Reuben ראובן
Jacob's first-born is named for what Leah saw: See, a son. He loses the first-born's portion, and Deuteronomy asks only that he live.
- Found in the Torah
- 29,816
- Chance alone: 30,510
- Skips 2 to 76,212
- Found in the Tanakh
- 442,010
- Chance alone: 442,019
- Skips 2 to 299,260
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Each of Jacob's sons is named with a wordplay, and they run like a family's history in a line. Reuben comes first, ראובן, which reads as see, a son, and Leah adds her reason in Genesis 29:32: the Lord hath looked upon my affliction, and now my husband will love me. She is wrong about the last part. The name has the pain of the story folded in it. Reuben loses his birthright, for a reason given in one sentence in Genesis 35:22 and repeated at Jacob's deathbed in 49:4, and 1 Chronicles 5:1 says plainly that it went to the sons of Joseph. Moses's blessing in Deuteronomy 33:6 is short and asks for little: let Reuben live, and not die.
- As a whole word
- 69
- First, with any prefix
- Genesis 29:32
The measurement
In the whole Tanakh the count is 442,010 and the formula says 442,019.2. That closeness has no meaning, but it is a fair picture of how a five-letter name usually behaves. The shortest sequence begins in הבריאת, the fat ones, in Pharaoh's dream at Genesis 41:20.
| At every skip | Torah | Tanakh |
|---|---|---|
| Found | 29,816 | 442,010 |
| Chance alone | 30,510 | 442,019 |
| P (≥ found) | 1.00 | 0.51 |
| Shortest skip | 2 | 2 |
| Longest skip | 75,904 | 298,822 |
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 3,935 against 3,871 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 41:20
וַתֹּאכַ֨לְנָה֙ הַפָּר֔וֹת הָרַקּ֖וֹת וְהָרָע֑וֹת אֵ֣ת שֶׁ֧בַע הַפָּר֛וֹת הָרִאשֹׁנ֖וֹת הַבְּרִיאֹֽת׃
And the lean and ill-favoured kine did eat up the first seven fat kine.
וַתָּבֹ֣אנָה אֶל־קִרְבֶּ֗נָה וְלֹ֤א נוֹדַע֙ כִּי־בָ֣אוּ אֶל־קִרְבֶּ֔נָה וּמַרְאֵיהֶ֣ן רַ֔ע כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר בַּתְּחִלָּ֑ה וָאִיקָֽץ׃
And when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they were still ill-favoured as at the beginning. So I awoke.
Shortest skip 2, backward from Genesis 31:43
וַיַּ֨עַן לָבָ֜ן וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֶֽל־יַעֲקֹ֗ב הַבָּנ֨וֹת בְּנֹתַ֜י וְהַבָּנִ֤ים …
And Laban answered and said unto Jacob: ‘The daughters are my daughters, and the children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks, and all that thou seest is mine; and what can I do this day for these my daughters, or for their children whom they have borne?
Short skip 51, forward from Numbers 14:8
אִם־חָפֵ֥ץ בָּ֨נוּ֙ יְקוָ֔ק וְהֵבִ֤יא אֹתָ֨נוּ֙ אֶל־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את וּנְתָנָ֖הּ לָ֑נוּ אֶ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־הִ֛וא זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָֽשׁ׃
If the LORD delight in us, then He will bring us into this land, and give it unto us—a land which floweth with milk and honey.
אַ֣ךְ בַּֽיקוָק֮ אַל־תִּמְרֹדוּ֒ וְאַתֶּ֗ם אַל־תִּֽירְאוּ֙ אֶת־עַ֣ם הָאָ֔רֶץ כִּ֥י לַחְמֵ֖נוּ הֵ֑ם סָ֣ר צִלָּ֧ם מֵעֲלֵיהֶ֛ם וַֽיקוָ֥ק אִתָּ֖נוּ אַל־תִּירָאֻֽם׃
Only rebel not against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us; their defence is removed from over them, and the LORD is with us; fear them not.’
וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ כָּל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה לִרְגּ֥וֹם אֹתָ֖ם בָּאֲבָנִ֑ים וּכְב֣וֹד יְקוָ֗ק נִרְאָה֙ בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד אֶֽל־כָּל־בְּנֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
But all the congregation bade stone them with stones, when the glory of the LORD appeared in the tent of meeting unto all the children of Israel.
