Meaning of Numbers
in the Bible

If ten marks the perfection of Divine order, then the number eleven is an addition to it, subversive of and undoing that order. If twelve is the number which marks the perfection of Divine government, then 11 falls short of it. So that whether we regard it as being 10 + 1, or 12 - 1, it is the number which marks, disorder, disorganization, imperfection, and disintegration.

The dukes of Edom were eleven in number and Edom, though closely related to Israel, was different from it in order and government, while the bitterest hatred existed between them. The word for "Duke" is a multiple of 13:

"And these were the names of the chiefs ("Dukes" in the KJV Bible) of Esau, according to their families and their places, by their names: Chief Timnah, Chief Alvah, Chief Jetheth, Chief Aholibamah, Chief Elah, Chief Pinon, Chief Kenaz, Chief Teman, Chief Mibzar, Chief Magdiel, and Chief Iram. These were the chiefs of Edom, according to their dwelling places in the land of their possession. Esau was the father of the Edomites." (Genesis 36:40-43, NKJV)

From Horeb to Kadesh Barnea was a journey of eleven days (Deuteronomy 1:2). One more day would have carried them to the complete administration of all those wonderful laws which God had given them.

Eli, Hophni and Phinehas have for their Gematria (substituting numbers for letters) the number 462, the factors of which are eleven and forty-two; both significant of the disorder in Eli's house, and of disintegration in Israel.

Johoiakim reigned eleven years when Nebuchadnezzar came up and began his disintegrating work on Jerusalem (2Kings 23:36, 34:1; 2Chronicles 36:5,6).

Zedekiah reigned eleven years when Nebuchadnezzar completed the work by putting an end to Israel's rule in Jerusalem (2Chronicles 36:11; Jeremiah 52:1), for "in the eleventh year the city was broken up" (Jeremiah 39:2).

The eleventh year in which Ezekiel prophesied against Tyre (Ezekiel 26:1) and against Egypt (30:20 and 31:1) was the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in which Jerusalem was broken up. Its significance is to impress us with the fact that Tyre and Egypt should be broken up, as Jerusalem had been.

The eleven apostles were witnesses even of the disintegration amongst the Twelve (Acts 2:14, etc.).

The life of our Lord on earth was about 33 years (a multiple of eleven), and then He was "cut off," and "we see not yet all things put under Him" (Daniel 9:26; Hebrews 2:8).

Eleven hundred occurs only twice, both referring to days of defective administration, marked by the fact that there was "no king":--

• Judges 16:5, the Philistine bribe which deprived Israel of their mighty judge and deliverer, Samson.

• Judges 17:2, etc., connected with the introduction of idolatry into Israel, which brought with it trouble and disintegration; added to God's order and ordinances for them; and in the end caused the ruin and loss of all government.

Dan and Ephraim were the two offending tribes, for Micah, who made the image with the eleven hundred shekels, was from Ephraim, and the tribe that stole it and his priest was the Tribe of Dan. Both are omitted from the tribes in Revelation 7, according to the declaration of God in Deuteronomy 29:18-20, that the "man, woman, family, or tribe" which should introduce idolatry into Israel, "the LORD shall BLOT OUT HIS NAME."

The kings and rulers who greatly offended themselves when they were told the TRUTH by one of God's servants are:

1. Pharaoh, Exodus 10:28.

2. Balak, Numbers 24:10.

3. Jeroboam, 1Kings 13:4.

4. Ahab, 1Kings 22:27.

5. Naaman, 2Kings 5:12.

6. Asa, 2Chronicles 16:10.

7. Joash, 2Chronicles 24:21.

8. Uzziah, 2Chronicles 26:19.

9. Jehoiakim, Jeremiah 26:21.

10. Zedekiah, Jeremiah 32:3.

11. Herod, Matthew 14:3.

Joseph was eleven years in Potiphar's house:

The importance of the number eleven is that it signifies disorder and judgment and is used 24 times in the Bible. The designation "11th" is used 19 times in scripture. Coming after 10 (law and responsibility), the number 11 represents the opposite — the irresponsibility of breaking the Law, which brings disorder and judgment.

In Genesis 11, men rebelled against God and built the tower of Babel. God judged them by confusing their language, resulting in chaos. In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, God executed His final judgment against Judah with the complete destruction of Jerusalem and the temple and the exile of the remaining Jews to Babylon.

The apostle John saw 11 things in connection with the final judgment (Revelation 20:12-14).