Issachar יששכר
The written name has a letter nobody reads. The Masorah spells two ש and pronounces one, and an equidistant search counts both.
- Found in the Torah
- 14,394
- Chance alone: 14,690
- Skips 2 to 76,212
- Found in the Tanakh
- 219,816
- Chance alone: 219,895
- Skips 2 to 299,260
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Say it aloud and you get four syllables with one s. Write it and there are two ש. Every time the Tanakh prints יששכר, the second ש goes unread, and vowel signs are given only to the first. It is the best-known name in the Tanakh with a letter that is simply never read. Leah's explanation in Genesis 30:18 is that God hath given me my hire, שכר, and the name seems to be the words יש שכר, there is a reward, run together. This matters here for one reason. The search reads the letters and takes no notice of how they are spoken, so the ש that no one pronounces counts exactly as much as any other letter of the text.
- As a whole word
- 32
- First, with any prefix
- Genesis 30:18
The measurement
The silent ש counts in full, so this is a five-letter search for a name spoken with four. That makes 14,394 sequences in the Torah against 14,689.8 by chance. Drop the second ש and you would be searching for a word the text never writes.
| At every skip | Torah | Tanakh |
|---|---|---|
| Found | 14,394 | 219,816 |
| Chance alone | 14,690 | 219,895 |
| P (≥ found) | 0.99 | 0.57 |
| Shortest skip | 5 | 3 |
| Longest skip | 75,691 | 298,270 |
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 1,772 against 1,864 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 5, forward from Genesis 17:19
… אִתּ֛וֹ לִבְרִ֥ית עוֹלָ֖ם לְזַרְע֥וֹ אַחֲרָֽיו׃
And God said: ‘‘Nay, but Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son; and thou shalt call his name Isaac; and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his seed after him.
וּֽלְיִשְׁמָעֵ֘אל שְׁמַעְתִּיךָ֒ הִנֵּ֣ה בֵּרַ֣כְתִּי אֹת֗וֹ וְהִפְרֵיתִ֥י אֹת֛וֹ וְהִרְבֵּיתִ֥י …
And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee; behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.
Shortest skip 5, backward from Leviticus 10:6
… כָּל־הָעֵדָ֖ה יִקְצֹ֑ף וַאֲחֵיכֶם֙ כָּל־בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל יִבְכּוּ֙ אֶת־הַשְּׂרֵפָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר שָׂרַ֥ף יְקוָֽק׃
And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons: ‘Let not the hair of your heads go loose, neither rend your clothes, that ye die not, and that He be not wroth with all the congregation; but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel…
Short skip 50, forward from Deuteronomy 24:3
… הָאַחֲרוֹן֒ וְכָ֨תַב לָ֜הּ סֵ֤פֶר כְּרִיתֻת֙ וְנָתַ֣ן בְּיָדָ֔הּ וְשִׁלְּחָ֖הּ מִבֵּית֑וֹ א֣וֹ כִ֤י יָמוּת֙ הָאִ֣ישׁ הָאַחֲר֔וֹן אֲשֶׁר־לְקָחָ֥הּ ל֖וֹ לְאִשָּֽׁה׃
and the latter husband hateth her, and writeth her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sendeth her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, who took her to be his wife;
… לִהְי֧וֹת ל֣וֹ לְאִשָּׁ֗ה אַחֲרֵי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֻטַּמָּ֔אָה כִּֽי־תוֹעֵבָ֥ה הִ֖וא לִפְנֵ֣י יְקוָ֑ק וְלֹ֤א תַחֲטִיא֙ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר֙ יְקוָ֣ק אֱ־לֹהֶ֔יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ נַחֲלָֽה׃
her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the LORD; and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.
… יֵצֵא֙ בַּצָּבָ֔א וְלֹא־יַעֲבֹ֥ר עָלָ֖יו לְכָל־דָּבָ֑ר נָקִ֞י יִהְיֶ֤ה לְבֵיתוֹ֙ שָׁנָ֣ה …
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.
