Samuel שמואל
Hannah explains his name with a verb that does not fit it. The explanation belongs better to another name, that of Saul.
- Found in the Torah
- 59,845
- Chance alone: 61,532
- Skips 2 to 76,212
- Found in the Tanakh
- 918,377
- Chance alone: 918,915
- Skips 2 to 299,260
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She called his name Samuel, says 1 Samuel 1:20, because I have asked him of the Lord. The verb is שאל. But the name שמואל is not built from שאל. Its letters sit nearer to שם, a name, and אל, God, or to the verb שמע, heard, than to anything in שאל. The verb she uses is the root of a different name, Saul, שאול, the king Samuel will anoint. The Tanakh leaves this rough edge in the story without comment, and readers have been pointing to it for a long time. Samuel also has a namesake in Numbers 34:20, a leader of Simeon, so the Torah holds the name once, in a list. Then come the 116 bare cases in the book that bears it.
- As a whole word
- 123
- First, with any prefix
- Numbers 34:20
The measurement
In the Tanakh as a whole the count is 918,377 against 918,915.0, a gap of less than 0.1 percent, and the laboratory's default range in the Torah gives 7,626 against 7,807.5. On this much text the formula is hard to beat.
| At every skip | Torah | Tanakh |
|---|---|---|
| Found | 59,845 | 918,377 |
| Chance alone | 61,532 | 918,915 |
| P (≥ found) | 1.00 | 0.71 |
| Shortest skip | 3 | 2 |
| Longest skip | 75,885 | 299,037 |
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 7,626 against 7,807 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 3, backward from Exodus 32:29
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֗ה מִלְא֨וּ יֶדְכֶ֤ם הַיּוֹם֙ לַֽיקוָ֔ק כִּ֛י אִ֥ישׁ בִּבְנ֖וֹ וּבְאָחִ֑יו וְלָתֵ֧ת עֲלֵיכֶ֛ם הַיּ֖וֹם בְּרָכָֽה׃
And Moses said: ‘Consecrate yourselves to-day to the LORD, for every man hath been against his son and against his brother; that He may also bestow upon you a blessing this day.’
וַיַּֽעֲשׂ֥וּ בְנֵֽי־לֵוִ֖י כִּדְבַ֣ר מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיִּפֹּ֤ל מִן־הָעָם֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא כִּשְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת אַלְפֵ֖י אִֽישׁ׃
And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses; and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.
Shortest skip 3, backward from Deuteronomy 14:12
Short skip 50, backward from Genesis 42:18
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֤ם יוֹסֵף֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֔י זֹ֥את עֲשׂ֖וּ וִֽחְי֑וּ אֶת־הָאֱ־לֹהִ֖ים אֲנִ֥י יָרֵֽא׃
And Joseph said unto them the third day.’ This do, and live; for I fear God:
… מִכֶּ֣ם אֶחָד֮ וְיִקַּ֣ח אֶת־אֲחִיכֶם֒ וְאַתֶּם֙ הֵאָ֣סְר֔וּ וְיִבָּֽחֲנוּ֙ דִּבְרֵיכֶ֔ם הַֽאֱמֶ֖ת אִתְּכֶ֑ם וְאִם־לֹ֕א חֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֔ה כִּ֥י מְרַגְּלִ֖ים אַתֶּֽם׃
Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be bound, that your words may be proved, whether there be truth in you; or else, as Pharaoh liveth, surely ye are spies.’
בְּזֹ֖את תִּבָּחֵ֑נוּ חֵ֤י פַרְעֹה֙ אִם־תֵּצְא֣וּ מִזֶּ֔ה כִּ֧י אִם־בְּב֛וֹא אֲחִיכֶ֥ם הַקָּטֹ֖ן הֵֽנָּה׃
Hereby ye shall be proved, as Pharaoh liveth, ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֖ם יוֹסֵ֑ף ה֗וּא אֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבַּ֧רְתִּי אֲלֵכֶ֛ם לֵאמֹ֖ר מְרַגְּלִ֥ים אַתֶּֽם׃
And Joseph said unto them: ‘That is it that I spoke unto you, saying: Ye are spies.
