Menorah מנורה
The Torah spells it two ways and Chronicles one, and the Book of Kings puts a plain one in a guest room.
- Found in the Torah
- 48,118
- Chance alone: 48,556
- Skips 2 to 76,212
- Found in the Tanakh
- 711,065
- Chance alone: 714,505
- Skips 2 to 299,260
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The seven-branched lampstand of Exodus 25 is spelled both ways in the Torah. Exodus 25:31 has המנורה and two verses later it has המנרה, and the short form is the usual one in the Torah. By 1 Chronicles 28:15 every case has the ו, as Hebrew spelling grew fuller over the centuries, and that is the form we write now. Spelling is one surprise. The other is that the word was not always grand. In 2 Kings 4:10, the woman of Shunem furnishes a small room on the roof for Elisha with a bed, a table, a stool and a מנורה. It was a lamp stand, and people had them at home. Since both spellings are in the text, a fair search needs both, and the table below sets them side by side.
- As a whole word
- 2
- First, with any prefix
- Exodus 25:31
The measurement
A fifth letter is expensive. The short spelling has 642,614 sequences in the Torah and the long one 48,118, about 13 times fewer, and both stay within 1 percent of the formula.
| At every skip | Torah | Tanakh |
|---|---|---|
| Found | 48,118 | 711,065 |
| Chance alone | 48,556 | 714,505 |
| P (≥ found) | 0.98 | 1.00 |
| Shortest skip | 2 | 2 |
| Longest skip | 75,868 | 298,982 |
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 6,115 against 6,161 by chance. How these figures are made.
Other spellings
Each spelling is its own search. Every skip, both directions.
| Spelling | Torah | Tanakh |
|---|---|---|
| מנורה2 as a word | 48,118 chance 48,556 | 711,065 chance 714,505 |
| מנרה4 as a word | 642,614 chance 646,400 | 8,642,889 chance 8,798,985 |
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 11:26
… וְלֹ֥א יָצְא֖וּ הָאֹ֑הֱלָה וַיִּֽתְנַבְּא֖וּ בַּֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃
But there remained two men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad; and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were recorded, but had not gone out unto the Tent; and they prophesied in the camp.
וַיָּ֣רָץ הַנַּ֔עַר וַיַּגֵּ֥ד לְמֹשֶׁ֖ה וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אֶלְדָּ֣ד וּמֵידָ֔ד מִֽתְנַבְּאִ֖ים בַּֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃
And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said: ‘Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.’
Shortest skip 2, forward from Numbers 14:44
וַיַּעְפִּ֕לוּ לַעֲל֖וֹת אֶל־רֹ֣אשׁ הָהָ֑ר וַאֲר֤וֹן בְּרִית־יְקוָק֙ וּמֹשֶׁ֔ה לֹא־מָ֖שׁוּ מִקֶּ֥רֶב הַֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃
But they presumed to go up to the top of the mountain; nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and Moses, departed not out of the camp.
וַיֵּ֤רֶד הָעֲמָלֵקִי֙ וְהַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֔י הַיֹּשֵׁ֖ב בָּהָ֣ר הַה֑וּא וַיַּכּ֥וּם וַֽיַּכְּת֖וּם עַד־הַֽחָרְמָֽה׃
Then the Amalekite and the Canaanite, who dwelt in that hill-country, came down, and smote them and beat them down, even unto Hormah.
Short skip 50, backward from Leviticus 14:22
וּשְׁתֵּ֣י תֹרִ֗ים א֤וֹ שְׁנֵי֙ בְּנֵ֣י יוֹנָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּשִּׂ֖יג יָד֑וֹ וְהָיָ֤ה אֶחָד֙ חַטָּ֔את וְהָאֶחָ֖ד עֹלָֽה׃
and two turtle-doves, or two young pigeons, such as his means suffice for; and the one shall be a sin-offering, and the other a burnt-offering.
… וְ֠לָקַח כֶּ֣בֶשׂ אֶחָ֥ד אָשָׁ֛ם לִתְנוּפָ֖ה לְכַפֵּ֣ר עָלָ֑יו וְעִשָּׂר֨וֹן סֹ֜לֶת …
And if he be poor, and his means suffice not, then he shall take one he-lamb for a guilt-offering to be waved, to make atonement for him, and one tenth part of an ephah of fine flour mingled with oil for a meal-offering, and a log of oil;
וְהֶעֱלָ֧ה הַכֹּהֵ֛ן אֶת־הָעֹלָ֥ה וְאֶת־הַמִּנְחָ֖ה הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חָה וְכִפֶּ֥ר עָלָ֛יו הַכֹּהֵ֖ן וְטָהֵֽר׃
And the priest shall offer the burnt-offering and the meal-offering upon the altar; and the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be clean.
