Jonathan יהונתן
The same man is יהונתן and יונתן, sometimes within a few verses. David's lament for him is one of the Tanakh's great poems.
- Found in the Torah
- 2,222
- Chance alone: 2,242
- Skips 2 to 60,969
- Found in the Tanakh
- 33,033
- Chance alone: 34,046
- Skips 2 to 239,408
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I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan, David sings in 2 Samuel 1:26. Wonderful was thy love to me, passing the love of women. Few friendships in the Tanakh get a line like it. Samuel's scribes wrote the name two ways. יהונתן, with the divine element written in full, and יונתן, the short form, are both his, and 1 Samuel uses them almost in turn, 39 and 22 times, with no change of person. Either way the meaning is the Lord has given. An earlier Jonathan, in Judges 18:30, is a priest to the idol at Dan, and that verse has its own scribal oddity, a raised letter in the name of his forefather.
- As a whole word
- 63
- First, with any prefix
- Judges 18:30
The measurement
Two spellings, both within 1.5 percent of chance in the Torah. The full form has one more letter and comes out 13.8 times rarer, 2,222 sequences against 30,670.
| At every skip | Torah | Tanakh |
|---|---|---|
| Found | 2,222 | 33,033 |
| Chance alone | 2,242 | 34,046 |
| P (≥ found) | 0.67 | 1.00 |
| Shortest skip | 35 | 8 |
| Longest skip | 60,376 | 238,770 |
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 350 against 353 by chance. How these figures are made.
Other spellings
Each spelling is its own search. Every skip, both directions.
| Spelling | Torah | Tanakh |
|---|---|---|
| יהונתן63 as a word | 2,222 chance 2,242 | 33,033 chance 34,046 |
| יונתן32 as a word | 30,670 chance 30,452 | 485,602 chance 499,636 |
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 35, forward from Genesis 43:8
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוּדָ֜ה אֶל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל אָבִ֗יו שִׁלְחָ֥ה הַנַּ֛עַר אִתִּ֖י וְנָק֣וּמָה וְנֵלֵ֑כָה וְנִֽחְיֶה֙ וְלֹ֣א נָמ֔וּת גַּם־אֲנַ֥חְנוּ גַם־אַתָּ֖ה גַּם־טַפֵּֽנוּ׃
And Judah said unto Israel his father: ‘Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones.
אָֽנֹכִי֙ אֶֽעֶרְבֶ֔נּוּ מִיָּדִ֖י תְּבַקְשֶׁ֑נּוּ אִם־לֹ֨א הֲבִיאֹתִ֤יו אֵלֶ֨יךָ֙ וְהִצַּגְתִּ֣יו לְפָנֶ֔יךָ וְחָטָ֥אתִֽי לְךָ֖ כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים׃
I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him; if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever.
כִּ֖י לוּלֵ֣א הִתְמַהְמָ֑הְנוּ כִּֽי־עַתָּ֥ה שַׁ֖בְנוּ זֶ֥ה פַעֲמָֽיִם׃
For except we had lingered, surely we had now returned a second time.’
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֜ם יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל אֲבִיהֶ֗ם אִם־כֵּ֣ן אֵפוֹא֮ זֹ֣את עֲשׂוּ֒ קְח֞וּ …
And their father Israel said unto them: ‘If it be so now, do this: take of the choice fruits of the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spicery and ladanum, nuts, and almonds;
Short skip 52, backward from Numbers 27:12
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְקוָק֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה עֲלֵ֛ה אֶל־הַ֥ר הָעֲבָרִ֖ים הַזֶּ֑ה וּרְאֵה֙ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֖תִּי לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
And the LORD said unto Moses: ‘Get thee up into this mountain of Abarim, and behold the land which I have given unto the children of Israel.
