Meaning of Numbers: The Number 33
The English phrase "thirty and three" and "three and thirty," used for the number 33, appears seven times in seven King James Bible verses. These two phrases do not appear in the New Testament. In the Old Testament they are found the most in 1Chronicles (twice) followed by Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, 2Samuel and 1Kings (one each).
The meaning of the number 33 is connected to certain promises made by God. The 33rd time Noah's name is used in Scripture is when God makes a special covenant or promise with him. The Eternal promises to not destroy the entire world again with a flood and seals His pledge with the sign of the rainbow (Genesis 9:12 - 16).
And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth . . .
I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth (Genesis 9:11, 13, KJV).
33 is the numeric representation of the Star of David (also known as the Shield of David or the Magen of David). This symbol is commonly seen in places such as the flag of modern Israel and in cemeteries to denote a Jewish burial.
33 also derives some of its meaning from the total number of times "three" or "third" is used in the book of Revelation. It can represent, because it is the product of 3 times 11, God's judgment. Thus, Revelation illustrates God's complete, final judgment of the world, which is ultimately carried out in the final three-and-one-half year (1,260 days) period leading up to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
Appearances of Number Thirty-Three
In the Old Testament, the Biblical chapters of Genesis 18, 49, Exodus 23, Leviticus 15, 22, Numbers 13, Deuteronomy 5, Joshua 13, 24, 2Samuel 14, 18, 1Kings 12, 2Kings 6, 2Chronicles 32, 34, Job 33, 36, Proverbs 1, 15, 16, 30, Isaiah 30 and Ezekiel 33 have thirty-three verses in the King James translation.
In the New Testament, the chapters Mark 11, John 16, Romans 9, 15, 1Corinthians 10, 2Corinthians 11 and Ephesians 5 contain 33 verses in the King James Bible.
The divine name of God, Elohim (Strong's Concordance #H430), is initially mentioned in the first verse of Genesis 1. Elohim appears 33 times in Genesis' story of creation. Thirty-three is also the numeric equivalent of the word "Amen."
The thirty-third time Abraham's name is used in the Bible is when Isaac, the child of promise, is born to him when he is ninety-nine years old (Genesis 21:1 - 2).
The 33rd time Jacob's name is found in scripture he promised to give a tenth of all he had to God when he had a vision of a ladder reaching to heaven. This is commonly referred to as Jacob's ladder (Genesis 28:10 - 12, 16 - 22).
Number 33 and Kings
David became king in 1050 B.C. after the death of Saul. He ruled, however, only the tribe of Judah (from Hebron) for the first seven and one-half years of his monarchy (2Samuel 2:4, 5:1 - 5, 1Chronicles 3:4, 29:27).
The other Israelite tribes, after David ruled for the above period, then decided to make him their king as well. It is after he became the unquestioned monarch over a united Israel that he successfully attacked the Jebusite controlled city of Jerusalem. The city, now known as the "city of David," became his capital during the remaining 33 years of his rule.
In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah (2Samuel 5:5, KJV).
King Azariah (also called Uzziah in the King James) began as co-ruler, with his father King Amaziah, of the Kingdom of Judah at the age of 16 (2Kings 15:1). At the age of 33 he gave birth to his successor Jotham. When he reached 39 years old, he became sole ruler of the kingdom in 767 B.C. upon the death of Amaziah.
Azariah holds several distinctions among the rulers of God's people. He is the second longest reigning monarch of either Israel or Judah with 52 years on the throne (792 to 740 B.C., 2Kings 15:2).
Azariah also holds the distinction of having spent the most years as co-ruler of any king with 25 years. Lastly, he is the oldest known ruler, after the split of Israel's united kingdom in 930 B.C., to die on the throne at 68.
The 33rd person in Jesus' lineage from Adam is King David.
More Info on Biblical Meaning of 33
33 is equal to 3 x 11, both of which are prime numbers.
The Hebrew word gath, Strong's Concordance #H1661, is recorded 33 times in 31 Hebrew Old Testament verses. It is found the most in 1Samuel (12 times) followed by both 1Kings and 1Chronicles (5 each). Left untranslated in the King James, the word "Gath" means winepress. The city of Gath, although given to the tribe of Judah by God, stayed a stronghold of the infamous Philistines for many years.
They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines unto them, and said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? And they answered, Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried about unto Gath. And they carried the ark of the God of Israel about thither (1Samuel 5:8, KJV).
Timothy, according to church tradition, was born in 17 A.D. He met Paul, for the first time, during the apostle's second missionary journey in 50. At the age of about 33 Timothy became Paul's friend and traveling companion, and would soon become his closest friend and most trusted fellow-laborer in the gospel.
Jacob, at the age of 130 in 1670 B.C., moves his entire family to Egypt to escape a famine in Canaan. Other than himself, of the 66 people that migrated to Egypt, 33 of them were related to his first wife Leah (Genesis 46:15). She produced six of Jacob's twelve sons the names of which, in order, were Reuben (Jacob's firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun.
God's law required a male baby be circumcised on the eighth day (Leviticus 12:1 - 3). A woman who gave birth to a boy was also required, for 33 days afterwards (for a total of forty days), not to touch anything holy or come into the temple.
And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled (Leviticus 12:4, KJV).
It is interesting to note that a woman giving birth to female babies was unclean for 14 days, and then had another 66 days of purifying for 80 total.
The Hebrew word lote, Strong's #H3876, is found 33 times in 30 Hebrew Old Testament verses. It is found in only three books, Genesis (30 times), Deuteronomy (2) and Psalms (1). The word, translated as the name "Lot," means "covering." Lot, who through his father was related to Abraham, was saved from Sodom and Gomorrah's destruction by two angels.
And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot (lote), saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city (Genesis 19:15, KJV).
The Hebrew word elij, Strong's #H5941, is found 33 times in 30 Hebrew Old Testament verses. It is found only in the books of 1Samuel (32 times) and 1Kings (1). The word, translated as the name "Eli," means "ascension" or "lofty." Eli was both a High Priest and Judge in Israel. Over time not only did he corrupt himself, his two sons became corrupt in their service to God.
Now Eli (elij) was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation (1Samuel 2:22, HBFV).
The significance of 33 is also seen at Jesus' death at the age of 33. His sacrifice, made in 30 A.D., was the fulfillment of countless prophecies and promises concerning the Savior of man.
A very old Jewish tradition, recounted by the first century A.D. historian Josephus, states that Adam and Eve produced 33 sons and 23 daughters!