Category: Biblical Hebrew

Misparim Mesaprim

By Rimona Frank, January, 2000

Numbers Tell their Stories, Part 1

We are reviewing and extending Part 1 of this two part series. We had begun to investigate the meaning of the Hebrew numbers from one to ten. We started with an episode in the life of our forefather Abraham. “And He took him outside and said, ‘Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars...’” (Genesis 15:5). In this act of counting the stars, however, Abraham was not merely adding one number to another. Counting – lispor (לספור) is more than just a procedure of mathematical addition. The root of the word is samech–peh–resh (ס–פ–ר), which is also the root of the word to ‘recount,’ that is: ‘to tell a story.’ The Hebrew word for ‘book’ is sefer, and the word for ‘story’ is sippur. (Remember that the ‘f’ sound and the ‘p’ sound are formed by one and the same letter i.e. peh or feh – פ.)

Thus we discovered a clue to the possibility that the names of the numbers each have a story to tell. We also pointed out that the numbers have both masculine and feminine genders. In the context of this article we will pause to look only at the masculine form of the numbers.

One - Echad

Let us repeat what we discovered about number one, which in Hebrew is echad (‘ch’ is pronounced as in ‘loch’) – אחד. Most times echad (one) is used to denote simply a singular ‘one’ (see for example Genesis 42:13). But undoubtedly the most well known occurrence of this word is to be found in the Shema: “Hear oh Israel, Adonai our God is one God” (Deuteronomy 6:4). This eternal injunction and tenet of faith actually points to a union of plurality, since the word for “God,” including in the above quote, is elohim (אלהים), which is the plural form of el (אל). Thus, echad is not just a singular ‘one.’ This is verified by other expressions such as: “one flesh” (Genesis 2:24); “one people” (Genesis 11:6); “the whole assembly as one” (Ezekiel 2:64), and the “one tabernacle” made of many articles (Exodus 35:13, 18). However, echad also has a plural form: achadim, to be found for example in Ezekiel 37:16, where the text is referring to the future union of the sticks of Joseph and Judah: “that they may become one (i.e. two in one) in your hand.”

In conclusion, true oneness is a pressed together, compacted union of many in one, as is ultimately exemplified in the Brit Chadasha, by the one, many–membered Body of Messiah. Echad well represents the integration into oneness and wholeness (remember Shalem?) which is typical of the Hebrew language and of the ‘Hebraic mindset’. The names of the numbers certainly portray this, as each is linked, by more than just numerical value, to the one preceding it.

Two - Shna'im

Number two – shna’im – שניים, whose root letters are shin–nun–hay (ש–נ–ה), simply means ‘to repeat.’ While being naturally linked to that which had preceded it, in this word is also found the word for ‘change’(e.g. Malachi 3:6), as well as the word ‘year.’ We thus learn from ‘divine logic’ that duplicating something, hard as we may try, will be of no use; there are no carbon copies. Change is bound to occur the second time round. This certainly elevates ‘number two’ to a very unique position, which differs widely from the worldly way of viewing the proverbial ‘number two.’ Elijah and his ‘number two man,’ Elisha, illustrate this principle well. Twice (also from the root ש–נ–ה) Elisha begged for a portion of Elijah’s spirit. Elisha’s request was granted, and during his lifetime ‘number two,’ performed twice the number of miracles as his mentor (see 2 Kings 2 ff).

Three - Shlo'sha

Although the figure three – shlo’sha – שלושה has a very significant place in Scripture, other than its (rather obvious) connection to a unit of measuring liquids (see Psalm 80:5), its sources are unknown. Nevertheless, shlo’sha (three) does lend itself to other words, such as, an ‘adjutant,’ which is shalish – literally meaning ‘third in command’ (2 Kings 7:2,17,19), and a string instrument (1 Samuel 18:6). The root for ‘three,’ besides denoting an existing, or static, number (or measurement), is also connected with concepts related to the passage of time. Thus, shilshom – שלשום is the day before yesterday (Genesis 31:2,5; Exodus 5:7,8 etc.), and the generation of the future, that is, grandchildren, are shileshim – שלשים. See Genesis 50:23; Exodus 20:5, 34:7 etc. Could this explain the connection of the ‘third day’ to the resurrection motif?

Four - Arba'ah

With grandchildren being shileshim, what is more natural than for great–grandchildren, the fourth generation, to be ribe’eem – רבעים? See Exodus 20:5, 34:17 etc. Number four is arba’ah – ארבעה, the root being resh–bet–ayin (ר–ב–ע) or resh–vet–ayin. It is related to four legged animals, and from it stem words such as “to lie down” (see Psalm 139:2), to be “on all fours”, or to “stretch out.” By implication it makes up the word for copulation (of beasts), as seen in Leviticus 19:19 which reads: “You shall not breed (tarbi’ah) together two kinds of your cattle.” However, is it possible that rather than the “four legs” being the root meaning of the verb “to breed,” the opposite is true? That is, that “breeding” which denotes an increase, is the root meaning of arba’ah (four)? Incidentally, the letters resh–vet or resh–bet (ר–ב), which are found in arba’ah, also form the root for rav (רב), from which we get many words, all having to do with increase and greatness. Lastly, In Joshua 14:15 we read about the “greatest man among the Anakim (giants),” whose name was Arbah. Is this another indication that arba’ah is related to growth or greatness?

Five - Chamisha

As we continue following the succession of the numbers, chamisha – חמישה (remember the guttural sound of the chet?) is number five, the root letters being chet–mem–shin (ח–מ–ש). After the increase by breeding (in number four) ‘armament’ and ‘battle array’ are the order of the day. “Now it came about when Pharaoh let the people go, that God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines. Hence God led the people around… and the sons of Israel went up in martial array (chamushim=armed – חמושים) from the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 13:17,18). When Joshua addressed the two and a half tribes who were about to settle on the other side of the Jordan, and exhorted them to help out the rest of their brethren, he said: “You shall cross before your brothers in battle array, all your valiant warriors, and shall help them” (Joshua 1:14, see also Judges 7:11). Next, we find Avner fighting together with David’s men, striking Asahel in the belly (II Samuel 2:23). The word there for belly is chomesh – חומש, of the same root as chamisha – five. Avner himself met his death the same way, by Asahel’s brother, Joab (II Samuel 3:27). And this is also how Ishbosheth was killed (II Samuel 4:6). The belly would have been the part covered by the armament, which may have been composed of five parts. The fact that chomesh (belly) comes from the word for armament, did not help the victims mentioned here; it was this very part of the body, which when unarmed, became the immediate cause of their deaths.

© 2006 First Fruits of Zion. All rights reserved. This material may not be republished, rewritten or redistributed. From Bikurei Tziyon #62 | January, 2000. For more information about this publication, click here.

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