Iyar אייר
Absent from the Tanakh, whose name for this month is two letters long: Ziv, the month Solomon began the Temple.
- Found in the Torah
- 1,681,202
- Chance alone: 1,751,714
- Skips 2 to 101,616
- Found in the Tanakh
- 28,995,872
- Chance alone: 28,798,103
- Skips 2 to 399,013
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This word is nowhere in the Tanakh. Solomon's Temple was begun in the second month, says 1 Kings 6:1, in the month of זו, Ziv, a word that probably means brightness. Verse 37 repeats it. That is the whole of the Tanakh's record for this month's name, and at two letters Ziv cannot be searched in any useful way. Iyar, אייר, is the later Babylonian name. Israeli Independence Day falls on the fifth of this month, so there is an obvious temptation here. A person could go looking near 1948 for this name, and a page on measurement is a good place to say beforehand how little that would mean.
The measurement
Two ordinary י in a row make the real 35,466 look unusual to a letter shuffle and ordinary to a word shuffle, which keeps Hebrew's habits. Nisan shows the same split.
| At every skip | Torah | Tanakh |
|---|---|---|
| Found | 1,681,202 | 28,995,872 |
| Chance alone | 1,751,714 | 28,798,103 |
| P (≥ found) | 1.00 | 6.1 × 10⁻²⁹⁷ |
| Shortest skip | 2 | 2 |
| Longest skip | 101,615 | 398,979 |
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 172,916 against 168,113 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 Numbers 20:14
וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח מֹשֶׁ֧ה מַלְאָכִ֛ים מִקָּדֵ֖שׁ אֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ אֱד֑וֹם כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אָחִ֣יךָ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אַתָּ֣ה יָדַ֔עְתָּ אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַתְּלָאָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר מְצָאָֽתְנוּ׃
And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom: ‘Thus saith thy brother Israel: Thou knowest all the travail that hath befallen us;
Shortest skip 2, forward from Deuteronomy 2:11
רְפָאִ֛ים יֵחָשְׁב֥וּ אַף־הֵ֖ם כָּעֲנָקִ֑ים וְהַמֹּ֣אָבִ֔ים יִקְרְא֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם אֵמִֽים׃
these also are accounted Rephaim, as the Anakim; but the Moabites call them Emim.
Short skip 50, forward from Genesis 9:21
וַיֵּ֥שְׁתְּ מִן־הַיַּ֖יִן וַיִּשְׁכָּ֑ר וַיִּתְגַּ֖ל בְּת֥וֹךְ אָהֳלֹֽה׃
And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.
וַיִּקַּח֩ שֵׁ֨ם וָיֶ֜פֶת אֶת־הַשִּׂמְלָ֗ה וַיָּשִׂ֨ימוּ֙ עַל־שְׁכֶ֣ם שְׁנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיֵּֽלְכוּ֙ אֲחֹ֣רַנִּ֔ית וַיְכַסּ֕וּ אֵ֖ת עֶרְוַ֣ת אֲבִיהֶ֑ם וּפְנֵיהֶם֙ אֲחֹ֣רַנִּ֔ית וְעֶרְוַ֥ת אֲבִיהֶ֖ם …
And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness.
וַיִּ֥יקֶץ נֹ֖חַ מִיֵּינ֑וֹ וַיֵּ֕דַע אֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁר־עָ֥שָׂה־ל֖וֹ בְּנ֥וֹ הַקָּטָֽן׃
And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his youngest son had done unto him.
Middle skip 500, forward from Exodus 4:15
וְדִבַּרְתָּ֣ אֵלָ֔יו וְשַׂמְתָּ֥ אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים בְּפִ֑יו וְאָנֹכִ֗י אֶֽהְיֶ֤ה עִם־פִּ֨יךָ֙ וְעִם־פִּ֔יהוּ וְהוֹרֵיתִ֣י אֶתְכֶ֔ם אֵ֖ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּעֲשֽׂוּן׃
And thou shalt speak unto him, and put the words in his mouth; and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.
וַיְהִ֥י בַדֶּ֖רֶךְ בַּמָּל֑וֹן וַיִּפְגְּשֵׁ֣הוּ יְקוָ֔ק וַיְבַקֵּ֖שׁ הֲמִיתֽוֹ׃
And it came to pass on the way at the lodging-place, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him.
וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ אֱ־לֹהֵ֥י הָעִבְרִ֖ים נִקְרָ֣א עָלֵ֑ינוּ נֵ֣לֲכָה נָּ֡א …
And they said: ‘The God of the Hebrews hath met with us. Let us go, we pray thee, three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest He fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.’
וַיָּ֥פֶץ הָעָ֖ם בְּכָל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם לְקֹשֵׁ֥שׁ קַ֖שׁ לַתֶּֽבֶן׃
So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.
Wide skip 5,000, forward from Leviticus 19:10
וְכַרְמְךָ֙ לֹ֣א תְעוֹלֵ֔ל וּפֶ֥רֶט כַּרְמְךָ֖ לֹ֣א תְלַקֵּ֑ט לֶֽעָנִ֤י וְלַגֵּר֙ תַּעֲזֹ֣ב אֹתָ֔ם אֲנִ֖י יְקוָ֥ק אֱ־לֹהֵיכֶֽם׃
And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather the fallen fruit of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and for the stranger: I am the LORD your God.