Middle skip 504, backward from Exodus 1:18
וַיִּקְרָ֤א מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֨יִם֙ לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֔ת וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֔ן מַדּ֥וּעַ עֲשִׂיתֶ֖ן הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה וַתְּחַיֶּ֖יןָ אֶת־הַיְלָדִֽים׃
And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them: ‘Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men-children alive?’
וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֶל־עַמּ֑וֹ הִנֵּ֗ה עַ֚ם בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל רַ֥ב וְעָצ֖וּם מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃
And he said unto his people: ‘Behold, the people of the children of Israel are too many and too mighty for us;
וַיֵּ֤שֶׁב יוֹסֵף֙ בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם ה֖וּא וּבֵ֣ית אָבִ֑יו וַיְחִ֣י יוֹסֵ֔ף מֵאָ֥ה וָעֶ֖שֶׂר שָׁנִֽים׃
And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father’s house; and Joseph lived a hundred and ten years.
… וַיִּקְבְּר֣וּ אֹת֔וֹ בִּמְעָרַ֖ת שְׂדֵ֣ה הַמַּכְפֵּלָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר קָנָה֩ אַבְרָהָ֨ם אֶת־הַשָּׂדֶ֜ה …
For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field, for a possession of a burying-place, of Ephron the Hittite, in front of Mamre.
וַיַּֽעַבְרוּ֙ יְמֵ֣י בְכִית֔וֹ וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר יוֹסֵ֔ף אֶל־בֵּ֥ית פַּרְעֹ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר אִם־נָ֨א מָצָ֤אתִי חֵן֙ בְּעֵ֣ינֵיכֶ֔ם דַּבְּרוּ־נָ֕א בְּאָזְנֵ֥י פַרְעֹ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר׃
And when the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph spoke unto the house of Pharaoh, saying: ‘If now I have found favour in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying:
Wide skip 5,021, forward from Numbers 26:64
וּבְאֵ֨לֶּה֙ לֹא־הָ֣יָה אִ֔ישׁ מִפְּקוּדֵ֣י מֹשֶׁ֔ה וְאַהֲרֹ֖ן הַכֹּהֵ֑ן אֲשֶׁ֥ר פָּקְד֛וּ אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּמִדְבַּ֥ר סִינָֽי׃
But among these there was not a man of them that were numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest, who numbered the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai.
… יָנִ֣יא אוֹתָהּ֒ וְהֵפֵ֗ר אֶת־נִדְרָהּ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָלֶ֔יהָ וְאֵת֙ מִבְטָ֣א שְׂפָתֶ֔יהָ …
But if her husband disallow her in the day that he heareth it, then he shall make void her vow which is upon her, and the clear utterance of her lips, wherewith she hath bound her soul; and the LORD will forgive her.
וְאֶת־נְב֞וֹ וְאֶת־בַּ֧עַל מְע֛וֹן מֽוּסַבֹּ֥ת שֵׁ֖ם וְאֶת־שִׂבְמָ֑ה וַיִּקְרְא֣וּ בְשֵׁמֹ֔ת אֶת־שְׁמ֥וֹת הֶעָרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּנֽוּ׃
and Nebo, and Baal-meon—their names being changed—and Sibmah; and gave their names unto the cities which they builded.
… ה֥וּא יַחֲנִ֖יף אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְלָאָ֣רֶץ לֹֽא־יְכֻפַּ֗ר לַדָּם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שֻׁפַּךְ־בָּ֔הּ כִּי־אִ֖ם …
So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are; for blood, it polluteth the land; and no expiation can be made for the land for the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.
אֹ֣כֶל בַּכֶּ֤סֶף תַּשְׁבִּרֵ֨נִי֙ וְאָכַ֔לְתִּי וּמַ֛יִם בַּכֶּ֥סֶף תִּתֶּן־לִ֖י וְשָׁתִ֑יתִי רַ֖ק אֶעְבְּרָ֥ה בְרַגְלָֽי׃
Thou shalt sell me food for money, that I may eat; and give me water for money, that I may drink; only let me pass through on my feet;
Outside the Torah
Shortest skip 3, forward from 2 Kings 7:15
וַיֵּלְכ֣וּ אַחֲרֵיהֶם֮ עַד־הַיַּרְדֵּן֒ וְהִנֵּ֣ה כָל־הַדֶּ֗רֶךְ מְלֵאָ֤ה בְגָדִים֙ וְכֵלִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־הִשְׁלִ֥יכוּ אֲרָ֖ם בהחפזםבְּחָפְזָ֑ם וַיָּשֻׁ֨בוּ֙ הַמַּלְאָכִ֔ים וַיַּגִּ֖דוּ לַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃
And they went after them unto the Jordan; and, lo, all the way was full of garments and vessels, which the Arameans had cast away in their haste. And the messengers returned, and told the king.
