Meaning of Numbers: The Number 18
The English word "eighteen" used for the number 18 is recorded 22 times in 22 King James Bible verses. The significance of the number 18 in the Bible comes partly from its symbolic meaning of bondage.
The Israelites, after taking possession of the Promised Land, were in bondage to several nations and peoples before Saul was made king. Two of their enemies, Eglon the Moabite king and the Philistines (with the help of the people of Ammon) oppressed them for 18 years.
So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years (Judges 3:14, KJV).
And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon. And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel: eighteen years . . . (Judges 10:7 - 8, KJV).
Bondage can also be spiritual in nature. Jesus healed many demonically possessed or influenced people during his ministry. On one particular Sabbath, while teaching in a Synagogue, Jesus healed a woman that had a "spirit of infirmity" that had bent her over for 18 years!
And lo, there was a woman who had been afflicted with a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years, and she was bent over and unable to straighten herself up. And when He saw her, Jesus called her to Him and said to her, "Woman, you have been loosed from your infirmity." (Luke 13:11 - 12, HBFV).
Appearances of Number Eighteen
Jesus used the number 18 to teach that time and chance happen to all men without regard for whether others considered them "righteous" or "sinners."
Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell, and killed them, do you suppose that these were debtors (sinners) above all men who dwelt in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but if you do not repent, you shall all likewise perish. (Luke 13:4 - 5, HBFV).
Joshua led the children of Israel into the Promised Land after the death of Moses. Seven years later, in 1398 B.C., he completes the dividing of Canaan among the Israelites. For the next 18 years, until his death at the age of 110, he serves as Israel's first Judge.
In the period preceding Israel's first human king (1398 to 1050 B.C.), a total number of 18 people served as Judges. They were Joshua, Othniel, Ehud, Deborah, Barak, Eli, Gideon, Abimelech, Tola, Jephthah, Samson, Samuel, Ibzan, Jair, Elon, Abdon and Samuel's two sons Joel and Abiah.
A cubit, a unit of length found in the Old Testament, was the distance of a man's arm from the point of the elbow to the end of his middle finger. A cubit is roughly equivalent to about 18 inches (45.7 centimeters).
Two of the longest names in the Bible are composed of 18 letters. They are Jonathelemrechokim (in the title of Psalm 56) and Mahershalalhashbaz (the name of Isaiah's son in Isaiah 8:1, which, when translated, means 'swift is booty, speedy is prey').
The Greek word arithmos, Strong's Concordance #G706, is recorded 18 times in 15 Greek New Testament verses. It is found the most in the book of Revelation (10 times) followed by Acts (5). Arithmos, from which we get our modern word "arithmetic," is translated as "number" in the King James.
And the word of God increased; and the number (arithmos) of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith (Acts 6:7, KJV).
Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number (arithmos) of the beast . . . and his number is Six hundred threescore and six (Revelation 13:18, KJV).
Chapters, Verses and Quotes
In the Old Testament, the Biblical chapters of Genesis 13, 20, Exodus 24, 31, Numbers 25, Deuteronomy 13, Joshua 1, 17, Judges 10, Ruth 3, 2Samuel 8, 1Kings 5, 2Kings 1, 1Chronicles 18, 19, 2Chronicles 2, 8, Nehemiah 8, Psalm 10, 83, 88, 115, 132, Proverbs 9, Ecclesiastes 1, 9, Isaiah 23, Jeremiah 20, 39, 41, Ezekiel 8, 31, Zephaniah 1 and Malachi 3 contain 18 verses in the King James translation.
In the New Testament, the chapters 2Corinthians 3, 4, 6, 10, Galatians 6, Colossians 4, 1Thessalonians 4, 2Thessalonians 3, 2Timothy 1, Hebrews 2, James 3, 2Peter 3, Revelation 13 and 17 have 18 verses in the KJV.
Of the top ten New Testament books that contain the most material from the Old Testament, the book of 1Corinthians has content from 18 books.
The most quoted or referenced Old Testament passage found in the New Testament is Psalm 110:1. It is referenced no less than eighteen times (Matthew 22:44, 26:64; Mark 12:36, 14:62, 16:19; Luke 20:42 - 43, 22:69; Acts 2:34 - 35; Romans 8:34; 1Corinthians 15:25; Ephesians 1:20; Colossians 3:1 and Hebrews 1:3,13, 8:1,10:12 - 13,12:2).
More Info on Biblical Meaning of 18
There are 77 words and phrases in the Bible's original languages that are recorded exactly 18 times.
The Old Testament writings that use "eighteen" the most for the number 18 are the books of Judges and 1Chronicles (4 each). The only New Testament book that uses the word is the gospel of Luke (3 times).
And Meshelemiah had sons and brethren, strong men, eighteen (1Chronicles 26:9, KJV).
The latest start, throughout history, of the solemn Day of Atonement occurred at sunset on October 18. This late observance of the fifth of God's annual Holy (Feast) periods took place in 3696, 3677, 3658 and 3430 B.C.
18 is the product of 2 x 3 x 3 (or 3 squared). Both 2 and 3 are prime numbers.
The Greek word Antiocheia, Strong's #G490, is found 18 times in 17 Greek New Testament verses. It is written the most in the book of Acts (16 times) followed by Galatians and 2Timothy (once each). The word, which means "driven against," is translated as the city name of Antioch.
There are two Antiochs in the New Testament. The first is located in the Roman Province of Galatia and called Pisidian Antioch. The second, located in Syria and called Syrian Antioch, was home to one of the earliest and largest Christian churches in the first century A.D. It was from this Antioch that Apostle Paul lauched his first, second and third missionary journeys.
Now there were in the church that was at (Syrian) Antioch (Antiocheia) certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul (the Apostle Paul, Acts 13:1, KJV).
Verse 18 of Leviticus 19 commands God's people not to take revenge but rather to love their neighbor as themselves (a version of the Golden Rule). It is referenced in Mark 12:31, 33, Matthew 5:43, 19:18 - 19, 22:38 - 39 and Luke 10:27.
Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am the Lord (Leviticus 19:18, KJV).