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְקוָק֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה עַד־אָ֥נָה יְנַאֲצֻ֖נִי הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֑ה וְעַד־אָ֨נָה֙ לֹא־יַאֲמִ֣ינוּ בִ֔י בְּכֹל֙ הָֽאֹת֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִׂ֖יתִי בְּקִרְבּֽוֹ׃
And the LORD said unto Moses: ‘How long will this people despise Me? and how long will they not believe in Me, for all the signs which I have wrought among them?
Middle skip 500, backward from Exodus 10:14
… לֹא־הָ֨יָה כֵ֤ן אַרְבֶּה֙ כָּמֹ֔הוּ וְאַחֲרָ֖יו לֹ֥א יִֽהְיֶה־כֵּֽן׃
And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the borders of Egypt; very grievous were they; before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such.
… שַׁלַּח֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֲנָשִׁ֔ים וְיַֽעַבְד֖וּ אֶת־יְקוָ֣ק אֱ־לֹהֵיהֶ֑ם הֲטֶ֣רֶם תֵּדַ֔ע כִּ֥י אָבְדָ֖ה …
And Pharaoh’s servants said unto him: ‘How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God, knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?’
וַֽיֶּחֱזַק֙ לֵ֣ב פַּרְעֹ֔ה וְלֹ֥א שִׁלַּ֖ח אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר דִּבֶּ֥ר יְקוָ֖ק בְּיַד־מֹשֶֽׁה׃
And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the children of Israel go; as the LORD had spoken by Moses.
… וְאֵ֨ת כָּל־עֵ֤שֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶה֙ הִכָּ֣ה הַבָּרָ֔ד וְאֶת־כָּל־עֵ֥ץ הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה שִׁבֵּֽר׃
And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and broke every tree of the field.
הִנְנִ֤י מַמְטִיר֙ כָּעֵ֣ת מָחָ֔ר בָּרָ֖ד כָּבֵ֣ד מְאֹ֑ד אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹא־הָיָ֤ה כָמֹ֨הוּ֙ בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם לְמִן־הַיּ֥וֹם הִוָּסְדָ֖ה וְעַד־עָֽתָּה׃
Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the day it was founded even until now.
Wide skip 5,005, backward from Leviticus 23:17
מִמּוֹשְׁבֹ֨תֵיכֶ֜ם תָּבִ֣יאּוּ לֶ֣חֶם תְּנוּפָ֗ה שְׁ֚תַּיִם שְׁנֵ֣י עֶשְׂרֹנִ֔ים סֹ֣לֶת תִּהְיֶ֔ינָה חָמֵ֖ץ תֵּאָפֶ֑ינָה בִּכּוּרִ֖ים לַֽיקוָֽק׃
Ye shall bring out of your dwellings two wave-loaves of two tenth parts of an ephah; they shall be of fine flour, they shall be baked with leaven, for first-fruits unto the LORD.
וַאֲנִ֞י אֶתֵּ֤ן אֶת־פָּנַי֙ בָּאִ֣ישׁ הַה֔וּא …
I also will set My face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people, because he hath given of his seed unto Molech, to defile My sanctuary, and to profane My holy name.
וְיָצָ֗א אֶל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֛חַ אֲשֶׁ֥ר לִפְנֵֽי־יְקוָ֖ק וְכִפֶּ֣ר עָלָ֑יו וְלָקַ֞ח מִדַּ֤ם הַפָּר֙ וּמִדַּ֣ם הַשָּׂעִ֔יר וְנָתַ֛ן עַל־קַרְנ֥וֹת הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ סָבִֽיב׃
And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the LORD, and make atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about.
… אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִשְׁחַ֧ט אֶת־הַֽחַטָּ֛את וְאֶת־הָעֹלָ֖ה בִּמְק֣וֹם הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ כִּ֡י כַּ֠חַטָּאת הָאָשָׁ֥ם …
And he shall kill the he-lamb in the place where they kill the sin-offering and the burnt-offering, in the place of the sanctuary; for as the sin-offering is the priest’s, so is the guilt-offering; it is most holy.
אַ֣ךְ מַעְיָ֥ן וּב֛וֹר מִקְוֵה־מַ֖יִם יִהְיֶ֣ה טָה֑וֹר וְנֹגֵ֥עַ בְּנִבְלָתָ֖ם יִטְמָֽא׃
Nevertheless a fountain or a cistern wherein is a gathering of water shall be clean; but he who toucheth their carcass shall be unclean.
