Hebron חברון
Abraham's first purchase of land, and David's first capital. Numbers takes the trouble to date its founding against a city of Egypt.
- Found in the Torah
- 7,977
- Chance alone: 8,106
- Skips 2 to 76,212
- Found in the Tanakh
- 127,492
- Chance alone: 127,490
- Skips 2 to 299,260
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Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt. Numbers 13:22 stops the story of the spies to say so, a strange thing to know and a strange thing to mention. Hebron is an old town in this text. Sarah dies there in Genesis 23:2, when its name is still Kiriath-arba, and Abraham pays four hundred shekels for a cave, the first land anyone in this family owns. Caleb receives it in Joshua 14:13. David is king there for seven years and six months before he takes Jerusalem, as 2 Samuel 2:11 records.
- As a whole word
- 34
- First, with any prefix
- Genesis 13:18
The measurement
The Tanakh's whole count, 127,492, differs from the formula's 127,489.6 by less than three sequences. Agreement like that is luck, and worth as little as disagreement would be. The Torah's shortest sequence stands at a skip of 14, and nothing at all falls at skips 2 to 10, where chance gives 1.9.
| At every skip | Torah | Tanakh |
|---|---|---|
| Found | 7,977 | 127,492 |
| Chance alone | 8,106 | 127,490 |
| P (≥ found) | 0.92 | 0.50 |
| Shortest skip | 14 | 3 |
| Longest skip | 75,439 | 297,298 |
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 1,083 against 1,028 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 14, forward from Exodus 8:24
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֗ה אָנֹכִ֞י אֲשַׁלַּ֤ח אֶתְכֶם֙ וּזְבַחְתֶּ֞ם לַיקוָ֤ק אֱ־לֹֽהֵיכֶם֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר רַ֛ק הַרְחֵ֥ק לֹא־תַרְחִ֖יקוּ לָלֶ֑כֶת הַעְתִּ֖ירוּ בַּעֲדִֽי׃
And Pharaoh said: ‘I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away; entreat for me.’
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֗ה הִנֵּ֨ה אָנֹכִ֜י יוֹצֵ֤א מֵֽעִמָּךְ֙ וְהַעְתַּרְתִּ֣י …
And Moses said: ‘Behold, I go out from thee, and I will entreat the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow; only let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.’
Short skip 55, forward from Genesis 18:4
יֻקַּֽח־נָ֣א מְעַט־מַ֔יִם וְרַחֲצ֖וּ רַגְלֵיכֶ֑ם וְהִֽשָּׁעֲנ֖וּ תַּ֥חַת הָעֵֽץ׃
Let now a little water be fetched, and wash your feet, and recline yourselves under the tree.
וְאֶקְחָ֨ה פַת־לֶ֜חֶם וְסַעֲד֤וּ לִבְּכֶם֙ אַחַ֣ר תַּעֲבֹ֔רוּ כִּֽי־עַל־כֵּ֥ן עֲבַרְתֶּ֖ם עַֽל־עַבְדְּכֶ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ כֵּ֥ן תַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּֽרְתָּ׃
And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and stay ye your heart; after that ye shall pass on; forasmuch as ye are come to your servant.’ And they said: ‘So do, as thou hast said.’
וַיְמַהֵ֧ר אַבְרָהָ֛ם הָאֹ֖הֱלָה אֶל־שָׂרָ֑ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר מַהֲרִ֞י שְׁלֹ֤שׁ סְאִים֙ קֶ֣מַח סֹ֔לֶת ל֖וּשִׁי וַעֲשִׂ֥י עֻגֽוֹת׃
And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said: ‘Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.’
וְאֶל־הַבָּקָ֖ר רָ֣ץ אַבְרָהָ֑ם וַיִּקַּ֨ח בֶּן־בָּקָ֜ר רַ֤ךְ וָטוֹב֙ וַיִּתֵּ֣ן אֶל־הַנַּ֔עַר וַיְמַהֵ֖ר לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת אֹתֽוֹ׃
And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it unto the servant; and he hastened to dress it.
