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Jerusalem ירושלם

The Torah never names it. The Tanakh spells it without the י that everyone now writes, in all but five of more than 600 cases.

Found in the Torah
3,450
Chance alone: 3,413
Skips 2 to 60,969
Found in the Tanakh
60,439
Chance alone: 60,228
Skips 2 to 239,408

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Look for Jerusalem in the Torah and you will not find it. Tradition hears the city in Salem, in Genesis 14:18, and in Moriah, but its name first stands in Joshua 10:1. Then there is the matter of a letter. Everyone today writes ירושלים, with a י before the final ם. The Tanakh almost never does. ירושלם is what the scribes wrote, in hundreds of cases, and the fuller spelling occurs in only five verses: Jeremiah 26:18, Esther 2:6, 1 Chronicles 3:5, and 2 Chronicles 25:1 and 32:9. The Masoretes kept the short letters and added vowels that read as if the י were there. So if you want the city as the Tanakh wrote it, the seven-letter word is the wrong search, and the page leads with the six.

As a whole word
349
First, with any prefix
Joshua 10:1
Last
2 Chronicles 36:23

The measurement

The two spellings tell the same story at different sizes: 3,450 sequences of the Tanakh's form in the Torah against 3,412.9 by chance, and 306 of the modern form against 294.4. The Torah has neither as a word.

At every skipTorahTanakh
Found3,45060,439
Chance alone3,41360,228
P (≥ found)0.270.20
Shortest skip33
Longest skip60,323238,390

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 553 against 537 by chance. How these figures are made.

Other spellings

Each spelling is its own search. Every skip, both directions.

SpellingTorahTanakh
ירושלם349 as a word3,450 chance 3,41360,439 chance 60,228
ירושלים0 as a word306 chance 2945,698 chance 5,781

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 Deuteronomy 5:9
ירושלם, skip 3 backward, from Deuteronomy 5:9ןאבותעלבניועשליםעלבעםלשנאיועשהירושלם
A matrix 3 letters wide.

Open at skip 3

  1. Deuteronomy 5:9ירושלם

    … קַנָּ֔א פֹּ֠קֵד עֲוֺ֨ן אָב֧וֹת עַל־בָּנִ֛ים וְעַל־שִׁלֵּשִׁ֥ים וְעַל־רִבֵּעִ֖ים לְשֹׂנְאָֽי׃

    Thou shalt not bow down unto them, nor serve them; for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the third and upon the fourth generation of them that hate Me,

Short skip 53, forward from Exodus 17:8
ירושלם, skip 53 forward, from Exodus 17:8כתהנניעמדלפניךשםעלהצוםויעשכןמשהלעיניזקניישישראלועלנסתםאתיקוקלאמעםישראלברפדםויאמרמשהראנכינצבעלאשהגבעהומטלהלחםבעמלקמשהאהרןוחוברישראלוכאריניחידווגתחתיווישבעיהואהרןוחומונהעדבאהששויחלשיהושהכתבזאתזכרוןבספרושיםבשמיםויבןמשהמזבחויקראשוקבעמלקמדרדרוישמעיתרוירושלמ
One row of this matrix is 53 letters wide. The 21 columns around the sequence are shown.

Open at skip 53

  1. Exodus 17:8י

    וַיָּבֹ֖א עֲמָלֵ֑ק וַיִּלָּ֥חֶם עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בִּרְפִידִֽם׃

    Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.

  2. Exodus 17:9ר

    וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֤ה אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֨עַ֙ בְּחַר־לָ֣נוּ אֲנָשִׁ֔ים וְצֵ֖א הִלָּחֵ֣ם בַּעֲמָלֵ֑ק מָחָ֗ר אָנֹכִ֤י נִצָּב֙ עַל־רֹ֣אשׁ הַגִּבְעָ֔ה וּמַטֵּ֥ה הָאֱ־לֹהִ֖ים בְּיָדִֽי׃

    And Moses said unto Joshua: ‘Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek; tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.’

