Meaning of Numbers in the Bible

The Number Twenty-One

Twenty one times in the Book of Kings it is said that Jeroboam the son of Nebat "made Israel to sin":—1 Kings 14:16, 15:26, 30, 34, 16:19, 26, 21:22, 22:52; 2 Kings 3:3, 10:29, 31, 13:2, 6, 11, 14:24, 15:9, 18, 24, 28, 17:21, 23:15.

The Number Twenty-Two

The number twenty two, being the double of eleven, has the significance of that number in an intensified form,—disorganization and disintegration, especially in connection with the Word of God.

The number twenty two It is associated with the worst of Israel's kings,—Jeroboam (1 Kings 14:20), and Ahab (1 Kings 16:29), each reigning 22 years.

Eleven, we have seen, derives its significance by being an addition to Divine order (10), and a subtraction from Divine rule (12). These are two of the three ways in which the written Word of God can be corrupted—the third being alteration. "The words of the LORD are pure words"—words pertaining to this world and therefore requiring to be purified (see number 7). But these words have been altered, taken from, and added to by man. Is there anything in this which connects it with the fact that the letters of the alphabet (Hebrew) are twenty-two in number? Does it point to the fact that the revelation of God in being committed to human language and to man's keeping would thereby be subject to disintegration and corruption?

The number twenty-four, being a multiple of twelve, expresses in a higher form the same signification (as 22 does of 11). It is the number associated with the heavenly government and worship, of which the earthly form in Israel was only a copy. We are told that both Moses and David ordered all things connected with the Tabernacle and Temple worship by direct revelation from God, and as a copy of things in the heavens, Hebrews 8:5; 1 Chronicles 28:12, 19. And the sevenfold phrase (in Exodus 40) "as the LORD commanded Moses" witnesses to the Divine ordering of all. It was so with the twenty-four courses of priests in the earthly Temple; these were formed on the "pattern of things in the heavens."

Those who regard them as representing the redeemed have done so on the supposed authority of Revelation 5:9; but they have been misled by some scribe who, in copying Revelation 5:9, altered certain words either to make the passage conform to Revelation 1:5, 6 (which is somewhat similar), or to support this very view. Thus it has been handed down that these twenty-four elders were redeemed, and are therefore glorified human beings.

But it is now known that the ancient and true reading was very different. That reading is given in the Revised Version thus:—

"And they sing a new song, saying, Worthy art Thou to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; for Thou wast slain and dist purchase unto God men* of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation, and madest them** to be unto our God a kingdom^ and priests: and they reign^^ upon the earth."

* The word hmaV (heemas), "us," goes out, with the authority of Lachmann, Tischendorf, Alford, Westcott and Hort, the Revisers, and the Codex A. It is true that the authorities are divided as to this word, but as they are unanimous as to the other changes in the verse, this word necessarily must go out as the result.

** The word hmaV (heemas), "us," must be changed for autouV (autous), "them," with all the critical authorities.

^ The word basileiV (basileis), "kings," must be changed for basileian (basileian), "a kingdom," with all the critical authorities.

^^ The word basileusomen (basileusomen), "we shall reign," must be changed for basileuousin (basileuousin), "they reign," with Lachmann, Tregelles, Alford, Westcott and Hort, the Revisers, and Codexes A and B. Or, for basileuousin (basileusousin), "they shall reign," with Griesbach, Scholz, Tischendorf, Tregelles in margin, and Sinaitic Codex.

Thus the ancient and true reading takes away all ground for making these elders redeemed men, and leaves them the angelic leaders of the heavenly worship.