Meaning of Numbers: The Number 490
The spiritual significance and Scriptural meaning of the number 490 comes from the fact that it is seven times seventy (7 x 70).
Lamech, a descendant of Cain, killed a young man (possibly unintentionally) in self-defense. He warned that if he were killed because of the death that his murder would be avenged seventy times seven (or 490 times).
And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt. If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold (490, Genesis 4:23 - 24, KJV).
Appearances of Number Four Hundred Ninety
Chapter 490 in the King James Bible translation is Psalm 12.
490 is the product of 2 x 5 x 7 x 7 (7 squared). 2, 5 and 7 are all prime numbers.
Flood Survivor
The Hebrew Gematria values of Japheth's name (Strong's #H3315) is 10 + 80 + 400 = 490. Japheth was one of Noah's three sons who survived the flood (Genesis 5:32, 6:10, 7:13, 9:18, etc.). Many Biblical commentaries, including the Jewish Historian Josephus (Antiquities of the Jews, Book 1, Chapter 6) believe that Japheth was the oldest son of Noah and not Shem.
Japheth and his descendants are believed to have migrated to areas around the Black and Caspian Seas, Asia Minor, and the Greek islands. They are also thought to have settled in the islands of Cyprus, Crete and Rhodes.
Prophecy and Number 490
The prophet Daniel was a member of Judah's royal family. When King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon first attacked Jerusalem in 605 B.C., he took a very young Daniel, as well as others of the royal family, captive. This captivity of the Kingdom of Judah was allowed by God as punishment for their long history of sin and disobedience to him. After living several years in Babylon, Daniel discovers something very revealing while reading the word of God.
In the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood by books the number of the years, which came according to the Word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years (Daniel 9:2, HBFV).
Jeremiah's prophecy foretold that the Jewish people (which included Daniel) would be taken captive for a period of time (Jeremiah 25:7 - 12). The desolation of Jerusalem began in 586 B.C. when Nebuchadnezzar, for the third time, attacked the city.
In Nebuchadnezzar's previous two campaigns into Judean territory (605 and 597 B.C.), he left Jerusalem and the temple mostly intact. In 586, however, he destroyed the city and burned the temple built by Solomon completely to the ground. God's house of prayer stayed destroyed for seventy years until 516 - 515 B.C., when it was rebuilt under the reign of Persia's Darius I.
The discovery of Jeremiah's prophecy within the word of God brought Daniel to his knees in prayer. As he prayed, something unique and rare occurred. God sent the Archangel Gabriel to him in order to give him understanding and wisdom regarding certain prophetic events.
It was revealed to Daniel that another prophecy would affect both the Jews and Jerusalem. It is commonly referred to as Daniel's 70 weeks (490 prophetic years, see Ezekiel 4:1 - 5) prophecy. It begins in Daniel 9:24, which states, "Seventy weeks are decreed upon your people and upon your holy city to finish the transgression and to make an end of sin . . ."
The first of this three-part (7 weeks, 62 weeks and 1 week) 490 total years prophecy was prophesied to begin from the decree "to restore and to build Jerusalem" (see Daniel 9:25). This proclamation took place in 539 B.C. under Persian king Cyrus the Great (Ezra 1:1 - 4).
Many events have already taken place, with more to come in the near future, before the fullness of Daniel's 70 weeks is fulfilled. Thus, 490 marks the product of spiritual perfection (7) with regard to the working out of Jerusalem's number (70).
More Info on Biblical Meaning of 490
No original language words of the Bible exist (Hebrew or Greek) that occur 490 times.
Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive someone.
Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Until seven times?" (Matthew 18:21, HBFV).
Jesus' response to Peter, who thought he was being quite generous by forgiving someone seven times, no doubt amazed the apostle!
Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you until seven times, but until seventy times seven (490)." (Matthew 18:22).
Jesus' answer was not intended to give a new higher limit of 490 times a person should be forgiven by someone. The Lord was making the point that we should forgive others as often as it is needed, just like God the Father will always forgive us if we sincerely ask for it. Our mercy, love and forgiveness is not to be limited if we are to mimic the character of our heavenly Father (Matthew 5:48).