  3. Exodus 17:10ו

    וַיַּ֣עַשׂ יְהוֹשֻׁ֗עַ כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר אָֽמַר־לוֹ֙ מֹשֶׁ֔ה לְהִלָּחֵ֖ם בַּעֲמָלֵ֑ק וּמֹשֶׁה֙ אַהֲרֹ֣ן וְח֔וּר עָל֖וּ רֹ֥אשׁ הַגִּבְעָֽה׃

    So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

  4. Exodus 17:11ש

    וְהָיָ֗ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר יָרִ֥ים מֹשֶׁ֛ה יָד֖וֹ וְגָבַ֣ר יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְכַאֲשֶׁ֥ר יָנִ֛יחַ יָד֖וֹ וְגָבַ֥ר עֲמָלֵֽק׃

    And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.

  5. Exodus 17:12לם

    … וַיִּקְחוּ־אֶ֛בֶן וַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּ תַחְתָּ֖יו וַיֵּ֣שֶׁב עָלֶ֑יהָ וְאַהֲרֹ֨ן וְח֜וּר תָּֽמְכ֣וּ בְיָדָ֗יו מִזֶּ֤ה אֶחָד֙ וּמִזֶּ֣ה אֶחָ֔ד וַיְהִ֥י יָדָ֛יו אֱמוּנָ֖ה עַד־בֹּ֥א הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃

    But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

Middle skip 501, forward from Leviticus 25:8
ירושלם, skip 501 forward, from Leviticus 25:8תתשבושבעתימיםכלהאזרחבלבניוואכלהובמקוםקדשכייתןמוםבאדםכןינתןבוומכךשבעשבתתשנםשבעשניםשבשאתעמיתוויאתמאלהיךכילווהיהממכרבידהקנהאתוקוקאלהיכםארהוצאתיאתכאחרינמכרגאהתהיהלואחדרוועשיתםאתונתתיגשמיכלאתעשואתכלהמצותהאלהואתםעמיקריוהלכתיאףאניעמבהאזתרצההארץאתשבתתיהכירושלם
One row of this matrix is 501 letters wide. The 21 columns around the sequence are shown.

Open at skip 501

  1. Leviticus 25:8י

    וְסָפַרְתָּ֣ לְךָ֗ שֶׁ֚בַע שַׁבְּתֹ֣ת שָׁנִ֔ים שֶׁ֥בַע שָׁנִ֖ים שֶׁ֣בַע פְּעָמִ֑ים …

    And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and there shall be unto thee the days of seven sabbaths of years, even forty and nine years.

  2. Leviticus 25:17ר

    וְלֹ֤א תוֹנוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־עֲמִית֔וֹ וְיָרֵ֖אתָ מֵֽאֱ־לֹהֶ֑יךָ כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְקֹוָ֖ק אֱ־לֹהֵיכֶֽם׃

    And ye shall not wrong one another; but thou shalt fear thy God; for I am the LORD your God.

  3. Leviticus 25:28ו

    … דֵּי֮ הָשִׁ֣יב לוֹ֒ וְהָיָ֣ה מִמְכָּר֗וֹ בְּיַד֙ הַקֹּנֶ֣ה אֹת֔וֹ עַ֖ד …

    But if he have not sufficient means to get it back for himself, then that which he hath sold shall remain in the hand of him that hath bought it until the year of jubilee; and in the jubilee it shall go out, and he shall return unto his possession.

  4. Leviticus 25:38ש

    אֲנִ֗י יְקוָק֙ אֱ־לֹ֣הֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־הוֹצֵ֥אתִי אֶתְכֶ֖ם מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם לָתֵ֤ת לָכֶם֙ אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן לִהְי֥וֹת לָכֶ֖ם לֵא־לֹהִֽים׃

    I am the LORD your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, to be your God.

