Brief Guide To Bible Numbers Numerics Gematria
Bible Numbers Numerics Gematria 2.0 is the next level in Bible Numerics and Gematria, by standardizing the search for numerical patterns in the Bible. It is fully based on Bible Numerics/Gematria where the original letters in Hebrew are replaced by numbers. There are 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet. The first 9 letters are given values 1 to 9. The next 9 are numbered by tens: 10 to 90. And the final 4 letters have values 100, 200, 300, 400. (The 11th, 13th, 14th, 17th, and 18th letters change appearance when they are at the end of a word but have the same value.)
| # | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Letter: | א | ב | ג | ד | ה | ו | ז | ח | ט | י | ך כ | ||||||||||
| Value: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 20 | ||||||||||
| # | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 920 | 21 | 22 | ||||||||||
| Letter: | ל | ם מ | ן נ | ס | ע | ף פ | ץ צ | ק | ר | ש | ת | ||||||||||
| Value: | 30 | 40 | 50 | 60 | 70 | 80 | 90 | 100 | 200 | 300 | 400 | ||||||||||
The original purpose may have been an early numbering system. To represent the number 524, the ancient Hebrews would write the 22nd letter (value 400), the 19th letter (value 100), the 11th letter (value 20), and the 4th letter (value 4). This was easier than writing the entire number out as five hundreds, two tens, and four.
The Roman numeral system (I, II, III, IV, V...) is another example of an early numbering system. By changing the biblical Hebrew text to numbers, very interesting number patterns appear. In some cases they are so complex they could only have been constructed by God.
N.B. Numbers in the Bible are written out. They do not use the numbering system mentioned above.
Ivan Panin, a Russian mathematician in the 1890s, was the first to try apply science
to Gematria. He called it Bible Numerics. His hope was to find a numeric pattern so complex only a super intelligence could have written and hidden it in the Bible. This would be proof of divine authorship. He also wanted to find a master code to the Bible. A master code would render the Bible tamper proof. Any changes would disrupt the pattern and give itself away.
While Panin did not find a master code, he did find many verses containing numerous mathematical features. His most spectacular discovery was right where you would expect it, in the very first verse of the Bible (Genesis 1:1). (Click here for an abbreviated version of his study). Panin found so many patterns of seven in this verse and elsewhere in the Bible he concluded only God could have constructed them.
Unfortunately, not finding a master code also meant Panin was unable to properly apply scientific principles to his work. He could not disprove coincidence, or show what he found was not just the odds. (See: The Odds.)
The Purpose Of Bible Numbers Numerics Gematria
Many people get caught up in the search for numeric features. They go on and on listing feature after feature. Every verse or passage has different features. There is no consistency or pattern, and they don't (or can't) explain why this or why that. They lose sight of God’s word in their search.
We should never stop at the numbers Numerics Gematria. We can and must go further. Numeric features highlight the important verses. A genealogical list of names with numeric features is interesting, but teaches nothing. Verses where God tells us about Himself, what He is doing, what He wants us to do, what we should watch out for and learn, are something else. Bible Numbers Numerics Gematria emphasize the meaning of the text, or highlight them for deeper meditation.
(See Alphanumeric Substitutions for Greek, English and Chinese.)