Outside the Torah
Shortest skip 2, backward from Joshua 24:22
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוֹשֻׁ֜עַ אֶל־הָעָ֗ם עֵדִ֤ים אַתֶּם֙ בָּכֶ֔ם כִּֽי־אַתֶּ֞ם בְּחַרְתֶּ֥ם לָכֶ֛ם אֶת־יְקוָ֖ק לַעֲבֹ֣ד אוֹת֑וֹ וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ עֵדִֽים׃
And Joshua said unto the people: ‘Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve Him.—And they said: ‘We are witnesses.’—
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הָעָ֖ם אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֑עַ לֹ֕א כִּ֥י אֶת־יְקוָ֖ק נַעֲבֹֽד׃
And the people said unto Joshua: ‘Nay; but we will serve the LORD.’
Middle skip 500, backward from 1 Samuel 25:20
וְהָיָ֞ה הִ֣יא רֹכֶ֣בֶת עַֽל־הַחֲמ֗וֹר וְיֹרֶ֨דֶת֙ בְּסֵ֣תֶר הָהָ֔ר וְהִנֵּ֤ה דָוִד֙ וַאֲנָשָׁ֔יו יֹרְדִ֖ים לִקְרָאתָ֑הּ וַתִּפְגֹּ֖שׁ אֹתָֽם׃
And it was so, as she rode on her ass, and came down by the covert of the mountain, that, behold, David and his men came down towards her; and she met them.—
… אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־חַרְבּ֗וֹ וַֽיַּחְגְּרוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־חַרְבּ֔וֹ וַיַּחְגֹּ֥ר גַּם־דָּוִ֖ד אֶת־חַרְבּ֑וֹ וַֽיַּעֲל֣וּ …
And David said unto his men: ‘Gird ye on every man his sword.’ And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword; and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the baggage.
וַיִּשְׁלַ֥ח דָּוִ֖ד עֲשָׂרָ֣ה נְעָרִ֑ים וַיֹּ֨אמֶר דָּוִ֜ד לַנְּעָרִ֗ים עֲל֤וּ כַרְמֶ֨לָה֙ וּבָאתֶ֣ם אֶל־נָבָ֔ל וּשְׁאֶלְתֶּם־ל֥וֹ בִשְׁמִ֖י לְשָׁלֽוֹם׃
And David sent ten young men, and David said unto the young men: ‘Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name;
ואתוְאַתָּה֙ הִגַּ֣דְתָּ הַיּ֔וֹם אֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂ֥יתָה אִתִּ֖י טוֹבָ֑ה אֵת֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר סִגְּרַ֧נִי יְקוָ֛ק בְּיָדְךָ֖ וְלֹ֥א הֲרַגְתָּֽנִי׃
And thou hast declared this day how that thou hast dealt well with me; forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me up into thy hand, thou didst not kill me.
… הַזֶּ֜ה רָא֣וּ עֵינֶ֗יךָ אֵ֣ת אֲשֶׁר־נְתָנְךָ֩ יְקוָ֨ק הַיּ֤וֹם בְּיָדִי֙ בַּמְּעָרָ֔ה …
Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to-day into my hand in the cave; and some bade me kill thee; but mine eye spared thee; and I said: I will not put forth my hand against my lord; for he is the LORD’S anointed.
By skip range, shuffled texts and book
| Skips, Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| 2 to 10 | 8 | 7.2 |
| 11 to 100 | 85 | 72.0 |
| 101 to 1,000 | 697 | 715 |
| 1,001 to 5,000 | 3,145 | 3,077 |
| 5,001 to 76,212 | 25,881 | 26,639 |
Shuffled Torahs
The Torah's own count at skips 2 to 1,000 is 790. Each family below rebuilt the text 100 times (seed 5787). What each family keeps.
| Control family | Runs at or above 790 | Median run | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letter shuffle | 54/100 | 792 | 738 to 865 |
| Words within each verse | 57/100 | 795 | 733 to 864 |
Where the sequences start
| Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Genesis | 8,869 | 7,813 |
| Exodus | 6,057 | 6,358 |
| Leviticus | 3,952 | 4,483 |
| Numbers | 5,548 | 6,360 |
| Deuteronomy | 5,390 | 5,496 |
| Tanakh | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Torah | 123,640 | 112,569 |
| Prophets | 212,881 | 204,490 |
| Writings | 105,489 | 124,960 |
Run this search yourself
Change the skips, set ראובן beside another word, and run the controls on your own question.
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