Simeon שמעון
Moses's last blessing passes over Simeon altogether, and in Joshua the tribe's land sits inside Judah's.
- Found in the Torah
- 17,090
- Chance alone: 16,753
- Skips 2 to 76,212
- Found in the Tanakh
- 264,973
- Chance alone: 268,499
- Skips 2 to 299,260
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Because the Lord hath heard that I am hated, says Leah in Genesis 29:33, and the name follows from the verb שמע. The tribe's history is one of shrinking. Simeon and Levi draw the sword at Shechem in Genesis 34, and Jacob in 49:7 says he will scatter them. For Levi that turns into a priestly dispersal. For Simeon it is only loss. The census of Numbers 1 has him at 59,300, and Numbers 26 has him at 22,200, the steepest fall of any tribe. Moses's blessing in Deuteronomy 33 names every other tribe and leaves him out. Joshua 19:1 settles what remains inside the borders of Judah. Reading the name is a small lesson in how a tribe can vanish from the text.
- As a whole word
- 36
- First, with any prefix
- Genesis 29:33
The measurement
Moses's blessing leaves the tribe out, the census shrinks it, and its name is 2 percent over the formula in the Torah. A count of letters cannot follow a tribe's fortunes, and these numbers do not try.
| At every skip | Torah | Tanakh |
|---|---|---|
| Found | 17,090 | 264,973 |
| Chance alone | 16,753 | 268,499 |
| P (≥ found) | 0.0048 | 1.00 |
| Shortest skip | 3 | 3 |
| Longest skip | 74,256 | 298,110 |
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 2,103 against 2,126 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 Deuteronomy 29:28
הַ֨נִּסְתָּרֹ֔ת לַיקוָ֖ק אֱ־לֹהֵ֑ינוּ וְהַנִּגְלֹ֞ת לָ֤ׄנׄוּׄ וּׄלְׄבָׄנֵׄ֨יׄנׄוּׄ֙ עַד־עוֹלָ֔ם לַעֲשׂ֕וֹת אֶת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֖י הַתּוֹרָ֥ה הַזֹּֽאת׃
The secret things belong unto the LORD our God; but the things that are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
Short skip 50, forward from Numbers 14:14
וְאָמְר֗וּ אֶל־יוֹשֵׁב֮ הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּאת֒ שָֽׁמְעוּ֙ כִּֽי־אַתָּ֣ה יְקוָ֔ק בְּקֶ֖רֶב הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֑ה אֲשֶׁר־עַ֨יִן בְּעַ֜יִן נִרְאָ֣ה אַתָּ֣ה יְקוָ֗ק וַעֲנָֽנְךָ֙ עֹמֵ֣ד עֲלֵהֶ֔ם וּבְעַמֻּ֣ד עָנָ֗ן אַתָּ֨ה …
they will say to the inhabitants of this land, who have heard that Thou LORD art in the midst of this people; inasmuch as Thou LORD art seen face to face, and Thy cloud standeth over them, and Thou goest before them, in a pillar of cloud by day, and in a pillar of fire by night;
וְהֵמַתָּ֛ה אֶת־הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֖ה כְּאִ֣ישׁ אֶחָ֑ד וְאָֽמְרוּ֙ הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־שָׁמְע֥וּ אֶֽת־שִׁמְעֲךָ֖ לֵאמֹֽר׃
now if Thou shalt kill this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of Thee will speak, saying:
מִבִּלְתִּ֞י יְכֹ֣לֶת יְקוָ֗ק לְהָבִיא֙ אֶת־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֣ע לָהֶ֑ם וַיִּשְׁחָטֵ֖ם בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃
Because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land which He swore unto them, therefore He hath slain them in the wilderness.