וַיִּקַּ֨ח חֶמְאָ֜ה וְחָלָ֗ב וּבֶן־הַבָּקָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה וַיִּתֵּ֖ן לִפְנֵיהֶ֑ם וְהֽוּא־עֹמֵ֧ד עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם תַּ֥חַת הָעֵ֖ץ וַיֹּאכֵֽלוּ׃
And he took curd, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.
Middle skip 508, backward from Numbers 26:10
וַתִּפְתַּ֨ח הָאָ֜רֶץ אֶת־פִּ֗יהָ וַתִּבְלַ֥ע אֹתָ֛ם וְאֶת־קֹ֖רַח בְּמ֣וֹת הָעֵדָ֑ה בַּאֲכֹ֣ל הָאֵ֗שׁ אֵ֣ת חֲמִשִּׁ֤ים וּמָאתַ֨יִם֙ אִ֔ישׁ וַיִּהְי֖וּ לְנֵֽס׃
and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that company died; what time the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men, and they became a sign.
כִּ֣י צֹרְרִ֥ים הֵם֙ לָכֶ֔ם בְּנִכְלֵיהֶ֛ם אֲשֶׁר־נִכְּל֥וּ לָכֶ֖ם עַל־דְּבַר־פְּע֑וֹר וְעַל־דְּבַ֞ר כָּזְבִּ֨י בַת־נְשִׂ֤יא מִדְיָן֙ אֲחֹתָ֔ם הַמֻּכָּ֥ה בְיוֹם־הַמַּגֵּפָ֖ה עַל־דְּבַר־פְּעֽוֹר׃
for they harass you, by their wiles wherewith they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of the prince of Midian, their sister, who was slain on the day of the plague in the matter of Peor.’
וַיַּ֗רְא פִּֽינְחָס֙ בֶּן־אֶלְעָזָ֔ר בֶּֽן־אַהֲרֹ֖ן הַכֹּהֵ֑ן וַיָּ֨קָם֙ מִתּ֣וֹךְ הָֽעֵדָ֔ה וַיִּקַּ֥ח רֹ֖מַח בְּיָדֽוֹ׃
And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from the midst of the congregation, and took a spear in his hand.
וַיַּרְא֙ אֶת־עֲמָלֵ֔ק וַיִּשָּׂ֥א מְשָׁל֖וֹ וַיֹּאמַ֑ר רֵאשִׁ֤ית גּוֹיִם֙ עֲמָלֵ֔ק וְאַחֲרִית֖וֹ עֲדֵ֥י אֹבֵֽד׃
And he looked on Amalek, and took up his parable, and said: Amalek was the first of the nations; But his end shall come to destruction.
… אֶל־בִּלְעָ֗ם לָקֹ֤ב אֹֽיְבַי֙ קְרָאתִ֔יךָ וְהִנֵּה֙ בֵּרַ֣כְתָּ בָרֵ֔ךְ זֶ֖ה שָׁלֹ֥שׁ …
And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together; and Balak said unto Balaam: ‘I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.
Wide skip 5,008, forward from Leviticus 22:28
וְשׁ֖וֹר אוֹ־שֶׂ֑ה אֹת֣וֹ וְאֶת־בְּנ֔וֹ לֹ֥א תִשְׁחֲט֖וּ בְּי֥וֹם אֶחָֽד׃
And whether it be cow or ewe, ye shall not kill it and its young both in one day.
וְאִ֗ישׁ כִּֽי־יִמְכֹּ֤ר בֵּית־מוֹשַׁב֙ עִ֣יר חוֹמָ֔ה וְהָיְתָה֙ גְּאֻלָּת֔וֹ עַד־תֹּ֖ם שְׁנַ֣ת מִמְכָּר֑וֹ יָמִ֖ים תִּהְיֶ֥ה גְאֻלָּתֽוֹ׃
And if a man sell a dwelling-house in a walled city, then he may redeem it within a whole year after it is sold; for a full year shall he have the right of redemption.
