Mishkan משכן
The Tabernacle's Hebrew name means a dwelling. Isaiah uses the same word for a tomb cut in a rock.
- Found in the Torah
- 228,825
- Chance alone: 237,258
- Skips 2 to 101,616
- Found in the Tanakh
- 3,550,129
- Chance alone: 3,502,561
- Skips 2 to 399,013
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משכן is a place where someone lives. Exodus 25:9 takes that word for the tent-sanctuary of the wilderness, and the Torah then spends more chapters describing it than it spends on the creation of the world. But it stayed an ordinary word. Numbers 24:5 admires the dwellings of Israel, and Isaiah 22:16 mocks an official who has carved himself a מִשְׁכָּן in the rock, a home for the dead. Its verb, to dwell, gives later Hebrew the word for the Divine Presence. The word is usually definite: המשכן stands 76 times and the bare form 24.
- As a whole word
- 24
- First, with any prefix
- Exodus 25:9
The measurement
Its shortest sequence stands in Genesis 41:51, in the name מנשה and the words after it, with no Tabernacle anywhere near. Only 1 word shuffle in 100 reached the real 4,552, and every long list has a term like that.
| At every skip | Torah | Tanakh |
|---|---|---|
| Found | 228,825 | 3,550,129 |
| Chance alone | 237,258 | 3,502,561 |
| P (≥ found) | 1.00 | 3.5 × 10⁻¹⁴² |
| Shortest skip | 2 | 2 |
| Longest skip | 101,283 | 398,969 |
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 22,041 against 22,770 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 41:51
וַיִּקְרָ֥א יוֹסֵ֛ף אֶת־שֵׁ֥ם הַבְּכ֖וֹר מְנַשֶּׁ֑ה כִּֽי־נַשַּׁ֤נִי אֱ־לֹהִים֙ אֶת־כָּל־עֲמָלִ֔י וְאֵ֖ת כָּל־בֵּ֥ית אָבִֽי׃
And Joseph called the name of the first-born Manasseh: ‘for God hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house.’
Shortest skip 2, forward from Exodus 23:16
וְחַ֤ג הַקָּצִיר֙ בִּכּוּרֵ֣י מַעֲשֶׂ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּזְרַ֖ע בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה וְחַ֤ג הָֽאָסִף֙ בְּצֵ֣את הַשָּׁנָ֔ה בְּאָסְפְּךָ֥ אֶֽת־מַעֲשֶׂ֖יךָ מִן־הַשָּׂדֶֽה׃
and the feast of harvest, the first-fruits of thy labours, which thou sowest in the field; and the feast of ingathering, at the end of the year, when thou gatherest in thy labours out of the field.
Short skip 50, forward from Numbers 29:14
וּמִנְחָתָ֔ם סֹ֖לֶת בְּלוּלָ֣ה בַשָּׁ֑מֶן שְׁלֹשָׁ֨ה עֶשְׂרֹנִ֜ים לַפָּ֣ר הָֽאֶחָ֗ד לִשְׁלֹשָׁ֤ה עָשָׂר֙ פָּרִ֔ים שְׁנֵ֤י עֶשְׂרֹנִים֙ לָאַ֣יִל הָֽאֶחָ֔ד לִשְׁנֵ֖י הָאֵילִֽם׃
and their meal-offering, fine flour mingled with oil, three tenth parts for every bullock of the thirteen bullocks, two tenth parts for each ram of the two rams,
וְעִשָּׂרׄוֹן֙ עִשָּׂר֔וֹן לַכֶּ֖בֶשׂ הָאֶחָ֑ד לְאַרְבָּעָ֥ה עָשָׂ֖ר כְּבָשִֽׂים׃
and a several tenth part for every lamb of the fourteen lambs;
וּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשֵּׁנִ֗י פָּרִ֧ים בְּנֵי־בָקָ֛ר שְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָׂ֖ר אֵילִ֣ם שְׁנָ֑יִם כְּבָשִׂ֧ים בְּנֵי־שָׁנָ֛ה אַרְבָּעָ֥ה עָשָׂ֖ר תְּמִימִֽם׃
And on the second day ye shall present twelve young bullocks, two rams, fourteen he-lambs of the first year without blemish;
Middle skip 501, forward from Leviticus 26:17
וְנָתַתִּ֤י פָנַי֙ בָּכֶ֔ם וְנִגַּפְתֶּ֖ם לִפְנֵ֣י אֹיְבֵיכֶ֑ם וְרָד֤וּ בָכֶם֙ שֹֽׂנְאֵיכֶ֔ם וְנַסְתֶּ֖ם וְאֵין־רֹדֵ֥ף אֶתְכֶֽם׃
And I will set My face against you, and ye shall be smitten before your enemies; they that hate you shall rule over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you.