וְעַתָּ֕ה יִגְדַּל־נָ֖א כֹּ֣חַ אֲדֹנָ֑י כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּ֖רְתָּ לֵאמֹֽר׃
And now, I pray Thee, let the power of the Lord be great, according as Thou hast spoken, saying:
Middle skip 500, forward from Genesis 48:17
… יוֹסֵ֗ף כִּי־יָשִׁ֨ית אָבִ֧יו יַד־יְמִינ֛וֹ עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ אֶפְרַ֖יִם וַיֵּ֣רַע בְּעֵינָ֑יו וַיִּתְמֹ֣ךְ …
And when Joseph saw that his father was laying his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him, and he held up his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head unto Manasseh’s head.
פַּ֤חַז כַּמַּ֨יִם֙ אַל־תּוֹתַ֔ר כִּ֥י עָלִ֖יתָ מִשְׁכְּבֵ֣י אָבִ֑יךָ אָ֥ז חִלַּ֖לְתָּ יְצוּעִ֥י עָלָֽה׃
Unstable as water, have not thou the excellency; Because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; Then defiledst thou it—he went up to my couch.
דָּ֖ן יָדִ֣ין עַמּ֑וֹ כְּאַחַ֖ד שִׁבְטֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
Dan shall judge his people, As one of the tribes of Israel.
וַיְצַ֣ו אוֹתָ֗ם וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ אֲנִי֙ נֶאֱסָ֣ף אֶל־עַמִּ֔י קִבְר֥וּ אֹתִ֖י אֶל־אֲבֹתָ֑י אֶל־הַ֨מְּעָרָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בִּשְׂדֵ֖ה עֶפְר֥וֹן הַֽחִתִּֽי׃
And be charged them, and said unto them: ‘I am to be gathered unto my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,
אָבִ֞י הִשְׁבִּיעַ֣נִי לֵאמֹ֗ר הִנֵּ֣ה אָנֹכִי֮ מֵת֒ בְּקִבְרִ֗י אֲשֶׁ֨ר כָּרִ֤יתִי …
My father made me swear, saying: Lo, I die; in my grave which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now therefore let me go up, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I will come back.’
Wide skip 5,006, forward from Exodus 4:24
וַיְהִ֥י בַדֶּ֖רֶךְ בַּמָּל֑וֹן וַיִּפְגְּשֵׁ֣הוּ יְקוָ֔ק וַיְבַקֵּ֖שׁ הֲמִיתֽוֹ׃
And it came to pass on the way at the lodging-place, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֣ה לְפַרְעֹה֮ הִתְפָּאֵ֣ר עָלַי֒ לְמָתַ֣י …
And Moses said unto Pharaoh: ‘Have thou this glory over me; against what time shall I entreat for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, that the frogs be destroyed from thee and thy houses, and remain in the river only?’
… וַאֲנַ֣חְנוּ לֹֽא־נֵדַ֗ע מַֽה־נַּעֲבֹד֙ אֶת־יְקוָ֔ק עַד־בֹּאֵ֖נוּ שָֽׁמָּה׃
Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not a hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take to serve the LORD our God; and we know not with what we must serve the LORD, until we come thither.’
וְחִזַּקְתִּ֣י אֶת־לֵב־פַּרְעֹה֮ וְרָדַ֣ף אַחֲרֵיהֶם֒ וְאִכָּבְדָ֤ה בְּפַרְעֹה֙ וּבְכָל־חֵיל֔וֹ וְיָדְע֥וּ מִצְרַ֖יִם כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י יְקוָ֑ק וַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־כֵֽן׃
And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he shall follow after them; and I will get Me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD.’ And they did so.
וַ֠יִּסְעוּ כָּל־עֲדַ֨ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֧ל מִמִּדְבַּר־סִ֛ין לְמַסְעֵיהֶ֖ם עַל־פִּ֣י יְקוָ֑ק וַֽיַּחֲנוּ֙ בִּרְפִידִ֔ים וְאֵ֥ין מַ֖יִם לִשְׁתֹּ֥ת הָעָֽם׃
And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, by their stages, according to the commandment of the LORD, and encamped in Rephidim; and there was no water for the people to drink.