Middle skip 502, backward from 1 Samuel 19:16
וַיָּבֹ֨אוּ֙ הַמַּלְאָכִ֔ים וְהִנֵּ֥ה הַתְּרָפִ֖ים אֶל־הַמִּטָּ֑ה וּכְבִ֥יר הָעִזִּ֖ים מְרַאֲשֹׁתָֽיו׃
And when the messengers came in, behold, the teraphim was in the bed, with the quilt of goats’ hair at the head thereof.
וַיִּקְרָ֤א יְהוֹנָתָן֙ לְדָוִ֔ד וַיַּגֶּד־לוֹ֙ יְה֣וֹנָתָ֔ן אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה וַיָּבֵ֨א יְהוֹנָתָ֤ן אֶת־דָּוִד֙ אֶל־שָׁא֔וּל וַיְהִ֥י לְפָנָ֖יו כְּאֶתְמ֥וֹל שִׁלְשֽׁוֹם׃
And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as beforetime.
וַיֵּצְא֖וּ שָׂרֵ֣י פְלִשְׁתִּ֑ים וַיְהִ֣י מִדֵּ֣י צֵאתָ֗ם שָׂכַ֤ל דָּוִד֙ מִכֹּל֙ עַבְדֵ֣י שָׁא֔וּל וַיִּיקַ֥ר שְׁמ֖וֹ מְאֹֽד׃
Then the princes of the Philistines went forth; and it came to pass, as often as they went forth, that David prospered more than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.
וַיְצַ֨ו שָׁא֜וּל אֶת־עֲבָדָ֗ו דַּבְּר֨וּ אֶל־דָּוִ֤ד בַּלָּט֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הִנֵּ֨ה חָפֵ֤ץ בְּךָ֙ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְכָל־עֲבָדָ֖יו אֲהֵב֑וּךָ וְעַתָּ֖ה הִתְחַתֵּ֥ן בַּמֶּֽלֶךְ׃
And Saul commanded his servants: ‘Speak with David secretly, and say: Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his servants love thee; now therefore be the king’s son-in-law.’
וַיִּרָ֥א שָׁא֖וּל מִלִּפְנֵ֣י דָוִ֑ד כִּֽי־הָיָ֤ה יְקוָק֙ עִמּ֔וֹ וּמֵעִ֥ם שָׁא֖וּל סָֽר׃
And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul.
By skip range, shuffled texts and book
| Skips, Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| 2 to 10 | 3 | 3.5 |
| 11 to 100 | 29 | 34.7 |
| 101 to 1,000 | 320 | 344 |
| 1,001 to 5,000 | 1,420 | 1,481 |
| 5,001 to 76,212 | 12,622 | 12,826 |
Shuffled Torahs
The Torah's own count at skips 2 to 1,000 is 352. Each family below rebuilt the text 100 times (seed 5787). What each family keeps.
| Control family | Runs at or above 352 | Median run | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letter shuffle | 97/100 | 381 | 332 to 419 |
| Words within each verse | 79/100 | 377 | 320 to 439 |
Where the sequences start
| Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Genesis | 3,278 | 3,762 |
| Exodus | 3,050 | 3,061 |
| Leviticus | 2,047 | 2,159 |
| Numbers | 3,303 | 3,062 |
| Deuteronomy | 2,716 | 2,646 |
| Tanakh | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Torah | 55,793 | 56,000 |
| Prophets | 103,031 | 101,729 |
| Writings | 60,992 | 62,165 |
Run this search yourself
Change the skips, set יששכר beside another word, and run the controls on your own question.
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