בְּשִׁבְרִ֣י לָכֶם֮ מַטֵּה־לֶחֶם֒ וְ֠אָפוּ עֶ֣שֶׂר נָשִׁ֤ים לַחְמְכֶם֙ בְּתַנּ֣וּר אֶחָ֔ד וְהֵשִׁ֥יבוּ לַחְמְכֶ֖ם בַּמִּשְׁקָ֑ל וַאֲכַלְתֶּ֖ם וְלֹ֥א תִשְׂבָּֽעוּ׃
When I break your staff of bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver your bread again by weight; and ye shall eat, and not be satisfied.
וְכָשְׁל֧וּ אִישׁ־בְּאָחִ֛יו כְּמִפְּנֵי־חֶ֖רֶב וְרֹדֵ֣ף אָ֑יִן וְלֹא־תִֽהְיֶ֤ה לָכֶם֙ תְּקוּמָ֔ה לִפְנֵ֖י אֹֽיְבֵיכֶֽם׃
And they shall stumble one upon another, as it were before the sword, when none pursueth; and ye shall have no power to stand before your enemies.
וְזָכַרְתִּ֥י לָהֶ֖ם בְּרִ֣ית רִאשֹׁנִ֑ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר הוֹצֵֽאתִי־אֹתָם֩ מֵאֶ֨רֶץ מִצְרַ֜יִם לְעֵינֵ֣י הַגּוֹיִ֗ם לִהְיֹ֥ת לָהֶ֛ם לֵא־לֹהִ֖ים אֲנִ֥י יְקוָֽק׃
But I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God: I am the LORD.
Wide skip 5,005, forward from Deuteronomy 4:23
… עִמָּכֶ֑ם וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֨ם לָכֶ֥ם פֶּ֨סֶל֙ תְּמ֣וּנַת כֹּ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוְּךָ֖ יְקוָ֥ק …
Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which He made with you, and make you a graven image, even the likeness of any thing which the LORD thy God hath forbidden thee.
כִּֽי־אִם־כֹּ֤ה תַעֲשׂוּ֙ לָהֶ֔ם מִזְבְּחֹתֵיהֶ֣ם תִּתֹּ֔צוּ וּמַצֵּבֹתָ֖ם תְּשַׁבֵּ֑רוּ וַאֲשֵֽׁירֵהֶם֙ תְּגַדֵּע֔וּן וּפְסִילֵיהֶ֖ם תִּשְׂרְפ֥וּן בָּאֵֽשׁ׃
But thus shall ye deal with them: ye shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and hew down their Asherim, and burn their graven images with fire.
