* Among others may be mentioned (1) that the sum of the digits which form its multiples are themselves always a multiple of nine; e.g., 2 x 9 = 18 (and 1+8=9); 3 x 9 = 27 (and 2+7=9); 4 x 9 = 36 (and 3+6=9); 5 x 9 = 45 (and 4+5=9), etc., etc.; and so with the larger numbers: 52843 x 9 = 475587 (and 4+7+5+5+8+7=36, and 3+6=9). (2) The sum of its multiples through the nine digits = 405, or 9 times 45.

It is the last of the digits, and thus marks the end; and is significant of the conclusion of a matter.

It is akin to the number six, six being the sum of its factors (3x3=9, and 3+3=6), and is thus significant of the end of man, and the summation of all man's works. Nine is, therefore, the number of finality or judgment.

The Number of Finality or Judgment

The number of finality or judgment is committed unto Jesus as "the Son of man" (John 5:27; Acts 17:31). It marks the completeness, the end and issue of all things as to man—the judgment of man and all his works.

It is a factor of 666, which is 9 times 74.

The gematria of the word "Dan," which means a judge, is 54 (9x6).

"th orgh mou" (tee orgee mou), my wrath, = 999 (Hebrews 3:11).

The solemn amhn (ameen), amen, or "verily," of our Lord, amounts also to 99, summing up and ending His words.

The sum of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet is 4995 (5x999). It is stamped, therefore, with the numbers of grace and finality.

The sum of the Greek alphabet is 3999.

The First Contest
(Genesis 14)

The first contest is a battle between the 4 kings and 5 (=9).*

* The Gematria of verses 3 and 4, Genesis 14, which describe the rebellion and the battle, is 5655 (13x435). And verses 4 and 5, which describe the coming of the four kings, = 5590 (13x430). Thus the rebellion verse binds the war and its cause together. Verse 9, also, which describes the battle, is 4732 (13²x28).

The swift vengeance of Abram, verses 13-16, = 10738 (13x7x118).

The standing of Abram before Melchisedech (Melchizedek) = 19019 (13x7x11x19). Thus with Abram we find not only the 13, but 7 marking the spiritual character of himself and his mission.

Sodom

Genesis 19, recording the judgment of Sodom, is marked by multiples of nine. Verses 4-29 amount to 89550 (9x9950, or 9x50x199). The same is seen if we divide it into sections:—

• Verses 4-18. From the riot in Sodom to Lot's plea for Zoar is 50733 (9x3x1879).

• Verses 19-25. From Lot's plea to the overthrow is 24543 (9x9x303).

• Verses 26-29. From "Lot's wife" to the end of the history is 14274 (9x2x13x61).*

* It is interesting to note that in the midst of all this, the words which refer to the deliverance of Lot, "Haste thee" (v 22) to "out of the midst" (v 29), give a multiple of 8, the Dominical Number; it is 25304 (8x3163); while four of the verses of this section (25-28) are each separately multiples of 8; their total sum being 11312 (8x1414). The sum of the whole chapter is a multiple of 13.

We see the same phenomena in the account as given in the Second Epistle of St. Peter. As we do also in the judgment pronounced upon Jerusalem.

The Sieges of Jerusalem **

The sieges or major attacks on Jerusalem have been 27 in number, or three times nine, and they are stamped with the number of Divine completeness (3) and the number of judgment (9). As the significance of other numbers is involved and illustrated in these 27, we give a complete list of all Jerusalem's sieges.

1. About 1425 B.C.  A siege by the children of Judah against the Jebusites (Judges 1:8) occurred about 1425 B.C. , and as this is the first, we may note the solemn words which so vividly stamp, from the first, what was to be the after history of the city,

   "Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem, and had taken it, and smitten it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire."

   This was about 1400 B.C. , or 700 years before Rome was founded. This siege was only partial, for in David's reign we still find the Jebusites occupying the citadel.

2. About 1046 B.C.  By David against the Jebusites (2Samuel 5:6-10; 1Chronicles 12:23-39).

3. About 971 B.C.  By Shishak, king of Egypt, against Rehoboam (2Chronicles 12:9; 1 Kings 14:25,26). To this there was only a feeble resistance, and the Temple was plundered.

4. About 887 B.C.  By the Philistines, Arabians, and Ethiopians against Jehoram (2Chronicles 21:16). In this siege the royal palace was sacked, and the Temple again plundered.

5. About 826 B.C.  By Jehoash, king of Israel, against Amaziah, king of Judah (2 Kings 14:13,14). The wall was broken down and the city and Temple pillaged.