וְאִ֗ישׁ כִּֽי־יַקְרִ֤יב זֶֽבַח־שְׁלָמִים֙ לַיקוָ֔ק לְפַלֵּא־נֶ֨דֶר֙ א֣וֹ לִנְדָבָ֔ה בַּבָּקָ֖ר א֣וֹ בַצֹּ֑אן תָּמִ֤ים יִֽהְיֶה֙ לְרָצ֔וֹן כָּל־מ֖וּם לֹ֥א יִהְיֶה־בּֽוֹ׃
And whosoever bringeth a sacrifice of peace-offerings unto the LORD in fulfilment of a vow clearly uttered, or for a freewill-offering, of the herd or of the flock, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein.
וְצִוִּ֤יתִי אֶת־בִּרְכָתִי֙ לָכֶ֔ם בַּשָּׁנָ֖ה הַשִּׁשִּׁ֑ית וְעָשָׂת֙ אֶת־הַתְּבוּאָ֔ה לִשְׁלֹ֖שׁ הַשָּׁנִֽים׃
then I will command My blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth produce for the three years.
וְאִם־אַחַ֣ר הַיֹּבֵל֮ יַקְדִּ֣ישׁ שָׂדֵהוּ֒ וְחִשַּׁב־ל֨וֹ הַכֹּהֵ֜ן אֶת־הַכֶּ֗סֶף עַל־פִּ֤י הַשָּׁנִים֙ הַנּ֣וֹתָרֹ֔ת עַ֖ד שְׁנַ֣ת הַיֹּבֵ֑ל וְנִגְרַ֖ע מֵֽעֶרְכֶּֽךָ׃
But if he sanctify his field after the jubilee, then the priest shall reckon unto him the money according to the years that remain unto the year of jubilee, and an abatement shall be made from thy valuation.
Outside the Torah
Shortest skip 2, forward from Judges 6:40
וַיַּ֧עַשׂ אֱ־לֹהִ֛ים כֵּ֖ן בַּלַּ֣יְלָה הַה֑וּא וַיְהִי־חֹ֤רֶב אֶל־הַגִּזָּה֙ לְבַדָּ֔הּ וְעַל־כָּל־הָאָ֖רֶץ הָ֥יָה טָֽל׃
And God did so that night; for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.
Middle skip 500, forward from Joshua 8:1
… הַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וְק֖וּם עֲלֵ֣ה הָעָ֑י רְאֵ֣ה נָתַ֣תִּי בְיָדְךָ֗ אֶת־מֶ֤לֶךְ הָעַי֙ …
And the LORD said unto Joshua: ‘Fear not, neither be thou dismayed; take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai; see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land.
וַיִּשְׁלָחֵ֣ם יְהוֹשֻׁ֗עַ וַיֵּֽלְכוּ֙ אֶל־הַמַּאְרָ֔ב וַיֵּשְׁב֗וּ בֵּ֧ין בֵּֽית־אֵ֛ל וּבֵ֥ין הָעַ֖י …
And Joshua sent them forth; and they went to the ambushment, and abode between Beth-el and Ai, on the west side of Ai; but Joshua lodged that night among the people.
וְלֹֽא־נִשְׁאַ֣ר אִ֗ישׁ בָּעַי֙ וּבֵ֣ית אֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יָצְא֖וּ אַחֲרֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיַּעַזְב֤וּ אֶת־הָעִיר֙ פְּתוּחָ֔ה וַֽיִּרְדְּפ֖וּ אַחֲרֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
And there was not a man left in Ai or Beth-el, that went not out after Israel; and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.
… אֶת־כָּל־יֹשְׁבֵ֨י הָעַ֜י בַּשָּׂדֶ֗ה בַּמִּדְבָּר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר רְדָפ֣וּם בּ֔וֹ וַֽיִּפְּל֥וּ כֻלָּ֛ם …
And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, even in the wilderness wherein they pursued them, and they were all fallen by the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all Israel returned unto Ai…
By skip range, shuffled texts and book
| Skips, Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| 2 to 10 | 334 | 310 |
| 11 to 100 | 3,233 | 3,101 |
| 101 to 1,000 | 31,899 | 30,862 |
| 1,001 to 5,000 | 137,450 | 133,839 |
| 5,001 to 101,616 | 1,508,286 | 1,583,601 |
Shuffled Torahs
The Torah's own count at skips 2 to 1,000 is 35,466. Each family below rebuilt the text 100 times (seed 5787). What each family keeps.
| Control family | Runs at or above 35,466 | Median run | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letter shuffle | 0/100 | 34,268 | 33,745 to 34,843 |
| Words within each verse | 79/100 | 35,599 | 34,948 to 36,096 |
Where the sequences start
| Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Genesis | 535,328 | 448,596 |
| Exodus | 328,450 | 365,059 |
| Leviticus | 230,504 | 257,399 |
| Numbers | 297,715 | 365,139 |
| Deuteronomy | 289,205 | 315,521 |
| Tanakh | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Torah | 7,464,902 | 7,333,996 |
| Prophets | 14,077,791 | 13,322,805 |
| Writings | 7,453,179 | 8,141,301 |
Run this search yourself
Change the skips, set אייר beside another word, and run the controls on your own question.
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