Job איוב
His name differs from the Hebrew word for enemy by the order of two letters, and his own book draws the connection.
- Found in the Torah
- 1,481,291
- Chance alone: 1,528,473
- Skips 2 to 101,616
- Found in the Tanakh
- 26,127,318
- Chance alone: 25,938,772
- Skips 2 to 399,013
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Job asks God why He treats him as an enemy. Wherefore hidest Thou Thy face, he says in Job 13:24, and holdest me for Thine enemy, לאויב. Move the ו and the י and the two words change places: איוב, אויב. The Talmud in Bava Batra 16a has Job say it to God outright: perhaps a storm wind passed before You, and איוב was taken for אויב. The name otherwise stands in very few places. Fifty bare cases, all in his own book. Outside it he is named only by Ezekiel, in Ezekiel 14:14 and 14:20, in a list of three just men with Noah and Daniel.
- As a whole word
- 50
- First, with any prefix
- Ezekiel 14:14
- Last
- Job 42:17
The measurement
Above all 100 letter shuffles at skips 2 to 1,000, and well inside the word shuffles, 21 of 100. The Torah as a whole has 1,481,291 against 1,528,472.6, 3.1 percent short. His own book plays with these letters on purpose, and that is the only play here.
| At every skip | Torah | Tanakh |
|---|---|---|
| Found | 1,481,291 | 26,127,318 |
| Chance alone | 1,528,473 | 25,938,772 |
| P (≥ found) | 1.00 | 1.4 × 10⁻²⁹⁹ |
| Shortest skip | 2 | 2 |
| Longest skip | 101,616 | 398,942 |
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 148,738 against 146,688 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 19:3
וַיִּפְצַר־בָּ֣ם מְאֹ֔ד וַיָּסֻ֣רוּ אֵלָ֔יו וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ אֶל־בֵּית֑וֹ וַיַּ֤עַשׂ לָהֶם֙ מִשְׁתֶּ֔ה וּמַצּ֥וֹת אָפָ֖ה וַיֹּאכֵֽלוּ׃
And he urged them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.
Shortest skip 2, forward from Genesis 19:37
וַתֵּ֤לֶד הַבְּכִירָה֙ בֵּ֔ן וַתִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ מוֹאָ֑ב ה֥וּא אֲבִֽי־מוֹאָ֖ב עַד־הַיּֽוֹם׃
And the first-born bore a son, and called his name Moab—the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.
Short skip 50, forward from Exodus 4:18
… נָּ֗א וְאָשׁ֨וּבָה֙ אֶל־אַחַ֣י אֲשֶׁר־בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם וְאֶרְאֶ֖ה הַעוֹדָ֣ם חַיִּ֑ים וַיֹּ֧אמֶר יִתְר֛וֹ …
And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said unto him: ‘Let me go, I pray thee, and unto my brethren that are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive.’ And Jethro said to Moses: ‘Go in peace.’
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְקוָ֤ק אֶל־מֹשֶׁה֙ בְּמִדְיָ֔ן לֵ֖ךְ שֻׁ֣ב מִצְרָ֑יִם כִּי־מֵ֨תוּ֙ כָּל־הָ֣אֲנָשִׁ֔ים הַֽמְבַקְשִׁ֖ים אֶת־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃
And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian: ‘Go, return into Egypt; for all the men are dead that sought thy life.’
וַיִּקַּ֨ח מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶת־אִשְׁתּ֣וֹ וְאֶת־בָּנָ֗יו וַיַּרְכִּבֵם֙ עַֽל־הַחֲמֹ֔ר וַיָּ֖שָׁב אַ֣רְצָה מִצְרָ֑יִם וַיִּקַּ֥ח מֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶת־מַטֵּ֥ה הָאֱ־לֹהִ֖ים בְּיָדֽוֹ׃
And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt; and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.
Middle skip 500, forward from Leviticus 7:29
דַּבֵּ֛ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר הַמַּקְרִ֞יב אֶת־זֶ֤בַח שְׁלָמָיו֙ לַיקוָ֔ק יָבִ֧יא אֶת־קָרְבָּנ֛וֹ לַיקוָ֖ק מִזֶּ֥בַח שְׁלָמָֽיו׃
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying: He that offereth his sacrifice of peace-offerings unto the LORD shall bring his offering unto the LORD out of his sacrifice of peace-offerings.
אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֧ה יְקוָ֛ק אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֖ה בְּהַ֣ר סִינָ֑י בְּי֨וֹם צַוֺּת֜וֹ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לְהַקְרִ֧יב אֶת־קָרְבְּנֵיהֶ֛ם לַיקוָ֖ק בְּמִדְבַּ֥ר סִינָֽי׃
which the LORD commanded Moses in mount Sinai, in the day that he commanded the children of Israel to present their offerings unto the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai.
וַיִּקַּ֤ח מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶת־שֶׁ֣מֶן הַמִּשְׁחָ֔ה וַיִּמְשַׁ֥ח אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן וְאֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־בּ֑וֹ וַיְקַדֵּ֖שׁ אֹתָֽם׃
And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was therein, and sanctified them.
וַיִּשְׁחָ֑ט וַיִּזְרֹ֨ק מֹשֶׁ֧ה אֶת־הַדָּ֛ם עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ סָבִֽיב׃
And when it was killed, Moses dashed the blood against the altar round about.