6. About 841 B.C.  Rezin, king of Syria, and Pekah, king of Israel, against Ahaz (2Chronicles 28). The city held out, but Ahaz sought the aid of Tiglath-Pileser, king of Assyria, who stripped the Temple.

7. 701 B.C.  By Sennacherib, king of Assyria, against Hezekiah (2Chronicles 32). In this case the siege was raised by a Divine interposition, as foretold by Isaiah the prophet. (See the significance of this number below.)

8. About 606 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, against Jehoiakim (2Chronicles 36:7), when the Temple was partly pillaged.

9. About 599 B.C. By Nebuchadnezzar again, against Jehoiachin (2Chronicles 36:10), when the pillage of the Temple was completed and 10,000 people carried away.

10. About 590 - 585 B.C. By Nebuchadnezzar. Jerusalem's temple was burned, pillaged and destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon (2Kings 24:13; 2Chronicles 36), who carried all the temple's treasures with him to Babylon. The destruction of the temple began on the 9th of Ab (Hebrew month), the VERY SAME day the destruction of Jerusalem's second temple (known as Herod's Temple) would occur in 70 A.D. The 9th of Ab in 585 B.C., based on the Roman calendar, was Friday, August 1st.
11. 320 B.C. By Ptolemy Soter, king of Egypt, against the Jews. More than 100,000 captives were taken to Egypt.*

    * Where the Septuagint Version was afterwards made for Philadelphus, the successor of Ptolemy Soter.

12. About 203 B.C. By Antiochus the Great.

13. About 199 B.C. By Scopus, a general of Alexander, who left a garrison.

14. 168 B.C. By Antiochus again. The worst siege since Number 10 above. The whole city was pillaged, 10,000 captives taken, the walls were destroyed, the altar was defiled, ancient manuscripts perished, the finest buildings were burned, and the Jews were forbidden to worship there. This was the Preteritist fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy (9 and 11), and a foreshadowing example of what the Futurist fulfillment will yet be.

15. 162 B.C. By Antiochus again, against Judas Maccabaeus (or Judah the Maccabee) . This time honorable terms were made, and certain privileges were secured.

16. About 135 B.C. By Antiochus Sidetes, king of Syria, against John Hyrcanus.

17. About 65 B.C. By Hyrcanus (son of Alex. Jannaeus) and the Priest Aristobulus. The siege was raised by Scaurus, one of Pompey's lieutenants.

18. 63 B.C. By Roman General Pompey, against Aristobulus, during the 179th olympiad. The machines were moved on the Sabbath, when the Jews made no resistance. Only thus was it then reduced; 12,000 Jews were slain.

19. 37 B.C. In Rome Herod is coronated as King (of Judea?) in 40 B.C. However, it took three years before he conquered (with a Roman army) Jerusalem and began to reign in the city in 37 B.C.

20. 70 A.D. Although Jerusalem's second temple was completed in 65 A.D. it was not long permitted to exist. The Roman legions took the city of Jerusalem by storm, and notwithstanding the strenuous efforts made by Roman General Titus to preserve the temple, his soldiers set fire to it in several places and it was utterly destroyed in 70 A.D.

    The destruction of the temple began on the 9th of Ab (Hebrew month), the VERY SAME day the destruction of Jerusalem's first temple began in 585 B.C. The temple's demise was completed on Ab 10 in Hebrew year (civil) 3831, which corresponds to Sunday, August 5th in 70 A.D.

21. 132 A.D. The Romans had again to besiege the city against the rebellion of the false Messiah, Bar-Cochebas (Bar Kochba), who had acquired possession of the ruins. Not much is known of this, perhaps the most awful of all the sieges. So great and severe was the struggle, that Hadrian, in announcing to the Roman Senate the conclusion of the war, refrained from using the usual congratulatory phrase. The city was now obliterated. Its very name was changed, and it was renamed Aelia Capitolinus. A Temple was erected to Jupiter, and a statue of Hadrian placed on the site of the Holy of Holies. For 200 years the city passed out of history, no Jews being permitted to approach it.*

    * So great was the relief which Rome experienced by this suppression of Jerusalem and the Jews, that the toast became common at Roman feasts, "Hierosolyma Est Perdita," "Jerusalem is destroyed," the guests immediately greeting it with the shout Hurrah. This is the origin of our "Hep! Hep! Hurrah," H, E, P, being the abbreviation of the three words, formed by their initial letters (on the principle known as Notarica, or Notricon). To this day Hep or Hip is said by only one person, the rest joining in the shout which greets it!

