Joshua יהושע
Moses renamed him by adding one letter, Numbers 13:16. Then Deuteronomy calls him by the old name again, late in the book.
- Found in the Torah
- 42,058
- Chance alone: 41,847
- Skips 2 to 76,212
- Found in the Tanakh
- 685,155
- Chance alone: 692,521
- Skips 2 to 299,260
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He is called Joshua from his first battle, in Exodus 17:9. Then, in a strange backward step, Numbers 13:16 tells us this was not his name all along: he was Hoshea the son of Nun, הושע, and Moses called him יהושע. It is one added letter, the same kind of change made to Abraham and Sarah. Even so, the old name returns once, in Deuteronomy 32:44, at the end of Moses's life. Hebrew spelling was not done with him. Deuteronomy 3:21 and Judges 2:7 write the name with a second ו, and Nehemiah 8:17 uses a short late form. The forms that matter for a search are shown below. הושע also names the prophet Hosea.
- As a whole word
- 194
- First, with any prefix
- Exodus 17:9
The measurement
The renaming changes the size of the count and nothing else. הושע has 546,830 sequences in the Torah and יהושע 42,058, and all three spellings are within 1.5 percent of the formula.
| At every skip | Torah | Tanakh |
|---|---|---|
| Found | 42,058 | 685,155 |
| Chance alone | 41,847 | 692,521 |
| P (≥ found) | 0.15 | 1.00 |
| Shortest skip | 2 | 2 |
| Longest skip | 75,882 | 298,551 |
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 5,159 against 5,310 by chance. How these figures are made.
Other spellings
Each spelling is its own search. Every skip, both directions.
| Spelling | Torah | Tanakh |
|---|---|---|
| יהושע194 as a word | 42,058 chance 41,847 | 685,155 chance 692,521 |
| הושע10 as a word | 546,830 chance 539,028 | 7,953,720 chance 8,016,956 |
| יהושוע2 as a word | 3,374 chance 3,353 | 58,664 chance 59,984 |
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, backward from Exodus 28:21
וְ֠הָאֲבָנִים תִּֽהְיֶ֜יןָ עַל־שְׁמֹ֧ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל שְׁתֵּ֥ים עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה עַל־שְׁמֹתָ֑ם פִּתּוּחֵ֤י חוֹתָם֙ אִ֣ישׁ עַל־שְׁמ֔וֹ תִּֽהְיֶ֕יןָ לִשְׁנֵ֥י עָשָׂ֖ר שָֽׁבֶט׃
And the stones shall be according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names; like the engravings of a signet, every one according to his name, they shall be for the twelve tribes.
Short skip 50, backward from Leviticus 8:8
וַיָּ֥שֶׂם עָלָ֖יו אֶת־הַחֹ֑שֶׁן וַיִּתֵּן֙ אֶל־הַחֹ֔שֶׁן אֶת־הָאוּרִ֖ים וְאֶת־הַתֻּמִּֽים׃
And he placed the breastplate upon him; and in the breastplate he put the Urim and the Thummim.
… אֹתוֹ֙ בָּֽאַבְנֵ֔ט וַיַּלְבֵּ֤שׁ אֹתוֹ֙ אֶֽת־הַמְּעִ֔יל וַיִּתֵּ֥ן עָלָ֖יו אֶת־הָאֵפֹ֑ד וַיַּחְגֹּ֣ר …
And he put upon him the tunic, and girded him with the girdle, and clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod upon him, and he girded him with the skilfully woven band of the ephod, and bound it unto him therewith.
וַיַּקְרֵ֣ב מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֶֽת־אַהֲרֹ֖ן וְאֶת־בָּנָ֑יו וַיִּרְחַ֥ץ אֹתָ֖ם בַּמָּֽיִם׃
And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water.
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֖ה אֶל־הָעֵדָ֑ה זֶ֣ה הַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה יְקוָ֖ק לַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃
And Moses said unto the congregation: ‘This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded to be done.’
וְאֵ֥ת כָּל־הָעֵדָ֖ה הַקְהֵ֑ל אֶל־פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃
and assemble thou all the congregation at the door of the tent of meeting.’
Middle skip 501, forward from Numbers 26:57
וְאֵ֨לֶּה פְקוּדֵ֣י הַלֵּוִי֮ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם֒ לְגֵרְשׁ֗וֹן מִשְׁפַּ֨חַת֙ הַגֵּ֣רְשֻׁנִּ֔י לִקְהָ֕ת מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַקְּהָתִ֑י לִמְרָרִ֕י מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַמְּרָרִֽי׃
And these are they that were numbered of the Levites after their families: of Gershon, the family of the Gershonites; of Kohath, the family of the Kohathites; of Merari, the family of the Merarites.
וַתִּקְרַ֜בְנָה בְּנ֣וֹת צְלָפְחָ֗ד בֶּן־חֵ֤פֶר בֶּן־גִּלְעָד֙ …
Then drew near the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph; and these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah.
וְאִם־אֵ֣ין אַחִים֮ לְאָבִיו֒ וּנְתַתֶּ֣ם אֶת־נַחֲלָת֗וֹ לִשְׁאֵר֞וֹ הַקָּרֹ֥ב …
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.’
וְנָתַתָּ֥ה מֵהֽוֹדְךָ֖ עָלָ֑יו לְמַ֣עַן יִשְׁמְע֔וּ כָּל־עֲדַ֖ת בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
And thou shalt put of thy honour upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may hearken.
