Tel Aviv תל אביב
A modern city's name, taken from a verse in Ezekiel where exiles lived by a river in Babylonia.
- Found in the Torah
- 1,962
- Chance alone: 2,045
- Skips 2 to 60,969
- Found in the Tanakh
- 30,609
- Chance alone: 30,503
- Skips 2 to 239,408
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Ezekiel 3:15 has a place called Tel-abib, on the river Chebar in Babylonia, where a community of exiles was living when he came to them and sat for seven days, astonished. That is all the Tanakh says about it. The Hebrew writer Nahum Sokolow borrowed the phrase when he translated Herzl's novel Altneuland in 1902, because it joined a mound of old ruins, tel, with spring, aviv. In 1910 the founders of a new neighborhood outside Jaffa took the title for their streets. So the Tel Aviv of today has its name from a book about the future, through a verse about a past exile. Two words, but a sequence has no word breaks, so we search six letters.
The measurement
A name coined in 1902 from two words of Ezekiel has 1,962 sequences in the Torah, against 2,045.3 by chance. The longest starts in Deuteronomy 32:34. Letters do not wait for a city to be founded, and the count tells you nothing about one.
| At every skip | Torah | Tanakh |
|---|---|---|
| Found | 1,962 | 30,609 |
| Chance alone | 2,045 | 30,503 |
| P (≥ found) | 0.97 | 0.27 |
| Shortest skip | 19 | 8 |
| Longest skip | 60,120 | 238,582 |
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 307 against 322 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 19, forward from Genesis 35:2
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יַעֲקֹב֙ אֶל־בֵּית֔וֹ וְאֶ֖ל כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר עִמּ֑וֹ הָסִ֜רוּ אֶת־אֱ־לֹהֵ֤י הַנֵּכָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּתֹכְכֶ֔ם וְהִֽטַּהֲר֔וּ וְהַחֲלִ֖יפוּ שִׂמְלֹתֵיכֶֽם׃
Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him: ‘Put away the strange gods that are among you, and purify yourselves, and change your garments;
וְנָק֥וּמָה וְנַעֲלֶ֖ה בֵּֽית־אֵ֑ל וְאֶֽעֱשֶׂה־שָּׁ֣ם מִזְבֵּ֗חַ לָאֵ֞ל הָעֹנֶ֤ה אֹתִי֙ בְּי֣וֹם צָֽרָתִ֔י וַיְהִי֙ עִמָּדִ֔י בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָלָֽכְתִּי׃
and let us arise, and go up to Beth-el; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.’
וַיִּתְּנ֣וּ אֶֽל־יַעֲקֹ֗ב אֵ֣ת כָּל־אֱ־לֹהֵ֤י הַנֵּכָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּיָדָ֔ם וְאֶת־הַנְּזָמִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּאָזְנֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּטְמֹ֤ן …
And they gave unto Jacob all the foreign gods which were in their hand, and the rings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the terebinth which was by Shechem.
Short skip 110, backward from Exodus 20:4
לֹֽ֣א תַֽעֲשֶׂ֨ה־לְךָ֥ פֶ֨סֶל֙ וְכָל־תְּמוּנָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר בַּשָּׁמַ֨יִם֙ מִמַּ֔עַל וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּאָ֖רֶץ מִתָּ֑חַת וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּמַּ֖יִם מִתַּ֥חַת לָאָֽרֶץ׃
Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor any manner of likeness, of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;
וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אֱ־לֹהִ֔ים אֵ֛ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה לֵאמֹֽר׃
And God spoke all these words, saying:
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֵלָ֤יו יְקוָק֙ לֶךְ־רֵ֔ד וְעָלִ֥יתָ אַתָּ֖ה וְאַהֲרֹ֣ן עִמָּ֑ךְ וְהַכֹּהֲנִ֣ים וְהָעָ֗ם אַל־יֶֽהֶרְס֛וּ לַעֲלֹ֥ת אֶל־יְקוָ֖ק פֶּן־יִפְרָץ־בָּֽם׃
And the LORD said unto him: ‘Go, get thee down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee; but let not the priests and the people break through to come up unto the LORD, lest He break forth upon them.’
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְקוָק֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה רֵ֖ד הָעֵ֣ד בָּעָ֑ם פֶּן־יֶהֶרְס֤וּ אֶל־יְקוָק֙ לִרְא֔וֹת וְנָפַ֥ל מִמֶּ֖נּוּ רָֽב׃
And the LORD said unto Moses: ‘Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish.