    This siege was foretold by our Lord in Luke 19:43, 44 and 21:20-24.

22. About 559 A.D. After 400 years of so-called Christian colonization, Chosroes the Persian swept through the country; thousands were massacred, and the church of the Holy Sepulchre was destroyed. The Emperor Heraclius afterwards defeated him, and restored the city and the church.

23. 636-637 A.D. The Caliph Omar besieged the city against Heraclius, and after a feeble resistance, followed by capitulation on favourable terms, the city passed into the hands of the Turks, thus marking one of the most important events connected with it and with chronology.*

    * See The Witness of the Stars, by the same author.

24. 1098 A.D. Afdal, the Vizier of the Caliph of Egypt, besieged the two rival factions of Moslems, and pillaged the city.

25. 1099 A.D. The city was besieged by the army of the first Crusade.

26. 1187 A.D. The city was besieged by Saladin for seven weeks.

27. 1244 A.D. The wild Kharezmian hordes captured and plundered the city, slaughtering the monks and priests.

It seemed necessary to give this brief outline, because of several points which arise out of it. The list was made, in the first instance, without any reference whatever to "Number in Scripture." It was not till some time after, in considering the number nine as the number of judgment, that we noted the fact, that the number of these sieges was 27, or three times nine, and thus we saw the significance of the number.

Then, without looking at the list, we anticipated that there would be something peculiar about the numbers 10 and 20, ten being the number of ordinal perfection, and marking some cycle of completeness. So it proved on examination, for both the tenth and twentieth sieges were marked by the destruction of the Temple by fire! The tenth witnessed the destruction of Solomon's Temple by Nebuchadnezzar; the twentieth saw the destruction of Herod's Temple under Titus!

It was next felt that seven being the number of spiritual perfection, there would be something to mark off the seventh, fourteenth, and twenty-first sieges from all the others, and to connect them in some way with the perfection of Divine Revelation. So it proved on examination. These three were each the subject of Divine Prophecy! The seventh in 2 Chronicles 32; the fourteenth in Daniel 11; the Twenty-first in Luke 19:43, 44. And there is a siege yet future—a twenty-eighth siege— which is also foretold in Scripture (see Zechariah 14, etc.). These four form an epanodos, the first corresponding to the fourth (the first and fourth sieges in each case being raised by Divine interposition); while the second corresponds to the third in the terrible character of each, thus:

A. The 7th—Sennacherib. The siege raised by a miraculous interposition by an angel from heaven. (2 Chron 32)

B. The 14th— Antiochus (Daniel 11)—one of the most awful.

B. The 21st—Hadrian (Luke 19:43,44)—one of the most complete.

A. The 28th—Antichrist. Yet future. But the siege will be raised by a glorious deliverance, not by an angel, but by the Lord Himself coming from heaven. (Zechariah 14)

Thus, four are the subjects of prophecy—the 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th.

Two mark complete cycles—the 10th and 20th, when the Temple was destroyed, each being followed by fifty years of silence.

Fourteen (7x2) are recorded in the Scripture.

Thirteen are non-Biblical, and are recorded only in profane history.

Surely there is something more than chance in the occurrence of these significant numbers.

The Judgments

The judgments of God in Haggai 1:11* are enumerated in nine particulars:

"And I called for a drought upon the land,
and upon the mountains,
and upon the corn,
and upon the new wine,
and upon the oil,
and upon that which the ground bringeth forth,
and upon men,
and upon cattle,
and upon all the labour of the hands."

* Note in this verse an illustration of two figures of language — Zeugma and Polysyndeton.

There are nine words used from the root dikh, right or judgment:—

1. dikh (dikee), right, right proceeding, judgment (Acts 25:15, 28:4; 2Thessalonians 1:9; Jude 7).

2. dikaioV (dikaios), right, just as it should be.

3. dikaiow (dikaioo), to make dikaioV (No. 2), to account righteous.

4. dikaiosunh (dikaiosunee), the state, or quality, or condition of him who is dikaioV (dikaios).

5. dikaiwV (dikaios), justly, rightly.

6. dikaiwma (dikaioma), a righteous act or requirement.*

7. dikaiwsiV (dikaiosis), is the action of the judge in promulgating a decree, in declaring or recognizing a person as dikaioV (Romans 4:25, 5:18).

   * It is important to distinguish the 10 occurrences of this word, which is variously translated, but which should be thus rendered:—

   Luke 1:6, righteous ordinance.
   Romans 1:32, the righteous sentence of God.
   Romans 2:26, the righteous requirement of the Law.
   Romans 5:16, righteous acquittal.
   Romans 5:18, righteous act.
   Romans 8:4, righteous requirement.
   Hebrews 9:1,10, righteous ordinances.
   Revelation 15:4, righteous sentence.
   Revelation 19:8, righteous awards given.

