Purim פורים
The name comes from a Persian-era word for a lot, and Esther stops to explain it. One letter fewer and the same word means bulls.
- Found in the Torah
- 17,743
- Chance alone: 18,578
- Skips 2 to 76,212
- Found in the Tanakh
- 321,931
- Chance alone: 320,638
- Skips 2 to 299,260
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A foreign word needed explaining here. Esther 3:7 says it outright: they cast pur, that is, the lot. At the end of the book, in Esther 9:26, the days are called פורים after it. The chapter then spells the name two ways: with a ו in verses 26, 28 and 29, and without one in verses 31 and 32, where הפרים is the same letters as the bulls of Numbers 8:12. Leave out the ו and you are searching for פרים, a word that Numbers uses in long lists of offerings. We lead with the fuller form and put the short one beside it, so you can see what one letter does to a count.
- As a whole word
- 1
- First, with any prefix
- Esther 9:26
- Last
- Esther 9:29
The measurement
The word is a little scarcer than a shuffled text would make it: about nine shuffled Torahs in ten reach or pass the real 455. A reader looking for the festival here is looking at a slight shortage.
| At every skip | Torah | Tanakh |
|---|---|---|
| Found | 17,743 | 321,931 |
| Chance alone | 18,578 | 320,638 |
| P (≥ found) | 1.00 | 0.01 |
| Shortest skip | 3 | 2 |
| Longest skip | 75,357 | 298,955 |
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 2,387 against 2,357 by chance. How these figures are made.
Other spellings
Each spelling is its own search. Every skip, both directions.
| Spelling | Torah | Tanakh |
|---|---|---|
| פוריםone whole word | 17,743 chance 18,578 | 321,931 chance 320,638 |
| פרים34 as a word | 236,625 chance 247,313 | 3,979,830 chance 3,948,589 |
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 3, forward from Exodus 28:8
וְחֵ֤שֶׁב אֲפֻדָּתוֹ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָלָ֔יו כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֖הוּ מִמֶּ֣נּוּ יִהְיֶ֑ה זָהָ֗ב תְּכֵ֧לֶת וְאַרְגָּמָ֛ן וְתוֹלַ֥עַת שָׁנִ֖י וְשֵׁ֥שׁ מָשְׁזָֽר׃
And the skilfully woven band, which is upon it, wherewith to gird it on, shall be like the work thereof and of the same piece: of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.
Shortest skip 3, forward from Exodus 39:5
וְחֵ֨שֶׁב אֲפֻדָּת֜וֹ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָלָ֗יו מִמֶּ֣נּוּ הוּא֮ כְּמַעֲשֵׂהוּ֒ זָהָ֗ב תְּכֵ֧לֶת …
And the skilfully woven band, that was upon it, wherewith to gird it on, was of the same piece and like the work thereof: of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, as the LORD commanded Moses.
Short skip 50, backward from Genesis 8:19
כָּל־הַֽחַיָּ֗ה כָּל־הָרֶ֨מֶשׂ֙ וְכָל־הָע֔וֹף כֹּ֖ל רוֹמֵ֣שׂ עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹ֣תֵיהֶ֔ם יָצְא֖וּ מִן־הַתֵּבָֽה׃
every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, whatsoever moveth upon the earth, after their families; went forth out of the ark.
וַיֵּ֖צֵא־נֹ֑חַ וּבָנָ֛יו וְאִשְׁתּ֥וֹ וּנְשֵֽׁי־בָנָ֖יו אִתּֽוֹ׃
And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him;
כָּל־הַחַיָּ֨ה אֲשֶֽׁר־אִתְּךָ֜ מִכָּל־בָּשָׂ֗ר בָּע֧וֹף וּבַבְּהֵמָ֛ה וּבְכָל־הָרֶ֛מֶשׂ הָרֹמֵ֥שׂ עַל־הָאָ֖רֶץ הוצאהַיְצֵ֣א אִתָּ֑ךְ וְשָֽׁרְצ֣וּ בָאָ֔רֶץ וּפָר֥וּ וְרָב֖וּ עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃
Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee of all flesh, both fowl, and cattle, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; that they may swarm in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth.’
צֵ֖א מִן־הַתֵּבָ֑ה אַתָּ֕ה וְאִשְׁתְּךָ֛ וּבָנֶ֥יךָ וּנְשֵֽׁי־בָנֶ֖יךָ אִתָּֽךְ׃
’Go forth from the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons’ wives with thee.
וּבַחֹ֨דֶשׁ֙ הַשֵּׁנִ֔י בְּשִׁבְעָ֧ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֛ים י֖וֹם לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ יָבְשָׁ֖ה הָאָֽרֶץ׃
And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dry.
Middle skip 506, forward from Numbers 7:67
קָרְבָּנ֞וֹ קַֽעֲרַת־כֶּ֣סֶף אַחַ֗ת שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים וּמֵאָה֮ מִשְׁקָלָהּ֒ …
his offering was one silver dish, the weight thereof was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meal-offering;
קָרְבָּנ֞וֹ קַֽעֲרַת־כֶּ֣סֶף אַחַ֗ת שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים וּמֵאָה֮ …
his offering was one silver dish, the weight thereof was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meal-offering;
וְכֹ֞ל בְּקַ֣ר זֶ֣בַח הַשְּׁלָמִ֗ים עֶשְׂרִ֣ים וְאַרְבָּעָה֮ …
and all the oxen for the sacrifice of peace-offerings twenty and four bullocks, the rams sixty, the he-goats sixty, the he-lambs of the first year sixty. This was the dedication-offering of the altar, after that it was anointed.