וְאֵת֙ הַכֶּ֣בֶשׂ הַשֵּׁנִ֔י תַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה בֵּ֣ין הָֽעַרְבָּ֑יִם כְּמִנְחַ֨ת הַבֹּ֤קֶר וּכְנִסְכּוֹ֙ תַּעֲשֶׂ֔ה אִשֵּׁ֛ה רֵ֥יחַ נִיחֹ֖חַ לַיקוָֽק׃
And the other lamb shalt thou present at dusk; as the meal-offering of the morning, and as the drink-offering thereof, thou shalt present it, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
Wide skip 5,000, forward from Genesis 46:8
וְאֵ֨לֶּה שְׁמ֧וֹת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל הַבָּאִ֥ים מִצְרַ֖יְמָה יַעֲקֹ֣ב וּבָנָ֑יו בְּכֹ֥ר יַעֲקֹ֖ב רְאוּבֵֽן׃
And these are the names of the children of Israel, who came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons: Reuben, Jacob’s first-born.
אֹסְרִ֤י לַגֶּ֨פֶן֙ עירהעִיר֔וֹ וְלַשֹּׂרֵקָ֖ה בְּנִ֣י אֲתֹנ֑וֹ כִּבֵּ֤ס בַּיַּ֨יִן֙ לְבֻשׁ֔וֹ וּבְדַם־עֲנָבִ֖ים סותהסוּתֽוֹ׃
Binding his foal unto the vine, And his ass’s colt unto the choice vine; He washeth his garments in wine, And his vesture in the blood of grapes;
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְקוָ֔ק רָאֹ֥ה רָאִ֛יתִי אֶת־עֳנִ֥י עַמִּ֖י אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם וְאֶת־צַעֲקָתָ֤ם שָׁמַ֨עְתִּי֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י נֹֽגְשָׂ֔יו כִּ֥י יָדַ֖עְתִּי אֶת־מַכְאֹבָֽיו׃
And the LORD said: ‘I have surely seen the affliction of My people that are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their pains;
בְּנֵ֥י גֵרְשׁ֛וֹן לִבְנִ֥י וְשִׁמְעִ֖י לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽם׃
The sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei, according to their families.
הַיָּרֵא֙ אֶת־דְּבַ֣ר יְקוָ֔ק מֵֽעַבְדֵ֖י פַּרְעֹ֑ה הֵנִ֛יס אֶת־עֲבָדָ֥יו וְאֶת־מִקְנֵ֖הוּ אֶל־הַבָּתִּֽים׃
He that feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses;
Outside the Torah
Shortest skip 2, forward from Isaiah 2:20
בַּיּ֤וֹם הַהוּא֙ יַשְׁלִ֣יךְ הָאָדָ֔ם אֵ֚ת אֱלִילֵ֣י כַסְפּ֔וֹ וְאֵ֖ת אֱלִילֵ֣י זְהָב֑וֹ אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָֽשׂוּ־לוֹ֙ לְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֺ֔ת לַחְפֹּ֥ר פֵּר֖וֹת וְלָעֲטַלֵּפִֽים׃
In that day a man shall cast away His idols of silver, and his idols of gold, Which they made for themselves to worship, To the moles and to the bats;
Middle skip 500, forward from 1 Kings 14:22
וַיַּ֧עַשׂ יְהוּדָ֛ה הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְקוָ֑ק וַיְקַנְא֣וּ אֹת֗וֹ מִכֹּל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשׂ֣וּ אֲבֹתָ֔ם בְּחַטֹּאתָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר חָטָֽאוּ׃
And Judah did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD; and they moved Him to jealousy with their sins which they committed, above all that their fathers had done.
וַיִּשְׁכַּ֨ב רְחַבְעָ֜ם עִם־אֲבֹתָ֗יו וַיִּקָּבֵ֤ר עִם־אֲבֹתָיו֙ בְּעִ֣יר דָּוִ֔ד וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמּ֔וֹ נַעֲמָ֖ה הָעַמֹּנִ֑ית וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ אֲבִיָּ֥ם בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו׃
And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David; and his mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess. And Abijam his son reigned in his stead.
וְאַרְבָּעִ֤ים וְאַחַת֙ שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמּ֔וֹ מַעֲכָ֖ה בַּת־אֲבִישָׁלֽוֹם׃
And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom.
… אָבִ֖י וּבֵ֣ין אָבִ֑יךָ הִנֵּה֩ שָׁלַ֨חְתִּֽי לְךָ֥ שֹׁ֨חַד֙ כֶּ֣סֶף וְזָהָ֔ב …
’There is a league between me and thee, between my father and thy father; behold, I have sent unto thee a present of silver and gold; go, break thy league with Baasa king of Israel, that he may depart from me.’
וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְקוָ֑ק וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ֙ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ אָבִ֔יו וּ֨בְחַטָּאת֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֶחֱטִ֖יא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.
By skip range, shuffled texts and book
| Skips, Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| 2 to 10 | 7 | 9.9 |
| 11 to 100 | 95 | 98.8 |
| 101 to 1,000 | 931 | 981 |
| 1,001 to 5,000 | 4,126 | 4,220 |
| 5,001 to 76,212 | 36,899 | 36,537 |
Shuffled Torahs
The Torah's own count at skips 2 to 1,000 is 1,033. Each family below rebuilt the text 100 times (seed 5787). What each family keeps.
| Control family | Runs at or above 1,033 | Median run | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letter shuffle | 96/100 | 1,100 | 1,016 to 1,150 |
| Words within each verse | 57/100 | 1,039 | 973 to 1,111 |
Where the sequences start
| Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Genesis | 11,088 | 10,717 |
| Exodus | 9,370 | 8,721 |
| Leviticus | 5,799 | 6,149 |
| Numbers | 8,336 | 8,723 |
| Deuteronomy | 7,465 | 7,538 |
| Tanakh | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Torah | 167,219 | 176,364 |
| Prophets | 332,387 | 320,380 |
| Writings | 185,549 | 195,778 |
Run this search yourself
Change the skips, set יהושע beside another word, and run the controls on your own question.
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