Meaning of Numbers: The Number 14
The English word "fourteen" for the number 14 appears 26 times in 23 King James Bible verses. The word "fourteenth" for 14th is recorded 25 times in 25 verses. Combined, they appear 51 times in 48 verses in the KJV.
Both "fourteen" and "fourteenth" together are written the most in the book of Numbers (15 times) followed by Esther (5). They only are referenced seven times in the New Testament (Matthew 1:17, Acts 27:27, 33, 2Corinthians 12:2 and Galatians 2:1).
The number 14 and its meaning partake of the importance of seven as it is one of its multiples. It can imply a double measure of spiritual perfection or symbolize deliverance and salvation. For example, the Gospel of Matthew reveals that there are three sets of 14 generations between (and including) Abraham to Joseph (husband of Mary and Jesus' stepfather).
The first set of 14 generations listed in Jesus' genealogy is Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, Perez, Hezron, Ram, Amminadab, Nahshon, Salmon, Boaz, Obed, Jesse and David.
The second set of generations Matthew lists is Solomon, Rehoboam, Abijah, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, Azariah (Uzziah, called Ozias in the KJV), Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, Manasseh, Amon, Josiah and Jehoiachin (Jechonias in KJV) (Matthew 1:7 - 11).
The third and final set of 14 generations in Jesus' lineage listed by Matthew is Jehoaichin, Shealtiel, Zerubbabel, Abiud, Eliakim, Azor, Zadok, Achim, Eliud, Eleazar, Matthan, Jacob, Joseph and Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:12 - 16).
So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations (Matthew 1:1 - 17, NKJV).
Appearances of Number Fourteen
Abraham's son through his slave Hagar, Ishmael, was 14 years old when Isaac was born (see Genesis 17:25 and 21:1 - 5). When Ishmael is later caught taunting the newly weaned Isaac both he and Hagar are permanently cast away from Abraham and Sarah (Genesis 21).
Mary Magdalene is referenced fourteen times in the Gospels. She is tied with Hagar, Abraham's concubine, as the eighth most mentioned female in the Bible. Mary and Jesus' mother of the same name are the only two women listed among the top twenty individuals mentioned in the New Testament.
The minor prophets Hosea and Zechariah each have books containing 14 chapters.
The book of 3John has 14 verses.
In the Old Testament, the chapters 1Chronicles 10, 13, 2Chronicles 5, 16, Esther 5, 6, Job 26, Psalm 19, 27, 48, 148, Ecclesiastes 12, Song of Solomon 8, Isaiah 16, 17, 58, Jeremiah 21, Ezekiel 6, 19, Hosea 8, 12, Amos 6, 8, Zechariah 4, 7, 12 and Malachi 1 have 14 verses in the King James Version of God's word.
In the New Testament, the chapters Romans 13, 2Corinthians 13, Hebrews 1, 5, 1Peter 5 and Revelation 5 have 14 verses.
In the Book of Proverbs the expression "the fear of the Lord" occurs 14 times. It is found in Proverbs 1:7, 29, 2:5, 8:13, 9:10, 10:27, 14:26, 27, 15:16, 33, 16:6, 19:23, 22:4 and 23:17.
Scripture doesn't record the age when, after Israel split into two kingdoms, the Kingdom of Israel's rulers died. It does list, however, the age at which 14 of Judah's 20 sovereigns from Rehoboam to Zedekiah died. The average age of death among these kings is roughly 47 years old.
Celebrating Deliverance
Purim is a Jewish feast celebrated on Adar 14 (Adar is the last month of the Biblical calendar). It commemorates the deliverance of Jews within the Persian Empire during the time of Esther and Mordecai (see our article on Purim).
According to Wikipedia, those in Jerusalem celebrate the holiday one day later, on Adar 15. This is in commemoration of the Jews in the ancient Persian capital of Shushan who did not stop fighting their enemies until the end of Adar 14.
And on the thirteenth day of the month Adar, and on the fourteenth day of the same, they rested and made it a day of feasting and gladness.
But the Jews at Shushan gathered on the thirteenth day and on the fourteenth. And on the fifteenth day of the same month, they rested and made it a day of feasting and gladness.
Therefore the Jews of the villages, who lived in the unwalled towns, made the fourteenth day of the month Adar a day of gladness and feasting, and a good day, and a day of sending portions to one another. (Esther 9:17 - 19, HBFV).
Covenants and the Number 14
The fourteenth day of the first month is the Passover, when God delivered the firstborn of Israel from death. Some 430 years earlier, on the night of day 14 of the first month (Nisan), God made two covenant promises to Abraham.
The first covenant promise in the Bible concerned his physical seed, Isaac, and his descendants. The second promise concerned Jesus Christ, and the sons of God who would come through Him, who would shine like the stars of heaven (Matthew 13:43).
On the day portion of Nisan 14 God confirmed the promises with a special covenant sacrifice.
After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, 'Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.' But Abram said, 'Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?' . . .
And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 'This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.' Then He brought him outside and said, 'Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.' And He said to him, 'So shall your descendants be' (Genesis 15:1 - 2, 4 - 5, NKJV).
Tuesday April 4 in 30 A.D., at sunset, began the Hebrew calendar day of Nisan 14. It was just after sunset that Jesus kept his last Passover with his disciples, instituting the Christian Passover ceremonies of footwashing, eating unleavened bread and drinking a small amount of wine. These symbols represent the humble sacrifice of the Lord's body and blood that make the New Covenant possible.
During the day portion of Nisan 14 (Wednesday, April 5) Jesus is condemned by the Romans. He is then tortured through scourging and beating, forced to drag a stake to Golgotha, then crucified from noon to 3 p.m. He is then buried in a tomb just before sunset.