… וּנְתַתֶּ֣ם אֶת־נַחֲלָת֗וֹ לִשְׁאֵר֞וֹ הַקָּרֹ֥ב אֵלָ֛יו מִמִּשְׁפַּחְתּ֖וֹ וְיָרַ֣שׁ אֹתָ֑הּ וְֽהָ֨יְתָ֜ה לִבְנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לְחֻקַּ֣ת מִשְׁפָּ֔ט כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְקוָ֖ק אֶת־מֹשֶֽׁה׃
And if his father have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his kinsman that is next to him of his family, and he shall possess it. And it shall be unto the children of Israel a statute of judgment, as the LORD commanded Moses.’
וְאִם־אֵ֥ין ל֖וֹ אַחִ֑ים וּנְתַתֶּ֥ם אֶת־נַחֲלָת֖וֹ לַאֲחֵ֥י אָבִֽיו׃
And if he have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his father’s brethren.
וְאֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל תְּדַבֵּ֣ר לֵאמֹ֑ר אִ֣ישׁ כִּֽי־יָמ֗וּת וּבֵן֙ אֵ֣ין ל֔וֹ וְהַֽעֲבַרְתֶּ֥ם אֶת־נַחֲלָת֖וֹ לְבִתּֽוֹ׃
And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying: If a man die, and have no son, then ye shall cause his inheritance to pass unto his daughter.
כֵּ֗ן בְּנ֣וֹת צְלָפְחָד֮ דֹּבְרֹת֒ נָתֹ֨ן תִּתֵּ֤ן לָהֶם֙ אֲחֻזַּ֣ת נַחֲלָ֔ה בְּת֖וֹךְ אֲחֵ֣י אֲבִיהֶ֑ם וְהַֽעֲבַרְתָּ֛ אֶת־נַחֲלַ֥ת אֲבִיהֶ֖ן לָהֶֽן׃
’The daughters of Zelophehad speak right: thou shalt surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father’s brethren; and thou shalt cause the inheritance of their father to pass unto them.
Middle skip 547, forward from Exodus 23:23
כִּֽי־יֵלֵ֣ךְ מַלְאָכִי֮ לְפָנֶיךָ֒ וֶהֱבִֽיאֲךָ֗ אֶל־הָֽאֱמֹרִי֙ וְהַ֣חִתִּ֔י וְהַפְּרִזִּי֙ וְהַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֔י הַחִוִּ֖י וְהַיְבוּסִ֑י וְהִכְחַדְתִּֽיו׃
For Mine angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Canaanite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite; and I will cut them off.
וְאֶל־מֹשֶׁ֨ה אָמַ֜ר עֲלֵ֣ה אֶל־יְקוָ֗ק אַתָּה֙ וְאַהֲרֹן֙ נָדָ֣ב וַאֲבִיה֔וּא וְשִׁבְעִ֖ים מִזִּקְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתֶ֖ם מֵרָחֹֽק׃
And unto Moses He said: ‘Come up unto the LORD, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off;
וְאֶל־אֲצִילֵי֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לֹ֥א שָׁלַ֖ח יָד֑וֹ וַֽיֶּחֱזוּ֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֱ־לֹהִ֔ים וַיֹּאכְל֖וּ וַיִּשְׁתּֽוּ׃
And upon the nobles of the children of Israel He laid not His hand; and they beheld God, and did eat and drink.
שֶׁ֖מֶן לַמָּאֹ֑ר בְּשָׂמִים֙ לְשֶׁ֣מֶן הַמִּשְׁחָ֔ה וְלִקְטֹ֖רֶת הַסַּמִּֽים׃
oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense;
וַ֠עֲשֵׂה כְּר֨וּב אֶחָ֤ד מִקָּצָה֙ מִזֶּ֔ה וּכְרוּב־אֶחָ֥ד מִקָּצָ֖ה מִזֶּ֑ה מִן־הַכַּפֹּ֛רֶת תַּעֲשׂ֥וּ אֶת־הַכְּרֻבִ֖ים עַל־שְׁנֵ֥י קְצוֹתָֽיו׃
And make one cherub at the one end, and one cherub at the other end; of one piece with the ark-cover shall ye make the cherubim of the two ends thereof.
וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ מְנֹרַ֖ת זָהָ֣ב טָה֑וֹר מִקְשָׁ֞ה תֵּעָשֶׂ֤ה הַמְּנוֹרָה֙ יְרֵכָ֣הּ וְקָנָ֔הּ גְּבִיעֶ֛יהָ כַּפְתֹּרֶ֥יהָ וּפְרָחֶ֖יהָ מִמֶּ֥נָּה יִהְיֽוּ׃
And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made, even its base, and its shaft; its cups, its knops, and its flowers, shall be of one piece with it.
Wide skip 5,030, backward from Leviticus 8:18
וַיַּקְרֵ֕ב אֵ֖ת אֵ֣יל הָעֹלָ֑ה וַֽיִּסְמְכ֞וּ אַהֲרֹ֧ן וּבָנָ֛יו אֶת־יְדֵיהֶ֖ם עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ הָאָֽיִל׃
And the ram of the burnt-offering was presented; and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram.
… לַֽיקוָ֑ק אֶחָ֥ד לְחַטָּ֖את וְאֶחָ֥ד לְעֹלָֽה׃
And if his means suffice not for a lamb, then he shall bring his forfeit for that wherein he hath sinned, two turtle-doves, or two young pigeons, unto the LORD: one for a sin-offering, and the other for a burnt-offering.
דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם אָדָ֗ם כִּֽי־יַקְרִ֥יב מִכֶּ֛ם קָרְבָּ֖ן לַֽיקוָ֑ק מִן־הַבְּהֵמָ֗ה מִן־הַבָּקָר֙ וּמִן־הַצֹּ֔אן תַּקְרִ֖יבוּ אֶת־קָרְבַּנְכֶֽם׃
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: When any man of you bringeth an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd or of the flock.
וְלִפְאַ֤ת צָפוֹן֙ מֵאָ֣ה בָֽאַמָּ֔ה עַמּוּדֵיהֶ֣ם עֶשְׂרִ֔ים וְאַדְנֵיהֶ֥ם עֶשְׂרִ֖ים נְחֹ֑שֶׁת וָוֵ֧י הָֽעַמּוּדִ֛ים וַחֲשֻׁקֵיהֶ֖ם כָּֽסֶף׃
And for the north side a hundred cubits, their pillars twenty, and their sockets twenty, of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver.
אֵ֣ת מִזְבַּ֣ח הָעֹלָ֗ה וְאֶת־מִכְבַּ֤ר הַנְּחֹ֨שֶׁת֙ אֲשֶׁר־ל֔וֹ אֶת־בַּדָּ֖יו וְאֶת־כָּל־כֵּלָ֑יו אֶת־הַכִּיֹּ֖ר וְאֶת־כַּנּֽוֹ׃
the altar of burnt-offering, with its grating of brass, its staves, and all its vessels, the laver and its base;
וַיִּ֜פֶן וַיֵּ֤רֶד מֹשֶׁה֙ מִן־הָהָ֔ר וּשְׁנֵ֛י לֻחֹ֥ת הָעֵדֻ֖ת בְּיָד֑וֹ לֻחֹ֗ת כְּתֻבִים֙ מִשְּׁנֵ֣י עֶבְרֵיהֶ֔ם מִזֶּ֥ה וּמִזֶּ֖ה הֵ֥ם כְּתֻבִֽים׃
And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, with the two tables of the testimony in his hand; tables that were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.
Outside the Torah
Shortest skip 8, forward from Nehemiah 12:37
… בַּֽמַּעֲלֶ֖ה לַחוֹמָ֑ה מֵעַל֙ לְבֵ֣ית דָּוִ֔יד וְעַ֛ד שַׁ֥עַר הַמַּ֖יִם מִזְרָֽח׃
and by the fountain gate, and straight before them, they went up by the stairs of the city of David, at the going up of the wall, above the house of David, even unto the water gate eastward.