עַל־כֵּ֞ן לֹֽא־הָיָ֧ה לְלֵוִ֛י חֵ֥לֶק וְנַחֲלָ֖ה עִם־אֶחָ֑יו יְקוָק֙ ה֣וּא נַחֲלָת֔וֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֶּ֛ר יְקוָ֥ק אֱ־לֹהֶ֖יךָ לֽוֹ׃
Wherefore Levi hath no portion nor inheritance with his brethren; the LORD is his inheritance, according as the LORD thy God spoke unto him.—
… אֹֽהֲבִים֙ אֶת־יְקוָ֣ק אֱ־לֹהֵיכֶ֔ם בְּכָל־לְבַבְכֶ֖ם וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁכֶֽם׃
thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or unto that dreamer of dreams; for the LORD your God putteth you to proof, to know whether ye do love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
Outside the Torah
Shortest skip 2, forward from Ezekiel 27:16
אֲרָ֥ם סֹחַרְתֵּ֖ךְ מֵרֹ֣ב מַעֲשָׂ֑יִךְ בְּ֠נֹפֶךְ אַרְגָּמָ֨ן וְרִקְמָ֤ה וּבוּץ֙ וְרָאמֹ֣ת וְכַדְכֹּ֔ד נָתְנ֖וּ בְּעִזְבוֹנָֽיִךְ׃
Aram was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of thy wealth; they traded for thy wares with carbuncles, purple, and richly woven work, and fine linen, and coral, and rubies.
Middle skip 500, forward from Isaiah 53:12
לָכֵ֞ן אֲחַלֶּק־ל֣וֹ בָרַבִּ֗ים וְאֶת־עֲצוּמִים֮ יְחַלֵּ֣ק שָׁלָל֒ תַּ֗חַת אֲשֶׁ֨ר …
Therefore will I divide him a portion among the great, And he shall divide the spoil with the mighty; Because he bared his soul unto death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet he bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.
כִּי־מֵ֥י נֹ֨חַ֙ זֹ֣את לִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִשְׁבַּ֗עְתִּי מֵעֲבֹ֥ר מֵי־נֹ֛חַ ע֖וֹד עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ כֵּ֥ן נִשְׁבַּ֛עְתִּי מִקְּצֹ֥ף עָלַ֖יִךְ וּמִגְּעָר־בָּֽךְ׃
For this is as the waters of Noah unto Me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.
… שִׁבְרוּ֙ וֶֽאֱכֹ֔לוּ וּלְכ֣וּ שִׁבְר֗וּ בְּלוֹא־כֶ֛סֶף וּבְל֥וֹא מְחִ֖יר יַ֥יִן וְחָלָֽב׃
Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye for water, And he that hath no money; Come ye, buy, and eat; Yea, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price.
כֵּ֣ן יִֽהְיֶ֤ה דְבָרִי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֵצֵ֣א מִפִּ֔י לֹֽא־יָשׁ֥וּב אֵלַ֖י רֵיקָ֑ם כִּ֤י אִם־עָשָׂה֙ אֶת־אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָפַ֔צְתִּי וְהִצְלִ֖יחַ אֲשֶׁ֥ר שְׁלַחְתִּֽיו׃
So shall My word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: It shall not return unto Me void, Except it accomplish that which I please, And make the thing whereto I sent it prosper.
By skip range, shuffled texts and book
| Skips, Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| 2 to 10 | 58 | 42.0 |
| 11 to 100 | 383 | 420 |
| 101 to 1,000 | 4,111 | 4,180 |
| 1,001 to 5,000 | 17,489 | 18,128 |
| 5,001 to 101,616 | 206,784 | 214,488 |
Shuffled Torahs
The Torah's own count at skips 2 to 1,000 is 4,552. Each family below rebuilt the text 100 times (seed 5787). What each family keeps.
| Control family | Runs at or above 4,552 | Median run | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letter shuffle | 92/100 | 4,645 | 4,476 to 4,774 |
| Words within each verse | 1/100 | 4,385 | 4,260 to 4,582 |
Where the sequences start
| Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Genesis | 49,995 | 60,759 |
| Exodus | 48,657 | 49,445 |
| Leviticus | 33,134 | 34,863 |
| Numbers | 54,830 | 49,456 |
| Deuteronomy | 42,209 | 42,735 |
| Tanakh | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Torah | 952,803 | 891,995 |
| Prophets | 1,646,526 | 1,620,382 |
| Writings | 950,800 | 990,184 |
Run this search yourself
Change the skips, set משכן beside another word, and run the controls on your own question.
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