 2, forward from Joshua 1:4
מבול, skip 2 forward, from Joshua 1:4למשהמהדרהבנוןהזהמבול
A matrix 2 letters wide.

Open at skip 2

  1. Joshua 1:4מבול

    מֵהַמִּדְבָּר֩ וְהַלְּבָנ֨וֹן הַזֶּ֜ה וְֽעַד־הַנָּהָ֧ר הַגָּד֣וֹל נְהַר־פְּרָ֗ת כֹּ֚ל אֶ֣רֶץ הַֽחִתִּ֔ים וְעַד־הַיָּ֥ם הַגָּד֖וֹל מְב֣וֹא הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ יִֽהְיֶ֖ה גְּבוּלְכֶֽם׃

    From the wilderness, and this Lebanon, even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your border.

Middle skip 500, forward from Judges 9:20
מבול, skip 500 forward, from Judges 9:20ישבבביתוולגדעוןהיושבעהאלהויטלבםאחריאבימלךכלכתילנועעלהעציםויאמרואםאיןתצאאשאבימלךותאכינעבדנוהלאןירבעלוזבלאנשיםויסףעדגעללדברוימלחוישמעוכבעלימגדלשכערנשאכליוויאמרלושלףחרשתרותואתאלהיארםואתאלהלהיםאשרבחרתםבםהמהיושימבול
One row of this matrix is 500 letters wide. The 21 columns around the sequence are shown.

Open at skip 500

  1. Judges 9:20מ

    וְאִם־אַ֕יִן תֵּ֤צֵא אֵשׁ֙ מֵאֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ וְתֹאכַ֛ל אֶת־בַּעֲלֵ֥י שְׁכֶ֖ם וְאֶת־בֵּ֣ית …

    But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and Beth-millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from Beth-millo, and devour Abimelech.’

  2. Judges 9:28ב

    … וּמִֽי־שְׁכֶם֙ כִּ֣י נַעַבְדֶ֔נּוּ הֲלֹ֥א בֶן־יְרֻבַּ֖עַל וּזְבֻ֣ל פְּקִיד֑וֹ עִבְד֗וּ אֶת־אַנְשֵׁ֤י …

    And Gaal the son of Ebed said: ‘Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? is not he the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? serve ye the men of Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him?

  3. Judges 9:37ו

    וַיֹּ֨סֶף ע֣וֹד גַּעַל֮ לְדַבֵּר֒ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר הִנֵּה־עָם֙ יֽוֹרְדִ֔ים מֵעִ֖ם טַבּ֣וּר הָאָ֑רֶץ וְרֹאשׁ־אֶחָ֣ד בָּ֔א מִדֶּ֖רֶךְ אֵל֥וֹן מְעוֹנְנִֽים׃

    And Gaal spoke again and said: ‘See, there come people down by the middle of the land, and one company cometh by the way of Elon-meonenim.’

  4. Judges 9:46ל

    וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֔וּ כָּֽל־בַּעֲלֵ֖י מִֽגְדַּל־שְׁכֶ֑ם וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ אֶל־צְרִ֔יחַ בֵּ֖ית אֵ֥ל בְּרִֽית׃

    And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard thereof, they entered into the hold of the house of El-berith.

By skip range, shuffled texts and book
Skips, TorahFoundChance alone
2 to 10161172
11 to 1001,6061,715
101 to 1,00016,98917,067
1,001 to 5,00073,49774,015
5,001 to 101,616856,458875,752

Shuffled Torahs

The Torah's own count at skips 2 to 1,000 is 18,756. Each family below rebuilt the text 100 times (seed 5787). What each family keeps.

Control familyRuns at or above 18,756Median runRange
Letter shuffle92/10018,95718,625 to 19,421
Words within each verse24/10018,68118,336 to 19,036

Where the sequences start

TorahFoundChance alone
Genesis236,050248,080
Exodus202,505201,882
Leviticus127,859142,345
Numbers218,515201,927
Deuteronomy163,782174,487
TanakhFoundChance alone
Torah4,265,1864,374,250
Prophets7,935,2557,946,183
Writings4,974,6854,855,755

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