Middle skip 503, backward from Leviticus 19:5
וְכִ֧י תִזְבְּח֛וּ זֶ֥בַח שְׁלָמִ֖ים לַיקוָ֑ק לִֽרְצֹנְכֶ֖ם תִּזְבָּחֻֽהוּ׃
And when ye offer a sacrifice of peace-offerings unto the LORD, ye shall offer it that ye may be accepted.
אַל־תִּֽטַּמְּא֖וּ בְּכָל־אֵ֑לֶּה כִּ֤י בְכָל־אֵ֨לֶּה֙ נִטְמְא֣וּ הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־אֲנִ֥י מְשַׁלֵּ֖חַ מִפְּנֵיכֶֽם׃
Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things; for in all these the nations are defiled, which I cast out from before you.
עֶרְוַ֨ת בַּת־אֵ֤שֶׁת אָבִ֨יךָ֙ מוֹלֶ֣דֶת אָבִ֔יךָ אֲחוֹתְךָ֖ הִ֑וא לֹ֥א תְגַלֶּ֖ה עֶרְוָתָֽהּ׃
The nakedness of thy father’s wife’s daughter, begotten of thy father, she is thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.
וְכָל־נֶ֗פֶשׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר תֹּאכַ֤ל נְבֵלָה֙ וּטְרֵפָ֔ה בָּאֶזְרָ֖ח וּבַגֵּ֑ר וְכִבֶּ֨ס בְּגָדָ֜יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֛יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעֶ֖רֶב וְטָהֵֽר׃
And every soul that eateth that which dieth of itself, or that which is torn of beasts, whether he be home-born or a stranger, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even; then shall he be clean.
וְלֹא־יִזְבְּח֥וּ עוֹד֙ אֶת־זִבְחֵיהֶ֔ם לַשְּׂעִירִ֕ם אֲשֶׁ֛ר הֵ֥ם זֹנִ֖ים אַחֲרֵיהֶ֑ם חֻקַּ֥ת עוֹלָ֛ם תִּֽהְיֶה־זֹּ֥את לָהֶ֖ם לְדֹרֹתָֽם׃
And they shall no more sacrifice their sacrifices unto the satyrs, after whom they go astray. This shall be a statute for ever unto them throughout their generations.
Wide skip 5,003, forward from Numbers 17:14
וַיִּהְי֗וּ הַמֵּתִים֙ בַּמַּגֵּפָ֔ה אַרְבָּעָ֥ה עָשָׂ֛ר אֶ֖לֶף וּשְׁבַ֣ע מֵא֑וֹת מִלְּבַ֥ד הַמֵּתִ֖ים עַל־דְּבַר־קֹֽרַח׃
Now they that died by the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, besides them that died about the matter of Korah.
וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ אֵלָ֥יו בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֘ל בַּֽמְסִלָּ֣ה נַעֲלֶה֒ וְאִם־מֵימֶ֤יךָ נִשְׁתֶּה֙ אֲנִ֣י וּמִקְנַ֔י וְנָתַתִּ֖י מִכְרָ֑ם רַ֥ק אֵין־דָּבָ֖ר בְּרַגְלַ֥י אֶֽעֱבֹֽרָה׃
And the children of Israel said unto him: ‘We will go up by the highway; and if we drink of thy water, I and my cattle, then will I give the price thereof; let me only pass through on my feet; there is no hurt.’
וַיִּשָּׂ֥א מְשָׁל֖וֹ וַיֹּאמַ֑ר מִן־אֲ֠רָם יַנְחֵ֨נִי בָלָ֤ק מֶֽלֶךְ־מוֹאָב֙ מֵֽהַרְרֵי־קֶ֔דֶם לְכָה֙ אָֽרָה־לִּ֣י יַעֲקֹ֔ב וּלְכָ֖ה זֹעֲמָ֥ה יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
And he took up his parable, and said: From Aram Balak bringeth me, The king of Moab from the mountains of the East: ‘Come, curse me Jacob, And come, execrate Israel.’
אֵ֤לֶּה בְנֵי־דָן֙ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֔ם לְשׁוּחָ֕ם מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַשּׁוּחָמִ֑י אֵ֛לֶּה מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת דָּ֖ן לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽם׃
These are the sons of Dan after their families: of Shuham, the family of the Shuhamites. These are the families of Dan after their families.