וַיְהִי֙ ק֣וֹל הַשּׁוֹפָ֔ר הוֹלֵ֖ךְ וְחָזֵ֣ק מְאֹ֑ד מֹשֶׁ֣ה יְדַבֵּ֔ר וְהָאֱ־לֹהִ֖ים יַעֲנֶ֥נּוּ בְקֽוֹל׃
And when the voice of the horn waxed louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice.
וַיּוֹצֵ֨א מֹשֶׁ֧ה אֶת־הָעָ֛ם לִקְרַ֥את הָֽאֱ־לֹהִ֖ים מִן־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה וַיִּֽתְיַצְּב֖וּ בְּתַחְתִּ֥ית הָהָֽר׃
And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.
Middle skip 502, forward from Leviticus 11:14
וְאֶת־הַ֨דָּאָ֔ה וְאֶת־הָאַיָּ֖ה לְמִינָֽהּ׃
and the kite, and the falcon after its kinds;
וְכֹ֣ל הוֹלֵ֣ךְ עַל־כַּפָּ֗יו בְּכָל־הַֽחַיָּה֙ הַהֹלֶ֣כֶת עַל־אַרְבַּ֔ע טְמֵאִ֥ים הֵ֖ם לָכֶ֑ם כָּל־הַנֹּגֵ֥עַ בְּנִבְלָתָ֖ם יִטְמָ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃
And whatsoever goeth upon its paws, among all beasts that go on all fours, they are unclean unto you; whoso toucheth their carcass shall be unclean until the even.
וְכִ֤י יִפֹּל֙ מִנִּבְלָתָ֔ם עַל־כָּל־זֶ֥רַע זֵר֖וּעַ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִזָּרֵ֑עַ טָה֖וֹר הֽוּא׃
And if aught of their carcass fall upon any sowing seed which is to be sown, it is clean.
לְהַבְדִּ֕יל בֵּ֥ין הַטָּמֵ֖א וּבֵ֣ין הַטָּהֹ֑ר וּבֵ֤ין הַֽחַיָּה֙ הַֽנֶּאֱכֶ֔לֶת וּבֵין֙ הַֽחַיָּ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר לֹ֥א תֵאָכֵֽל׃
to make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the living thing that may be eaten and the living thing that may not be eaten.
אָדָ֗ם כִּֽי־יִהְיֶ֤ה בְעוֹר־בְּשָׂרוֹ֙ שְׂאֵ֤ת אֽוֹ־סַפַּ֨חַת֙ א֣וֹ …
When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, or a scab, or a bright spot, and it become in the skin of his flesh the plague of leprosy, then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests.
נֶ֣גַע צָרַ֔עַת כִּ֥י תִהְיֶ֖ה בְּאָדָ֑ם וְהוּבָ֖א אֶל־הַכֹּהֵֽן׃
When the plague of leprosy is in a man, then he shall be brought unto the priest.
Wide skip 5,017, backward from Deuteronomy 11:20
וּכְתַבְתָּ֛ם עַל־מְזוּז֥וֹת בֵּיתֶ֖ךָ וּבִשְׁעָרֶֽיךָ׃
And thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thy house, and upon thy gates;
וְאָכַלְתָּ֖ וְשָׂבָ֑עְתָּ וּבֵֽרַכְתָּ֙ אֶת־יְקוָ֣ק אֱ־לֹהֶ֔יךָ עַל־הָאָ֥רֶץ הַטֹּבָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָֽתַן־לָֽךְ׃
And thou shalt eat and be satisfied, and bless the LORD thy God for the good land which He hath given thee.
… יְקוָ֑ק כִּ֤י יְרֵאתֶם֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י הָאֵ֔שׁ וְלֹֽא־עֲלִיתֶ֥ם בָּהָ֖ר לֵאמֹֽר׃
I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to declare unto you the word of the LORD; for ye were afraid because of the fire, and went not up into the mount—saying:
וַיִּתֵּן֩ יְקוָ֨ק אֱ־לֹהֵ֜ינוּ בְּיָדֵ֗נוּ גַּ֛ם אֶת־ע֥וֹג מֶֽלֶךְ־הַבָּשָׁ֖ן וְאֶת־כָּל־עַמּ֑וֹ וַנַּכֵּ֕הוּ עַד־בִּלְתִּ֥י הִשְׁאִֽיר־ל֖וֹ שָׂרִֽיד׃
So the LORD our God delivered into our hand Og also, the king of Bashan, and all his people; and we smote him until none was left to him remaining.