Jesus' perfect sacrifice, as God manifested in the flesh, makes possible the forgiveness of sin and eternal salvation for all humans.
Apostle Paul and Fourteen
The Apostle Paul penned fourteen writings that were included in the canon of the New Testament. These writings are, in chronological order, 1Thessalonians, 2Thessalonians, Galatians, 1Corinthians, 2Corinthians, Romans, Hebrews, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, 1Timothy, Titus and 2Timothy.
Nine out of the Apostle Paul's fourteen New Testament writings, or 64%, are dedicated to his seven churches. Four of his other books are letters to individuals (1 and 2 Timothy, Titus and Philemon) while a fifth is written to converted Hebrews.
Interestingly, the phrase "the third heaven" is found only once in Scripture. It is located in 2Corinthians where Paul, who is actually referring to himself, speaks of someone being transported spiritually to the third heaven 14 years prior to his writing.
I know a man in Christ who, fourteen years ago, was caught up to the third heaven. (Whether this man was in the body, I do not know; or out of the body, I do not know - God knows.) (2Corinthians 12:2, HBFV).
The Apostle Paul references himself twenty-nine times in his fourteen epistles. It is only in the book of Hebrews, which he wrote, that he does not reference himself.
Parables and Fourteen
The greatest concentration of parables given by Jesus are 14 from Mid-November to December 18 in 29 A.D. A close second is 13 taught in January and February of 30 A.D.
Chronologically, the 14th parable given by Jesus is of two debtors who owe a creditor. He gave it in the summer of 28 A.D. Luke is the only gospel writer to record the parable.
"There were two debtors of a certain creditor; one owed five hundred silver coins, and the other fifty. But when they did not have anything with which to pay him, he forgave them both. Tell Me then, which of them will love him most?"
And Simon (a Pharisee Jesus visited) answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave the most." And He said to him, "You have judged rightly." (Luke 7:41 - 43, HBFV).
What Is It?
The English word "manna" (Strong's Concordance #H4478) is used 14 times in the King James Old Testament and five times in the New Testament. The word "manna" literally means, "What is it," a phrase the children of Israel coined when they first saw it.
And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground.
And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat. (Exodus 16:14 - 15, KJV).
Therefore, they said to Him (Jesus), "What sign will You perform, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? Our fathers ate manna in the wilderness, as it is written: 'He gave them bread to eat that came down from heaven.' "
Then Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven; but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He Who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." (John 6:30 - 33, HBFV).
The High Cost of Wives
The patriarch Jacob (later renamed Israel) served Laban 14 years (7 years each) in order to marry his daughters Leah and Rachel. He began his work when he was 77 years old and finished when he was 91! At the time Jacob left to finally travel back home to Canaan he had produced eleven sons and one daughter.
And I have been twenty years in your (Laban's) house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six for your flocks. And you have changed my wages ten times. (Genesis 31:41, HBFV).
Paul's Timeline
Paul reveals to the church at Galatia a brief timeline of the early years of his ministry. After being converted to Christianity in 33 A.D. he spent three years in Arabia being taught by Jesus (Galatians 1:15 - 18). In 36 A.D. he travels to Jerusalem and spends 15 days in the city (verses 18 - 19). Roughly 14 years later (2:1 - 10), during the summer to late fall of 49 A.D., he travels to Judea for what would be called the Jerusalem conference.
Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also (Galatians 2:1, KJV).
The Jerusalem conference was a gathering of the apostles, as well as other church elders and brethren, to decide if circumcision was required before a Gentile (non-Jew) could receive salvation (Acts 15).
More Info on Biblical Meaning of 14
There are 14 verses in the gospels that reveal Jesus is a son (descendant) of King David. These verses are Matthew 1:1, 9:27, 12:23, 15:22, 20:30 - 31, 21:9, 15, Mark 10:47 - 48, Luke 1:32, 3:31 and 18:38 - 39.
The Old Testament writings that use the word "fourteen" the most are the book of Numbers (11 times) followed by Genesis, Joshua and Ezekiel (twice each). The New Testament book that uses the word the most is Matthew (3 times).
The initial inheritance of the tribe of Benjamin in the Promised Land included a large group of 14 cities and village. The cities in this group include Gibeon, Ramah, Mizpah, Gibeah and Jerusalem (Joshua 18:21 - 25).
Abijah, son of King Rehoboam and grandson of Solomon, assumed the throne over Judah in 913 B.C. During his life he married fourteen wives and produced 22 sons and 16 daughters (2Chronicles 13:21). His reign only lasted three years until 910 B.C.
The Apocrypha, also known as the deuterocanonical books, is a collection of 14 non-inspired volumes found in Roman Catholic Bibles and a few others. It was first published as a separate English section in Luther's Bible of 1534 A.D.
The books that generally compose the Apocrypha are I and II Esdras, Ecclesiasticus, Bel and the Dragon, Tobit, Baruch (with Epistle of Jeremiah), Prayer of Manasseh, Judith, Song of the Three Children, I and II Maccabees, the Rest of Esther, the Story of Susanna and Wisdom. They represent various types of literature such as historical, historical romance, wisdom, devotional, and apocalyptic.
Number fourteen is equal to 2 x 7, both of which are primes.
The Hebrew word for David (Strong's Concordance #H1732), the greatest human king over ancient Israel, is equal to 14 in Gematria (4 + 6 + 4).
Seven represents completion. Thus, 7 + 7 = 14 indicates a double completion. The first completion was that Jesus' ministry in the flesh was completed. The second completion was that Jesus' sacrifice ended or fulfilled the need for animal sacrifices.