וְעָשָׂ֤ה הַכֹּהֵן֙ אֶת־הַ֣חַטָּ֔את וְכִפֶּ֕ר עַל־הַמִּטַּהֵ֖ר מִטֻּמְאָת֑וֹ וְאַחַ֖ר יִשְׁחַ֥ט אֶת־הָעֹלָֽה׃
And the priest shall offer the sin-offering, and make atonement for him that is to be cleansed because of his uncleanness; and afterward he shall kill the burnt-offering.
וְהַנּוֹתָ֗ר בַּשֶּׁ֨מֶן֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־כַּ֣ף הַכֹּהֵ֔ן יִתֵּ֖ן עַל־רֹ֣אשׁ הַמִּטַּהֵ֑ר וְכִפֶּ֥ר עָלָ֛יו הַכֹּהֵ֖ן לִפְנֵ֥י יְקוָֽק׃
And the rest of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall put upon the head of him that is to be cleansed; and the priest shall make atonement for him before the LORD.
Middle skip 500, backward from Exodus 40:26
וַיָּ֛שֶׂם אֶת־מִזְבַּ֥ח הַזָּהָ֖ב בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד לִפְנֵ֖י הַפָּרֹֽכֶת׃
And he put the golden altar in the tent of meeting before the veil;
וּמָשַׁחְתָּ֣ אֹתָ֗ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר מָשַׁ֨חְתָּ֙ אֶת־אֲבִיהֶ֔ם וְכִהֲנ֖וּ לִ֑י וְ֠הָיְתָה לִהְיֹ֨ת לָהֶ֧ם מָשְׁחָתָ֛ם לִכְהֻנַּ֥ת עוֹלָ֖ם לְדֹרֹתָֽם׃
And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto Me in the priest’s office; and their anointing shall be to them for an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.’
וְשַׂמְתָּ֣ שָׁ֔ם אֵ֖ת אֲר֣וֹן הָעֵד֑וּת וְסַכֹּתָ֥ עַל־הָאָרֹ֖ן אֶת־הַפָּרֹֽכֶת׃
And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and thou shalt screen the ark with the veil.
וְאֶת־מִכְסֵ֞ה עוֹרֹ֤ת הָֽאֵילִם֙ הַמְאָדָּמִ֔ים וְאֶת־מִכְסֵ֖ה עֹרֹ֣ת הַתְּחָשִׁ֑ים וְאֵ֖ת פָּרֹ֥כֶת הַמָּסָֽךְ׃
and the covering of rams’ skins dyed red, and the covering of sealskins, and the veil of the screen;
וַיַּעֲשׂ֥וּ פַעֲמֹנֵ֖י זָהָ֣ב טָה֑וֹר וַיִּתְּנ֨וּ אֶת־הַפַּֽעֲמֹנִ֜ים בְּת֣וֹךְ הָרִמֹּנִ֗ים עַל־שׁוּלֵ֤י הַמְּעִיל֙ סָבִ֔יב בְּת֖וֹךְ הָרִמֹּנִֽים׃
And they made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates upon the skirts of the robe round about, between the pomegranates:
Wide skip 5,002, forward from Genesis 29:33
וַתַּ֣הַר עוֹד֮ וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּן֒ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר כִּֽי־שָׁמַ֤ע יְקוָק֙ כִּֽי־שְׂנוּאָ֣ה אָנֹ֔כִי וַיִּתֶּן־לִ֖י גַּם־אֶת־זֶ֑ה וַתִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ שִׁמְעֽוֹן׃
And she conceived again, and bore a son; and said: ‘Because the LORD hath heard that I am hated, He hath therefore given me this son also.’ And she called his name Simeon.
אֱ־לֹהֵ֨י אַבְרָהָ֜ם וֵֽא־לֹהֵ֤י נָחוֹר֙ יִשְׁפְּט֣וּ בֵינֵ֔ינוּ אֱ־לֹהֵ֖י אֲבִיהֶ֑ם וַיִּשָּׁבַ֣ע יַעֲקֹ֔ב בְּפַ֖חַד אָבִ֥יו יִצְחָֽק׃
The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us.’ And Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac.
וַיֹּֽאמֶר־ל֥וֹ אֱ־לֹהִ֖ים שִׁמְךָ֣ יַעֲקֹ֑ב לֹֽא־יִקָּרֵא֩ שִׁמְךָ֨ ע֜וֹד יַעֲקֹ֗ב כִּ֤י אִם־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה שְׁמֶ֔ךָ וַיִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
And God said unto him: ‘Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name’; and He called his name Israel.