… לְמַ֗עַן יִֽירְשׁוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אִ֖ישׁ נַחֲלַ֥ת אֲבֹתָֽיו׃
And every daughter, that possesseth an inheritance in any tribe of the children of Israel, shall be wife unto one of the family of the tribe of her father, that the children of Israel may possess every man the inheritance of his fathers.
וַיִּסְע֖וּ מִיַּם־ס֑וּף וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ בְּמִדְבַּר־סִֽין׃
And they journeyed from the Red Sea, and pitched in the wilderness of Sin.
Outside the Torah
Shortest skip 8, backward from 2 Chronicles 5:7
וַיָּבִ֣יאוּ הַ֠כֹּהֲנִים אֶת־אֲר֨וֹן בְּרִית־יְקוָ֧ק אֶל־מְקוֹמ֛וֹ אֶל־דְּבִ֥יר הַבַּ֖יִת אֶל־קֹ֣דֶשׁ הַקְּדָשִׁ֑ים אֶל־תַּ֖חַת כַּנְפֵ֥י הַכְּרוּבִֽים׃
And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto its place, into the Sanctuary of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubim.
Middle skip 502, forward from Psalm 79:11
תָּ֤ב֣וֹא לְפָנֶיךָ֮ אֶנְקַ֪ת אָ֫סִ֥יר כְּגֹ֥דֶל זְרוֹעֲךָ֑ ה֝וֹתֵ֗ר בְּנֵ֣י תְמוּתָֽה׃
Let the groaning of the prisoner come before Thee; According to the greatness of Thy power set free those that are appointed to death;
לָ֭מָּה פָּרַ֣צְתָּ גְדֵרֶ֑יהָ וְ֝אָר֗וּהָ כָּל־עֹ֥בְרֵי דָֽרֶךְ׃
Why hast Thou broken down her fences, So that all they that pass by the way do pluck her?
אָנֹכִ֨י יְק֘וָ֤ק אֱ־לֹהֶ֗יךָ הַֽ֭מַּעַלְךָ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם הַרְחֶב־פִּ֝֗יךָ וַאֲמַלְאֵֽהוּ׃
I am the LORD thy God, who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt; open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.
כִּֽי־הִנֵּ֣ה א֭וֹיְבֶיךָ יֶהֱמָי֑וּן וּ֝מְשַׂנְאֶ֗יךָ נָ֣שְׂאוּ רֹֽאשׁ׃
For, lo, Thine enemies are in an uproar; And they that hate Thee have lifted up the head.
מַה־יְּדִיד֥וֹת מִשְׁכְּנוֹתֶ֗יךָ יְקוָ֥ק צְבָאֽוֹת׃
How lovely are Thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts!
אָסַ֥פְתָּ כָל־עֶבְרָתֶ֑ךָ הֱ֝שִׁיב֗וֹתָ מֵחֲר֥וֹן אַפֶּֽךָ׃
Thou hast withdrawn all Thy wrath; Thou hast turned from the fierceness of Thine anger.
By skip range, shuffled texts and book
| Skips, Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| 2 to 10 | 0 | 0.6 |
| 11 to 100 | 4 | 6 |
| 101 to 1,000 | 68 | 59.8 |
| 1,001 to 5,000 | 235 | 255 |
| 5,001 to 60,969 | 1,655 | 1,724 |
Shuffled Torahs
The Torah's own count at skips 2 to 1,000 is 72. Each family below rebuilt the text 100 times (seed 5787). What each family keeps.
| Control family | Runs at or above 72 | Median run | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letter shuffle | 24/100 | 68 | 45 to 84 |
| Words within each verse | 28/100 | 68 | 51 to 86 |
Where the sequences start
| Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Genesis | 446 | 524 |
| Exodus | 456 | 426 |
| Leviticus | 292 | 301 |
| Numbers | 383 | 426 |
| Deuteronomy | 385 | 368 |
| Tanakh | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Torah | 9,147 | 7,768 |
| Prophets | 14,060 | 14,111 |
| Writings | 7,402 | 8,623 |
Run this search yourself
Change the skips, set תל אביב beside another word, and run the controls on your own question.
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