The Meaning of Numbers: The Number 2000
The possible meaning of the number 2000 is derived from a few amazing, and sometimes tragic, events in the Bible.
Jesus, between October 28 A.D. and early 29 A.D., encounters a man who is possessed of multiple demons (Mark 5:1 - 17). He is informed by them that their collective name is Legion (verse 9). The devils then request they be allowed to possess a herd of pigs. The demons, after Jesus allows this request, possess 2000 swine who respond by running off a cliff to their deaths in the sea!
Then Jesus immediately permitted them to go. And the unclean spirits went out of the man and entered into the swine; and the herd stampeded down the steep slope into the sea (now they were about two thousand (2000)), and they all drowned in the sea (Mark 5:13, HBFV).
Appearances of Number Two Thousand
The Israelites, under Joshua, were readying themselves to cross the Jordan River to take control of the western part of the Promised Land (Joshua 3). They were informed that leading the procession would be the priests and Levities carrying the Ark of the Covenant.
The people were additionally instructed to follow the Ark but remain 2000 cubits behind it (Joshua 3:4), which is roughly (assuming a conservative 17.5 inches length per cubit) one half mile (.89 kilometers). This was likely done out of respect. It also enabled the Ark's crossing to be more distinctive and viewable to the Israelites.
The tribe of Levi did not receive one contiguous chunk of territory in the Promised Land as God was their inheritance (Numbers 18:20). They were given, however, forty-eight cities they could live in that were spread among Israel's other tribes. Outside of each town, not including the length of its wall, they were also given the length of 2000 cubits (roughly 2,916 feet or 889 meters) of land (1000 cubits away from the city wall on each side). This area would be used for cattle, vineyards, gardens, orchards and so on (Numbers 35:5).
World Empires and Israel
Assyrian King Sennacherib, in 701 B.C., launches a military campaign against the Kingdom of Judah. After he conquers Judah's fortified cities he sends three top military men, along with a large army, to Jerusalem. One of the commanders, after the army surrounds the holy city, taunts King Hezekiah and calls his trust in God foolish (Isaiah 36:1 - 7). He then further mocks Hezekiah by offering him 2000 horses for his army.
Now then, please exchange pledges with my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you (Hezekiah) two thousand (2000) horses if you are able on your part to set riders upon them for you (Isaiah 36:8, HBFV).
Assyria's mockery of the God of Israel, however, earns them a personal response from the Eternal. A death angel sent through their camp instantly kills 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in the worst military defeat in human history (Isaiah 37)!
King Nebuchadnezzar, when he conquered the Kingdom of Judah, took many of its people captive out of the land. Years later, after Persia conquers the Babylonians, many of the surviving families are allowed to go back to their homeland. Those who returned who were not the "chiefs of the fathers" made donations toward the rebuilding and operation of Jerusalem's temple. Part of their collective contribution was 2000 minas of silver (Nehemiah 7:72).
Justice and the Number 2000
A rape and murder in the tribe of Benjamin's land, and their refusal to turn over the evildoers for justice, causes a civil war with the other eleven Israelite tribes (Judges 19 - 20). Although the Benjamite warriors win early victories (see Judges 20:21, 25), losing roughly 1,100 men, the tide is turned when God causes their demise due to their sin (verse 28).
The Benjamites, surrounded in Gibeah, suffer 18,000 causalities. The remaining fighting men, while fleeing to a rock in Rimmon, lose another 5,000 warriors. Those still alive of Benjamin's army then decide to flee to Gidom where another 2000 of their soldiers perish.
And they (the Benjamites) turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon. And they (the other Israelite tribes) gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men, and pursued hard after them to Gidom and killed two thousand men of them (Judges 20:45, HBFV).
More Info on Biblical Meaning of 2000
Researcher Carl Haub calculated that over 100 billion people have likely been born in the last 2000 years.
The number 2000 is equal to 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 (or 2 to the fourth power) x 5 x 5 x 5 (or 5 to the third power).