וַיֵּ֛רַע בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְקוָ֖ק אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה וַיָּ֖מֶת גַּם־אֹתֽוֹ׃
And the thing which he did was evil in the sight of the LORD; and He slew him also.
שֶׁ֧בַע פָּרֹ֣ת הַטֹּבֹ֗ת שֶׁ֤בַע שָׁנִים֙ הֵ֔נָּה וְשֶׁ֤בַע הַֽשִּׁבֳּלִים֙ הַטֹּבֹ֔ת שֶׁ֥בַע שָׁנִ֖ים הֵ֑נָּה חֲל֖וֹם אֶחָ֥ד הֽוּא׃
The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one.
Outside the Torah
Shortest skip 2, forward from Judges 7:11
וְשָֽׁמַעְתָּ֙ מַה־יְדַבֵּ֔רוּ וְאַחַר֙ תֶּחֱזַ֣קְנָה יָדֶ֔יךָ וְיָרַדְתָּ֖ בַּֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה וַיֵּ֤רֶד הוּא֙ וּפֻרָ֣ה נַעֲר֔וֹ אֶל־קְצֵ֥ה הַחֲמֻשִׁ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃
And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thy hands be strengthened to go down upon the camp.’ Then went he down with Purah his servant unto the outermost part of the armed men that were in the camp.
Middle skip 500, forward from Psalm 44:4
כִּ֤י לֹ֪א בְחַרְבָּ֡ם יָ֥רְשׁוּ אָ֗רֶץ וּזְרוֹעָם֮ לֹא־הוֹשִׁ֪יעָ֫ה לָּ֥מוֹ כִּֽי־יְמִֽינְךָ֣ וּ֭זְרוֹעֲךָ וְא֥וֹר פָּנֶ֗יךָ כִּ֣י רְצִיתָֽם׃
For not by their own sword did they get the land in possession, Neither did their own arm save them; but Thy right hand, and Thine arm, and the light of Thy countenance, because Thou wast favourable unto them.
אִם־שָׁ֭כַחְנוּ שֵׁ֣ם אֱ־לֹהֵ֑ינוּ וַנִּפְרֹ֥שׂ כַּ֝פֵּ֗ינוּ לְאֵ֣ל זָֽר׃
If we had forgotten the name of our God, or spread forth our hands to a strange god;
מֹר־וַאֲהָל֣וֹת קְ֭צִיעוֹת כָּל־בִּגְדֹתֶ֑יךָ מִֽן־הֵ֥יכְלֵי שֵׁ֝֗ן מִנִּ֥י שִׂמְּחֽוּךָ׃
Myrrh, and aloes, and cassia are all thy garments; Out of ivory palaces stringed instruments have made thee glad.
אֱ־לֹהִ֣ים בְּ֭קִרְבָּהּ בַּל־תִּמּ֑וֹט יַעְזְרֶ֥הָ אֱ֝־לֹהִ֗ים לִפְנ֥וֹת בֹּֽקֶר׃
God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, at the approach of morning.
נְדִ֘יבֵ֤י עַמִּ֨ים נֶאֱסָ֗פוּ עַם֮ אֱ־לֹהֵ֪י אַבְרָ֫הָ֥ם כִּ֣י לֵֽ֭א־לֹהִים מָֽגִנֵּי־אֶ֗רֶץ מְאֹ֣ד נַעֲלָֽה׃
The princes of the peoples are gathered together, the people of the God of Abraham; for unto God belong the shields of the earth; He is greatly exalted.
By skip range, shuffled texts and book
| Skips, Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| 2 to 10 | 13 | 11.5 |
| 11 to 100 | 128 | 115 |
| 101 to 1,000 | 1,115 | 1,139 |
| 1,001 to 5,000 | 4,859 | 4,896 |
| 5,001 to 76,212 | 42,003 | 42,395 |
Shuffled Torahs
The Torah's own count at skips 2 to 1,000 is 1,256. Each family below rebuilt the text 100 times (seed 5787). What each family keeps.
| Control family | Runs at or above 1,256 | Median run | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letter shuffle | 55/100 | 1,261 | 1,168 to 1,341 |
| Words within each verse | 37/100 | 1,245 | 1,144 to 1,358 |
Where the sequences start
| Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Genesis | 12,211 | 12,435 |
| Exodus | 9,773 | 10,119 |
| Leviticus | 6,354 | 7,135 |
| Numbers | 11,426 | 10,121 |
| Deuteronomy | 8,354 | 8,746 |
| Tanakh | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Torah | 182,857 | 181,963 |
| Prophets | 313,171 | 330,550 |
| Writings | 215,037 | 201,992 |
Run this search yourself
Change the skips, set מנורה beside another word, and run the controls on your own question.
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