Wide skip 5,000, forward from Numbers 32:23
וְאִם־לֹ֤א תַעֲשׂוּן֙ כֵּ֔ן הִנֵּ֥ה חֲטָאתֶ֖ם לַיקוָ֑ק וּדְעוּ֙ חַטַּאתְכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּמְצָ֖א אֶתְכֶֽם׃
But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD; and know ye your sin which will find you.
א֡וֹ בִּכְלִ֣י עֵֽץ־יָד֩ אֲשֶׁר־יָמ֨וּת בּ֥וֹ הִכָּ֛הוּ וַיָּמֹ֖ת רֹצֵ֣חַֽ ה֑וּא מ֥וֹת יוּמַ֖ת הָרֹצֵֽחַ׃
Or if he smote him with a weapon of wood in the hand, whereby a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death.
וְהַיָּמִ֞ים אֲשֶׁר־הָלַ֣כְנוּ מִקָּדֵ֣שׁ בַּרְנֵ֗עַ עַ֤ד …
And the days in which we came from Kadesh-barnea, until we were come over the brook Zered, were thirty and eight years; until all the generation, even the men of war, were consumed from the midst of the camp, as the LORD swore unto them.
בַּצַּ֣ר לְךָ֔ וּמְצָא֕וּךָ כֹּ֖ל הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה בְּאַחֲרִית֙ הַיָּמִ֔ים וְשַׁבְתָּ֙ עַד־יְקוָ֣ק אֱ־לֹהֶ֔יךָ וְשָׁמַעְתָּ֖ בְּקֹלֽוֹ׃
In thy distress, when all these things are come upon thee, in the end of days, thou wilt return to the LORD thy God, and hearken unto His voice;
Outside the Torah
Shortest skip 2, forward from Joshua 7:1
וַיִּמְעֲל֧וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל מַ֖עַל בַּחֵ֑רֶם וַיִּקַּ֡ח עָכָ֣ן בֶּן־כַּרְמִי֩ בֶן־זַבְדִּ֨י בֶן־זֶ֜רַח לְמַטֵּ֤ה יְהוּדָה֙ מִן־הַחֵ֔רֶם וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֥ף יְקוָ֖ק בִּבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
But the children of Israel committed a trespass concerning the devoted thing; for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the devoted thing; and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel.
Middle skip 500, forward from Judges 4:22
וְהִנֵּ֣ה בָרָק֮ רֹדֵ֣ף אֶת־סִֽיסְרָא֒ וַתֵּצֵ֤א יָעֵל֙ לִקְרָאת֔וֹ וַתֹּ֣אמֶר …
And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him: ‘Come, and I will show thee the man whom thou seekest.’ And he came unto her; and, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the tent-pin was in his temples.
יִבְחַר֙ אֱ־לֹהִ֣ים חֲדָשִׁ֔ים אָ֖ז לָחֶ֣ם שְׁעָרִ֑ים מָגֵ֤ן אִם־יֵֽרָאֶה֙ וָרֹ֔מַח בְּאַרְבָּעִ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
They chose new gods; Then was war in the gates; Was there a shield or spear seen Among forty thousand in Israel?
גִּלְעָ֗ד בְּעֵ֤בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן֙ שָׁכֵ֔ן וְדָ֕ן לָ֥מָּה יָג֖וּר אֳנִיּ֑וֹת אָשֵׁ֗ר יָשַׁב֙ לְח֣וֹף יַמִּ֔ים וְעַ֥ל מִפְרָצָ֖יו יִשְׁכּֽוֹן׃
Gilead abode beyond the Jordan; And Dan, why doth he sojourn by the ships? Asher dwelt at the shore of the sea, And abideth by its bays.
בְּעַד֩ הַחַלּ֨וֹן נִשְׁקְפָ֧ה וַתְּיַבֵּ֛ב אֵ֥ם סִֽיסְרָ֖א בְּעַ֣ד הָֽאֶשְׁנָ֑ב מַדּ֗וּעַ בֹּשֵׁ֤שׁ רִכְבּוֹ֙ לָב֔וֹא מַדּ֣וּעַ אֶֽחֱר֔וּ פַּעֲמֵ֖י מַרְכְּבוֹתָֽיו׃
Through the window she looked forth, and peered, The mother of Sisera, through the lattice: ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the wheels of his chariots?
By skip range, shuffled texts and book
| Skips, Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| 2 to 10 | 316 | 271 |
| 11 to 100 | 2,789 | 2,706 |
| 101 to 1,000 | 27,390 | 26,929 |
| 1,001 to 5,000 | 118,243 | 116,783 |
| 5,001 to 101,616 | 1,332,553 | 1,381,784 |
Shuffled Torahs
The Torah's own count at skips 2 to 1,000 is 30,495. Each family below rebuilt the text 100 times (seed 5787). What each family keeps.
| Control family | Runs at or above 30,495 | Median run | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letter shuffle | 0/100 | 29,950 | 29,461 to 30,355 |
| Words within each verse | 21/100 | 30,343 | 29,820 to 30,860 |
Where the sequences start
| Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Genesis | 470,071 | 391,426 |
| Exodus | 285,999 | 318,535 |
| Leviticus | 202,376 | 224,595 |
| Numbers | 264,117 | 318,605 |
| Deuteronomy | 258,728 | 275,311 |
| Tanakh | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Torah | 6,864,090 | 6,605,812 |
| Prophets | 12,657,419 | 11,999,999 |
| Writings | 6,605,809 | 7,332,961 |
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Change the skips, set איוב beside another word, and run the controls on your own question.
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