אַךְ־בְּכ֞וֹר אֲשֶׁר־יְבֻכַּ֤ר לַֽיקוָק֙ בִּבְהֵמָ֔ה לֹֽא־יַקְדִּ֥ישׁ אִ֖ישׁ אֹת֑וֹ אִם־שׁ֣וֹר אִם־שֶׂ֔ה לַֽיקוָ֖ק הֽוּא׃
Howbeit the firstling among beasts, which is born as a firstling to the LORD, no man shall sanctify it; whether it be ox or sheep, it is the LORD’S.
וַיִּפְקֹ֥ד אֹתָ֛ם מֹשֶׁ֖ה עַל־פִּ֣י יְקוָ֑ק כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר צֻוָּֽה׃
And Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he was commanded.
… קֶ֣מַח שְׂעֹרִ֑ים לֹֽא־יִצֹ֨ק עָלָ֜יו שֶׁ֗מֶן וְלֹֽא־יִתֵּ֤ן עָלָיו֙ לְבֹנָ֔ה כִּֽי־מִנְחַ֤ת …
then shall the man bring his wife unto the priest, and shall bring her offering for her, the tenth part of an ephah of barley meal; he shall pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense thereon; for it is a meal-offering of jealousy, a meal-offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to remembrance.
Outside the Torah
Shortest skip 3, forward from 2 Chronicles 11:18
Middle skip 500, forward from Proverbs 24:20
כִּ֤י לֹֽא־תִהְיֶ֣ה אַחֲרִ֣ית לָרָ֑ע נֵ֖ר רְשָׁעִ֣ים יִדְעָֽךְ׃
For there will be no future to the evil man, The lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
כְּבֹ֣ד אֱ֭־לֹהִים הַסְתֵּ֣ר דָּבָ֑ר וּכְבֹ֥ד מְ֝לָכִ֗ים חֲקֹ֣ר דָּבָֽר׃
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing; but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
מֵפִ֣יץ וְ֭חֶרֶב וְחֵ֣ץ שָׁנ֑וּן אִ֥ישׁ עֹנֶ֥ה בְ֝רֵעֵ֗הוּ עֵ֣ד שָֽׁקֶר׃
As a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, So is a man that beareth false witness against his neighbour.
דַּלְי֣וּ שֹׁ֭קַיִם מִפִּסֵּ֑חַ וּ֝מָשָׁ֗ל בְּפִ֣י כְסִילִֽים׃
The legs hang limp from the lame; So is a parable in the mouth of fools.
כִּֽי־יְחַנֵּ֣ן ק֭וֹלוֹ אַל־תַּֽאֲמֶן־בּ֑וֹ כִּ֤י שֶׁ֖בַע תּוֹעֵב֣וֹת בְּלִבּֽוֹ׃
When he speaketh fair, Believe him not; For there are seven abominations in his heart.
By skip range, shuffled texts and book
| Skips, Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| 2 to 10 | 0 | 1.9 |
| 11 to 100 | 21 | 19.1 |
| 101 to 1,000 | 186 | 190 |
| 1,001 to 5,000 | 876 | 817 |
| 5,001 to 76,212 | 6,894 | 7,077 |
Shuffled Torahs
The Torah's own count at skips 2 to 1,000 is 207. Each family below rebuilt the text 100 times (seed 5787). What each family keeps.
| Control family | Runs at or above 207 | Median run | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letter shuffle | 56/100 | 209 | 173 to 244 |
| Words within each verse | 56/100 | 210 | 183 to 245 |
Where the sequences start
| Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Genesis | 2,131 | 2,076 |
| Exodus | 1,561 | 1,689 |
| Leviticus | 1,219 | 1,191 |
| Numbers | 1,864 | 1,690 |
| Deuteronomy | 1,202 | 1,460 |
| Tanakh | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Torah | 33,249 | 32,468 |
| Prophets | 55,122 | 58,980 |
| Writings | 39,121 | 36,042 |
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