Meaning of Numbers in the Bible
The Number 200

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Biblical Meaning of Numbers
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Meaning of Numbers: The Number 200

The symbolic meaning of the number 200 in the Bible is that of insufficiency.

A man named Achan, seeing among the spoils of Jericho 200 shekels of silver and other goods, takes them in spite of the Lord's command not to do so. Joshua finds out about the theft and, after finding the goods in Achan's tent, has him stoned to death (Joshua 7). This teaches the insufficiency of money to save someone from the consequences of sin.

The mother of a man named Micah had two-hundred shekels of silver melted and turned into an idol. Micah used his mother's idol to start his own 'house of worship.' Over time the idolatrous worship grew and was adopted by the tribe of Dan, which became the very first Israelite tribe devoted to idolatry (and may be the reason Dan is not found in Revelation). This show the insufficiency of a man-made religion to please God.

Appearances of Number Two Hundred

Ezra records that there were 200 "singing men and women" who came out of Babylonian captivity and returned to Judea (Ezra 2:65).

King David's son Absalom tried to take the throne from his father. David sent an army to oppose him and won. As Absalom was fleeing on a mule his hair, which was recorded as weighing 200 shekels (2Samuel 14:26), got him stuck in a tree he was riding under. After Joab, one of David's military captains, found out that Absalom was stuck in a tree he had him killed (2Samuel 14).

The Hebrew word kabod (Strong's Concordance #H3519) is recorded 200 times in the Old Testament's original language. It appears the most in the Psalms (51 times) followed by Isaiah (38) then Ezekiel (19). The word means "glory" and refers to something or someone possessing honor, splendor, dignity, riches and, is some cases, deserving reverence.

The heavens declare the glory (kabod) of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork (Psalm 19:1, KJV).

Protecting Apostle Paul

In 58 A.D., at the end of his third missionary journey, the Apostle Paul enters Jerusalem's temple with at least one other man (Acts 21:29). Certain Jews from Asia, who hate him, recognize him and think (wrongly) those who are with him are Gentiles. As Paul enters the Outer Court, they start a riot by screaming Paul has defiled the temple by allowed Gentiles (Greeks) in it (Acts 21:27 - 30). The Romans quickly learn about the riot and take Paul into custody.

Some Jews, after Paul's testimony before the Sanhedrin regarding the riot, vow to murder him as his travels to his next meeting with them (Acts 23:12 - 15). The Romans, tipped off regarding the death threat through one of Paul's relatives, quickly gather 200 soldiers, 70 horsemen and 200 spearmen to protect the apostle and escort him to Caesarea (Acts 23:23).

And he (the chief Roman captain) called two certain centurions and said, "Prepare two hundred soldiers, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen for the third hour of the night, that they may go as far as Caesarea." (Acts 23:23, HBFV).

Did the Romans really need 200 soldiers, and the same quantity of spearmen, to protect Paul? Is Acts 23:23 accurate or an exaggeration? These figures are indeed accurate as confirmed below.

"The general unrest in Judaea which was ever building during this period, however, and the number of single actions by individuals which touched off explosive and devastating general uprisings calling for strong Roman military responses suggest that the numbers (in Acts 23:23) are realistic." (The Book of Acts in Its Graeco-Roman Setting, Chapter 1, Section 2).

Jacob, Esau and Number 200

Most people are aware that Jacob tricked his twin brother Esau out of his birthright (using a bowl of red soup, Genesis 25:29 - 34) and blessing (by pretending to be him when their virtually blind father Isaac gave the family blessing, Genesis 27). Esau's vow to kill his brother (Genesis 27:41) is enough for Jacob to flee Canaan.

Years later, God commands Jacob to go back home. The idea of running into his brother while traveling, however, scares Jacob. Messengers sent to his brother return to Jacob with the news that Esau is coming to meet him with 400 men (200 x 2)!

Afraid of his brother exacting revenge on him and his family, Jacob sends him a large gift that includes two-hundred she-goats and the same number of ewes (Genesis 32:14). Ultimately, through God's grace, the twin brothers meet peaceably and Jacob is able to return home safely.

More Info on Biblical Meaning of 200

200 is the product of 2 x 2 x 2 (2 cubed) x 5 x 5 (5 squared). Both 2 and 5 are primes.

200 in the Hebrew alphabet is represented by its 20th letter called Resh. In the Greek alphabet it is represent by the letter Sigma.

Serug, in the line of descendants from Adam's son Seth, represents the 17th generation of humans on earth. His firstborn son Nahor was born when he was thirty years old (Genesis 11:22). He then lived another 200 years before dying in 1920 B.C. Nahor's claim to fame is that he would ultimately become the grandfather of Abram (Abraham).

King Saul, when his hatred for David began to grow because he saw God was with him, devised a way for someone other than himself to kill the future king. Saul's plan was to use the Philistines, Israel's sworn enemy, as the means by which David could lose his life.

The king offers David the hand of his daughter Michal (who loved David) in marriage if he brought back the foreskins from 100 slain Philistines. David accepts the challenge and he and his men kill double the amount of Philistines required for Michal's hand. He returns to Saul with a bag of 200 Philistine foreskins and marries Michal (1Samuel 18).

The biggest number delineated in the Bible is 200 million. This huge group, likely a mix of deceived humans and demonic spirits, will be allowed to kill one third of humanity (Revelation 9:14 - 18). God allows this as part of his second "woe" to punish those who steadfastly refuse to repent (verses 20 - 21).

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Biblical Meaning of Numbers
Introduction   -   Book of Numbers
Forgiveness Numbers  -  Abraham's Numbers
Apostle Paul's Seven Churches
Infinity   -   Zero
One Tenth   -   One Third   -   One Half
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144000   -  500000   -  The Largest!
Prophecy Numbers   -   Numerology
Creation's Numerics   -   Further Study

Series References
Number in Scripture: Its Supernatural
Design and Spiritual Significance

Some information on the
meaning of the number 200 derived from
Holy Bible Faithful Version (HBFV)