  5. Leviticus 25:48ל

    אַחֲרֵ֣י נִמְכַּ֔ר גְּאֻלָּ֖ה תִּהְיֶה־לּ֑וֹ אֶחָ֥ד מֵאֶחָ֖יו יִגְאָלֶֽנּוּ׃

    after that he is sold he may be redeemed; one of his brethren may redeem him;

  6. Leviticus 26:3ם

    אִם־בְּחֻקֹּתַ֖י תֵּלֵ֑כוּ וְאֶת־מִצְוֺתַ֣י תִּשְׁמְר֔וּ וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָֽם׃

    If ye walk in My statutes, and keep My commandments, and do them;

Wide skip 5,022, forward from Genesis 47:28
ירושלם, skip 5022 forward, from Genesis 47:28דבריאשתואשרדברהאליולאםאנחנובניאישאחדבארץכניגוןשאלהכיעבדךערבאתהנירבומאדויחיעקבבארץמצשרשםהאחתשפהושםהשניתפשראללאאשלחיאמרואלהיהרץמצריםויעוכןהחרטמיםראללאיחרץכבלשנולמאישובלנועבדאתצריםממתנובטההאלהיםבידיויעשיהושעיבןאנשיםוהכהאישאתרעהותווצפיתאתוזהבטהורמביתירושלמ
One row of this matrix is 5,022 letters wide. The 21 columns around the sequence are shown.

Open at skip 5,022

  1. Genesis 47:28י

    וַיְחִ֤י יַעֲקֹב֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם שְׁבַ֥ע עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה שָׁנָ֑ה וַיְהִ֤י יְמֵֽי־יַעֲקֹב֙ שְׁנֵ֣י חַיָּ֔יו שֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֔ים וְאַרְבָּעִ֥ים וּמְאַ֖ת שָׁנָֽה׃

    And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years; so the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were a hundred forty and seven years.

  2. Exodus 1:15ר

    וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֖ת הָֽעִבְרִיֹּ֑ת אֲשֶׁ֨ר שֵׁ֤ם הָֽאַחַת֙ שִׁפְרָ֔ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית פּוּעָֽה׃

    And the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah;

  3. Exodus 5:3ו

    וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ אֱ־לֹהֵ֥י הָעִבְרִ֖ים נִקְרָ֣א עָלֵ֑ינוּ …

    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.’

  4. Exodus 8:14ש

    וַיַּעֲשׂוּ־כֵ֨ן הַחַרְטֻמִּ֧ים בְּלָטֵיהֶ֛ם לְהוֹצִ֥יא אֶת־הַכִּנִּ֖ים וְלֹ֣א יָכֹ֑לוּ וַתְּהִי֙ הַכִּנָּ֔ם בָּאָדָ֖ם וּבַבְּהֵמָֽה׃

    And the magicians did so with their secret arts to bring forth gnats, but they could not; and there were gnats upon man, and upon beast.

  5. Exodus 11:7ל

    וּלְכֹ֣ל בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לֹ֤א יֶֽחֱרַץ־כֶּ֨לֶב֙ לְשֹׁנ֔וֹ לְמֵאִ֖ישׁ וְעַד־בְּהֵמָ֑ה לְמַ֨עַן֙ …

    But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog whet his tongue, against man or beast; that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.

  6. Exodus 14:12ם

    … כִּ֣י ט֥וֹב לָ֨נוּ֙ עֲבֹ֣ד אֶת־מִצְרַ֔יִם מִמֻּתֵ֖נוּ בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃

    Is not this the word that we spoke unto thee in Egypt, saying: Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it were better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.’

Outside the Torah

Shortest skip 3, forward from Judges 18:11
ירושלם, skip 3 forward, from Judges 18:11םממשפחתהדנמצעהמאתאששאותאישחגורירושלמ
A matrix 3 letters wide.

Open at skip 3

  1. Judges 18:11ירושלם

    וַיִּסְע֤וּ מִשָּׁם֙ מִמִּשְׁפַּ֣חַת הַדָּנִ֔י מִצָּרְעָ֖ה וּמֵאֶשְׁתָּאֹ֑ל שֵֽׁשׁ־מֵא֣וֹת אִ֔ישׁ חָג֖וּר כְּלֵ֥י מִלְחָמָֽה׃

    And there set forth from thence of the family of the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men girt with weapons of war.