וְהַתּוֹדָ֧ה הַשֵּׁנִ֛ית הַהוֹלֶ֥כֶת לְמ֖וֹאל וַאֲנִ֣י אַחֲרֶ֑יהָ וַחֲצִ֨י הָעָ֜ם מֵעַ֣ל לְהַחוֹמָ֗ה מֵעַל֙ לְמִגְדַּ֣ל הַתַּנּוּרִ֔ים וְעַ֖ד הַחוֹמָ֥ה הָרְחָבָֽה׃
And the other company of them that gave thanks went to meet them, and I after them, with the half of the people, upon the wall, above the tower of the furnaces, even unto the broad wall;
Middle skip 502, backward from Psalm 110:6
יָדִ֣ין בַּ֭גּוֹיִם מָלֵ֣א גְוִיּ֑וֹת מָ֥חַץ רֹ֝֗אשׁ עַל־אֶ֥רֶץ רַבָּֽה׃
He will judge among the nations; He filleth it with the dead bodies, He crusheth the head over a wide land.
וְאַתָּ֤ה יְק֘וִ֤ק אֲדֹנָ֗י עֲֽשֵׂה־אִ֭תִּי לְמַ֣עַן שְׁמֶ֑ךָ כִּי־ט֥וֹב חַ֝סְדְּךָ֗ הַצִּילֵֽנִי׃
But Thou, O GOD the Lord, deal with me for Thy name's sake; Because Thy mercy is good, deliver Thou me.
וַיָּ֘שִׂ֤ימוּ עָלַ֣י רָ֭עָה תַּ֣חַת טוֹבָ֑ה וְ֝שִׂנְאָ֗ה תַּ֣חַת אַהֲבָתִֽי׃
And they have laid upon me evil for good, And hatred for my love:
נָכ֣וֹן לִבִּ֣י אֱ־לֹהִ֑ים אָשִׁ֥ירָה וַ֝אֲזַמְּרָ֗ה אַף־כְּבוֹדִֽי׃
My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises, even with my glory.
יַעֲל֣וּ שָׁ֭מַיִם יֵרְד֣וּ תְהוֹמ֑וֹת נַ֝פְשָׁ֗ם בְּרָעָ֥ה תִתְמוֹגָֽג׃
They mounted up to the heaven, they went down to the deeps; Their soul melted away because of trouble;
יוֹד֣וּ לַיקוָ֣ק חַסְדּ֑וֹ וְ֝נִפְלְאוֹתָ֗יו לִבְנֵ֥י אָדָֽם׃
Let them give thanks unto the LORD for His mercy, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
By skip range, shuffled texts and book
| Skips, Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| 2 to 10 | 0 | 0.66 |
| 11 to 100 | 9 | 6.6 |
| 101 to 1,000 | 70 | 65.6 |
| 1,001 to 5,000 | 271 | 280 |
| 5,001 to 60,969 | 1,872 | 1,889 |
Shuffled Torahs
The Torah's own count at skips 2 to 1,000 is 79. Each family below rebuilt the text 100 times (seed 5787). What each family keeps.
| Control family | Runs at or above 79 | Median run | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letter shuffle | 28/100 | 74 | 52 to 90 |
| Words within each verse | 25/100 | 72 | 52 to 89 |
Where the sequences start
| Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Genesis | 574 | 574 |
| Exodus | 498 | 467 |
| Leviticus | 294 | 329 |
| Numbers | 437 | 467 |
| Deuteronomy | 419 | 404 |
| Tanakh | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Torah | 8,010 | 8,671 |
| Prophets | 16,234 | 15,751 |
| Writings | 8,789 | 9,625 |
Run this search yourself
Change the skips, set יהונתן beside another word, and run the controls on your own question.
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