וּמִנְחָתָ֣ם וְנִסְכֵּיהֶ֡ם לַ֠פָּרִים לָאֵילִ֧ם וְלַכְּבָשִׂ֛ים בְּמִסְפָּרָ֖ם כַּמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃
and their meal-offering and their drink-offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the ordinance;
Outside the Torah
Shortest skip 2, forward from Ezekiel 40:21
ותאווְתָאָ֗יו שְׁלוֹשָׁ֤ה מִפּוֹ֙ וּשְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה מִפּ֔וֹ ואילווְאֵילָ֤יו ואלמווְאֵֽלַמָּיו֙ הָיָ֔ה כְּמִדַּ֖ת הַשַּׁ֣עַר …
And the cells thereof were three on this side and three on that side; and the posts thereof and the arches thereof were after the measure of the first gate; the length thereof was fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits.
Middle skip 500, backward from 1 Kings 21:26
וַיַּתְעֵ֣ב מְאֹ֔ד לָלֶ֖כֶת אַחֲרֵ֣י הַגִּלֻּלִ֑ים כְּכֹל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשׂ֣וּ הָאֱמֹרִ֔י אֲשֶׁר֙ הוֹרִ֣ישׁ יְקוָ֔ק מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites did, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.
ק֣וּם רֵ֗ד לִקְרַ֛את אַחְאָ֥ב מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּשֹׁמְר֑וֹן הִנֵּה֙ בְּכֶ֣רֶם נָב֔וֹת אֲשֶׁר־יָ֥רַד שָׁ֖ם לְרִשְׁתּֽוֹ׃
’Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who dwelleth in Samaria; behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to take possession of it.
וְ֠הוֹשִׁיבוּ שְׁנַ֨יִם אֲנָשִׁ֥ים בְּנֵֽי־בְלִיַּעַל֮ נֶגְדּוֹ֒ וִיעִדֻ֣הוּ לֵאמֹ֔ר בֵּרַ֥כְתָּ אֱ־לֹהִ֖ים וָמֶ֑לֶךְ וְהוֹצִיאֻ֥הוּ וְסִקְלֻ֖הוּ וְיָמֹֽת׃
and set two men, base fellows, before him, and let them bear witness against him, saying: Thou didst curse God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he die.’
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר נָב֖וֹת אֶל־אַחְאָ֑ב חָלִ֤ילָה לִּי֙ מֵֽיקוָ֔ק מִתִּתִּ֛י אֶת־נַחֲלַ֥ת אֲבֹתַ֖י לָֽךְ׃
And Naboth said to Ahab: ‘The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.’
וַיְהִ֤י הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ עֹבֵ֔ר וְה֖וּא צָעַ֣ק אֶל־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ …
And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king; and he said: ‘Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man unto me, and said: Keep this man; if by any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life…
By skip range, shuffled texts and book
| Skips, Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| 2 to 10 | 13 | 14.5 |
| 11 to 100 | 124 | 145 |
| 101 to 1,000 | 1,440 | 1,443 |
| 1,001 to 5,000 | 6,049 | 6,205 |
| 5,001 to 76,212 | 52,219 | 53,724 |
Shuffled Torahs
The Torah's own count at skips 2 to 1,000 is 1,577. Each family below rebuilt the text 100 times (seed 5787). What each family keeps.
| Control family | Runs at or above 1,577 | Median run | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letter shuffle | 75/100 | 1,601 | 1,511 to 1,719 |
| Words within each verse | 46/100 | 1,575 | 1,459 to 1,709 |
Where the sequences start
| Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Genesis | 13,937 | 15,758 |
| Exodus | 13,578 | 12,823 |
| Leviticus | 8,308 | 9,042 |
| Numbers | 13,940 | 12,826 |
| Deuteronomy | 10,082 | 11,083 |
| Tanakh | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Torah | 246,833 | 234,020 |
| Prophets | 419,377 | 425,116 |
| Writings | 252,167 | 259,780 |
Run this search yourself
Change the skips, set שמואל beside another word, and run the controls on your own question.
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