וְלָֽקְחוּ֙ פַּ֣ר בֶּן־בָּקָ֔ר וּמִנְחָת֔וֹ סֹ֖לֶת בְּלוּלָ֣ה בַשָּׁ֑מֶן וּפַר־שֵׁנִ֥י בֶן־בָּקָ֖ר תִּקַּ֥ח לְחַטָּֽאת׃
Then let them take a young bullock, and its meal-offering, fine flour mingled with oil, and another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin-offering.
וָאֶקַּח֙ אֶת־הַלְוִיִּ֔ם תַּ֥חַת כָּל־בְּכ֖וֹר בִּבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
And I have taken the Levites instead of all the first-born among the children of Israel.
Wide skip 5,009, backward from Deuteronomy 31:8
וַֽיקוָ֞ק ה֣וּא הַהֹלֵ֣ךְ לְפָנֶ֗יךָ ה֚וּא יִהְיֶ֣ה עִמָּ֔ךְ לֹ֥א יַרְפְּךָ֖ וְלֹ֣א יַֽעַזְבֶ֑ךָּ לֹ֥א תִירָ֖א וְלֹ֥א תֵחָֽת׃
And the LORD, He it is that doth go before thee; He will be with thee, He will not fail thee, neither forsake thee; fear not, neither be dismayed.’
תַּ֗חַת אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹא־עָבַ֨דְתָּ֙ אֶת־יְקוָ֣ק אֱ־לֹהֶ֔יךָ בְּשִׂמְחָ֖ה וּבְט֣וּב לֵבָ֑ב מֵרֹ֖ב כֹּֽל׃
because thou didst not serve the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, by reason of the abundance of all things;
אֲשֶׁ֨ר קָֽרְךָ֜ בַּדֶּ֗רֶךְ וַיְזַנֵּ֤ב בְּךָ֙ כָּל־הַנֶּחֱשָׁלִ֣ים אַֽחַרֶ֔יךָ וְאַתָּ֖ה עָיֵ֣ף וְיָגֵ֑עַ וְלֹ֥א יָרֵ֖א אֱ־לֹהִֽים׃
how he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, all that were enfeebled in thy rear, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.
וְכִֽי־יִהְיֶ֣ה בְאִ֗ישׁ חֵ֛טְא מִשְׁפַּט־מָ֖וֶת וְהוּמָ֑ת וְתָלִ֥יתָ אֹת֖וֹ עַל־עֵֽץ׃
And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree;
… לְמַ֖עַן הַרְבּ֣וֹת ס֑וּס וַֽיקוָק֙ אָמַ֣ר לָכֶ֔ם לֹ֣א תֹסִפ֗וּן לָשׁ֛וּב …
Only he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses; forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you: ‘Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.’
Outside the Torah
Shortest skip 2, backward from 2 Kings 25:26
Middle skip 500, forward from Psalm 16:7
אֲבָרֵ֗ךְ אֶת־יְ֭קוָק אֲשֶׁ֣ר יְעָצָ֑נִי אַף־לֵ֝יל֗וֹת יִסְּר֥וּנִי כִלְיוֹתָֽי׃
I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel; Yea, in the night seasons my reins instruct me.
אַ֭שֻּׁרֵינוּ עַתָּ֣ה סבבוניסְבָב֑וּנוּ עֵינֵיהֶ֥ם יָ֝שִׁ֗יתוּ לִנְט֥וֹת בָּאָֽרֶץ׃
At our every step they have now encompassed us; They set their eyes to cast us down to the earth.
וַתִּגְעַ֬שׁ וַתִּרְעַ֨שׁ הָאָ֗רֶץ וּמוֹסְדֵ֣י הָרִ֣ים יִרְגָּ֑זוּ וַ֝יִּתְגָּֽעֲשׁ֗וּ כִּי־חָ֥רָה לֽוֹ׃
Then the earth did shake and quake, the foundations also of the mountains did tremble; they were shaken, because He was wroth.
וָאֱהִ֣י תָמִ֣ים עִמּ֑וֹ וָ֝אֶשְׁתַּמֵּ֗ר מֵעֲוֺנִֽי׃
And I was single-hearted with Him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.
וְֽאֹיְבַ֗י נָתַ֣תָּה לִּ֣י עֹ֑רֶף וּ֝מְשַׂנְאַ֗י אַצְמִיתֵֽם׃
Thou hast also made mine enemies turn their backs unto me, and I did cut off them that hate me.
By skip range, shuffled texts and book
| Skips, Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| 2 to 10 | 7 | 4.4 |
| 11 to 100 | 43 | 43.8 |
| 101 to 1,000 | 405 | 436 |
| 1,001 to 5,000 | 1,932 | 1,873 |
| 5,001 to 76,212 | 15,356 | 16,220 |
Shuffled Torahs
The Torah's own count at skips 2 to 1,000 is 455. Each family below rebuilt the text 100 times (seed 5787). What each family keeps.
| Control family | Runs at or above 455 | Median run | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letter shuffle | 93/100 | 484 | 416 to 559 |
| Words within each verse | 88/100 | 484 | 427 to 542 |
Where the sequences start
| Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Genesis | 4,965 | 4,758 |
| Exodus | 3,675 | 3,872 |
| Leviticus | 2,493 | 2,730 |
| Numbers | 4,249 | 3,872 |
| Deuteronomy | 2,361 | 3,346 |
| Tanakh | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Torah | 81,641 | 81,657 |
| Prophets | 139,781 | 148,336 |
| Writings | 100,509 | 90,645 |
Run this search yourself
Change the skips, set פורים beside another word, and run the controls on your own question.
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