Middle skip 501, backward from Psalm 72:11
ירושלם, skip 501 backward, from Psalm 72:11ארץדרכךבכלגויםישועתךיאלהיםזהסינימפניאלהיםאבאשיבממצלותיםלמעןתמחץאלהיםכיבאויםעדנפשטבעענימצולהואתאטרעליבארסראוענויםימחודרשיאלהומץכיאתהתקתיאדנייקוקיםמיכמוךאשהראיתנוצרולכיםכלגויםעבדוהוכייצחמסלמויצאמחלבעינמועברהשאריולבביצורלבביוחלקתבעזךיםשברתראשיתניניםירושלמ
One row of this matrix is 501 letters wide. The 21 columns around the sequence are shown.

Open at skip 501

  1. Psalm 72:11י

    וְיִשְׁתַּחֲווּ־ל֥וֹ כָל־מְלָכִ֑ים כָּל־גּוֹיִ֥ם יַֽעַבְדֽוּהוּ׃

    Yea, all kings shall prostrate themselves before him; All nations shall serve him.

  2. Psalm 71:20ר

    אֲשֶׁ֤ר הראיתנוהִרְאִיתַ֨נִי צָר֥וֹת רַבּ֗וֹת וְרָ֫ע֥וֹת תָּשׁ֥וּב תחיינותְּחַיֵּ֑ינִי וּֽמִתְּהֹמ֥וֹת הָ֝אָ֗רֶץ תָּשׁ֥וּב תַּעֲלֵֽנִי׃

    Thou, who hast made me to see many and sore troubles, Wilt quicken me again, and bring me up again from the depths of the earth.

  3. Psalm 71:5ו

    כִּֽי־אַתָּ֥ה תִקְוָתִ֑י אֲדֹנָ֥י יְ֝קוִ֗ק מִבְטַחִ֥י מִנְּעוּרָֽי׃

    For Thou art my hope; O Lord GOD, my trust from my youth.

  4. Psalm 69:33ש

    רָא֣וּ עֲנָוִ֣ים יִשְׂמָ֑חוּ דֹּרְשֵׁ֥י אֱ֝־לֹהִ֗ים וִיחִ֥י לְבַבְכֶֽם׃

    The humble shall see it, and be glad; Ye that seek after God, let your heart revive.

  5. Psalm 69:16ל

    אַל־תִּשְׁטְפֵ֤נִי שִׁבֹּ֣לֶת מַ֭יִם וְאַל־תִּבְלָעֵ֣נִי מְצוּלָ֑ה וְאַל־תֶּאְטַר־עָלַ֖י בְּאֵ֣ר פִּֽיהָ׃

    Let not the waterflood overwhelm me, Neither let the deep swallow me up; And let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.

  6. Psalm 69:2ם

    הוֹשִׁיעֵ֥נִי אֱ־לֹהִ֑ים כִּ֤י בָ֖אוּ מַ֣יִם עַד־נָֽפֶשׁ׃

    Save me, O God; For the waters are come in even unto the soul.

By skip range, shuffled texts and book
Skips, TorahFoundChance alone
2 to 1011
11 to 100910.1
101 to 1,00010499.9
1,001 to 5,000439426
5,001 to 60,9692,8972,876

Shuffled Torahs

The Torah's own count at skips 2 to 1,000 is 114. Each family below rebuilt the text 100 times (seed 5787). What each family keeps.

Control familyRuns at or above 114Median runRange
Letter shuffle44/10011281 to 140
Words within each verse28/10010988 to 140

Where the sequences start

TorahFoundChance alone
Genesis1,040874
Exodus681711
Leviticus438502
Numbers647711
Deuteronomy644615
TanakhFoundChance alone
Torah14,28815,338
Prophets28,42027,863
Writings17,73117,027

Run this search yourself

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