Outside the Torah
Shortest skip 3, forward from 2 Samuel 5:24
וִ֠יהִי בשמעךכְּֽשָׁמְעֲךָ֞ אֶת־ק֧וֹל צְעָדָ֛ה בְּרָאשֵׁ֥י הַבְּכָאִ֖ים אָ֣ז תֶּחֱרָ֑ץ כִּ֣י אָ֗ז יָצָ֤א יְקוָק֙ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ לְהַכּ֖וֹת בְּמַחֲנֵ֥ה פְלִשְׁתִּֽים׃
And it shall be, when thou hearest the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry-trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself; for then is the LORD gone out before thee to smite the host of the Philistines.’
וַיַּ֤עַשׂ דָּוִד֙ כֵּ֔ן כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּ֖הוּ יְקוָ֑ק וַיַּךְ֙ אֶת־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים מִגֶּ֖בַע עַד־בֹּאֲךָ֥ גָֽזֶר׃
And David did so, as the LORD commanded him, and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gezer.
Middle skip 504, backward from Judges 18:10
… אֱ־לֹהִ֖ים בְּיֶדְכֶ֑ם מָקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֵֽין־שָׁ֣ם מַחְס֔וֹר כָּל־דָּבָ֖ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּאָֽרֶץ׃
When ye go, ye shall come unto a people secure, and the land is large; for God hath given it into your hand; a place where there is no want; it hath every thing that is in the earth.’
הֵ֚מָּה עִם־בֵּ֣ית מִיכָ֔ה וְהֵ֣מָּה הִכִּ֔ירוּ אֶת־ק֥וֹל …
When they were by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man the Levite; and they turned aside thither, and said unto him: ‘Who brought thee hither? and what doest thou in this place? and what hast thou here?’
וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ הָאִ֜ישׁ מֵהָעִ֗יר מִבֵּ֥ית לֶ֨חֶם֙ יְהוּדָ֔ה לָג֖וּר בַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר יִמְצָ֑א וַיָּבֹ֧א הַר־אֶפְרַ֛יִם עַד־בֵּ֥ית מִיכָ֖ה לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת דַּרְכּֽוֹ׃
And the man departed out of the city, out of Beth-lehem in Judah, to sojourn where he could find a place; and he came to the hill-country of Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.
… וַיִּשְׂא֣וּ אֹתוֹ֒ וַֽיַּעֲל֣וּ וַיִּקְבְּר֣וּ אוֹת֗וֹ בֵּ֤ין צָרְעָה֙ וּבֵ֣ין אֶשְׁתָּאֹ֔ל …
Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought him up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the burying-place of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years.
… לִבָּ֔ם וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ קִרְא֥וּ לְשִׁמְשׁ֖וֹן וִישַֽׂחֶק־לָ֑נוּ וַיִּקְרְא֨וּ לְשִׁמְשׁ֜וֹן מִבֵּ֣ית האסיריםהָאֲסוּרִ֗ים …
And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said: ‘Call for Samson, that he may make us sport.’ And they called for Samson out of the prison-house; and he made sport before them; and they set him between the pillars.
By skip range, shuffled texts and book
| Skips, Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| 2 to 10 | 3 | 4 |
| 11 to 100 | 35 | 39.5 |
| 101 to 1,000 | 402 | 393 |
| 1,001 to 5,000 | 1,663 | 1,689 |
| 5,001 to 76,212 | 14,987 | 14,627 |
Shuffled Torahs
The Torah's own count at skips 2 to 1,000 is 440. Each family below rebuilt the text 100 times (seed 5787). What each family keeps.
| Control family | Runs at or above 440 | Median run | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letter shuffle | 47/100 | 438 | 391 to 495 |
| Words within each verse | 36/100 | 431 | 382 to 480 |
Where the sequences start
| Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Genesis | 4,043 | 4,290 |
| Exodus | 3,835 | 3,491 |
| Leviticus | 2,346 | 2,462 |
| Numbers | 3,978 | 3,492 |
| Deuteronomy | 2,888 | 3,018 |
| Tanakh | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Torah | 70,021 | 68,378 |
| Prophets | 118,472 | 124,215 |
| Writings | 76,480 | 75,905 |
Run this search yourself
Change the skips, set שמעון beside another word, and run the controls on your own question.
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