   The difference between dikaiwma (dikaioma) and dikaiosunh (dikaiosunee) points us to the fact that the latter word relates either to the quality, attribute, or condition of those acceptable before God, or to God's own relative attribute of righteousness; while the former word shows that the righteous requirement of the Law is fulfilled by those who are not under the Law, either for condemnation or a rule of life, but who are, as the apostle was, ennomoV Cristou (ennomos Christou), i.e., under obedience to Christ's commands (see discussion on the number one, and 1Corinthians 9:20, Revised Version , where the Apostle distinctly says he was not upo nomon (hupo nomon), i.e., under law-principle, the word law not having the article). The Law condemned every one under it. But Christians who realize (subjectively) that they died with Christ and live as those alive from the dead, walking in the Spirit and in the power of Christ, carry out practically (though with many failures, doubtless) the righteous requirement of the Law.

8. dikasthV (dikastees) is the judge (Luke 12:14; Acts 7:27,35).

9. dikaiokrisia (dikaiokrisia) is the righteous judgment of the judge (Romans 2:5).

Occurrences of Words

The following words, among others, occur 9 times, and are all connected in some way with judgment:—

• abussoV (abussos), bottomless pit, or deep.

• asebhV (asebees), ungodly.

• aselgeia (aselgeia), lasciviousness.

• astraph (astrapee), lightning.

All calling for, or connected with judgment.

Enough has been said to show that the signification of the number nine is judgment, especially divine judgment, and the conclusion of the whole matter so far as man is concerned.

But nine is the square of three, and three is the number of Divine perfection, as well as the number peculiar to the Holy Spirit. It is not surprising, therefore, to find that this number denotes finality in divine things.

"Fruit (not fruits) of the Spirit" comprises nine (3²) graces: (1) love, (2) joy, (3) peace, (4) longsuffering, (5) gentleness, (6) goodness, (7) faith, (8) meekness, (9) temperance,* while

* It will be noticed that in this fruit of the Spirit "temperance" is put last; while in the "works of the flesh" (vv 19-21), which are sixteen in number (4², the earth number), "drunkenness and revellings" are put last! Truly man's ways are not God's ways, nor God's thoughts man's thoughts (Isaiah 55:8).

The Gifts of the Spirit

The gifts of the spirit in 1Corinthians 12:8-10 are also nine in number, viz:—

1. The word of wisdom
2. The word of knowledge
3. Faith
4. Healing
5. The working of miracles
6. Prophecy
7. Discerning of spirits
8. Divers kinds of tongues
9. The interpretation of tongues

Additional Miscellaneous Illustrations

Nine persons "stoned."

1. The blasphemer, Leviticus 24:14.
2. The Sabbath-breaker, Numbers 15:36.
3. Achan, Joshua 7:25.
4. Abimelech, Judges 9:53.
5. Adoram, 1 Kings 12:18.
6. Naboth, 1 Kings 21:10.
7. Zechariah, 2Chronicles 24:21.
8. Stephen, Acts 7.
9. Paul, Acts 14:19.

Nine widows are specially mentioned:—

1. Tamar, Genesis 38:19.
2. Woman of Tekoah, 2Samuel 14:5.
3. Hiram's mother, 1 Kings 7:14.
4. Zeruah, 1 Kings 11:26.
5. Woman of Zarephath, 1 Kings 17:9.
6. The poor widow, Mark 12:42.
7. Anna, Luke 2:37.
8. Widow of Nain, Luke 7:12.
9. The importunate widow, Luke 18:3.

Nine persons afflicted with blindness:—

• The men at Lot's door, Genesis 19:11.
• Isaac, Genesis 27:1.
• Jacob, Genesis 48:10.
• Samson, Judges 16:21.
• Eli, 1Samuel 4:15.
• The prophet Ahijah, 1 Kings 14:4.
• The Syrian army, 2 Kings 6:18.
• King Zedekiah, 2 Kings 25:7.
• Elymas, Acts 13:11.

Nine were afflicted with leprosy:—

1. Moses, Exodus 4:6.
2. Miriam, Numbers 12:10.
3. Naaman, 2 Kings 5:1.
4. Gehazi, 2 Kings 5:27.
5. 5 through 8: The four lepers at Samaria, 2 Kings 7:3.
6. Azariah, 2 Kings 15:5.