Meaning of Numbers: The Number 74
The English phrase "threescore and fourteen," used for the number 74, is recorded 2 times in 2 King James Bible verses.
The possible meaning of the number 74 is derived primarily from its use in the Book of Psalms. Psalm 74 is one of twelve Psalms written by or for Asaph. He wrote Psalm 50 and 73 through 83.
Psalm 74, like others in the third division of the Psalms from song 73 to 89, references the sanctuary (temple) where God is worshipped by Israel. The song is a prayer to the Eternal to remember his people and punish those who destroyed where his name resided.
Lift up Your feet unto the perpetual ruins; all this destruction the enemy has done in the sanctuary . . . They burned Your sanctuary to the ground; they defiled the dwelling place of Your name . . .
O God, how long shall the adversary speak evil? Shall the enemy blaspheme Your name forever? (verses 3, 7 and 10 of Psalm 74, HBFV).
The Hebrew word selah, Strong's Concordance #H5542, is recorded 74 times in 74 Hebrew Old Testament verses. It is found only in the book of Psalms (71 times) followed by Habakkuk (3). The word, which means "suspension" or "pause," is left untranslated in the King James. Selah is a technical music term meant to denote that a pause in music should be taken.
I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah (Psalm 3:4, KJV).
Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah (Psalm 39:5, KJV).
Appearances of Number Seventy-Four
In the Old Testament, the Biblical chapters of Numbers 7 and 1Chronicles 6 contain 74 verses in the King James Bible translation.
In the New Testament, the chapters Matthew 26 and Luke 1 have 74 verses in the KJV. Matthew 26 is particularly interesting as it delineates Peter's denial of Christ three times before sunrise. The Lord predicted this would happen (Matthew 26:75) after Peter's well-intentioned but foolish boast at the last Passover (Luke 22:33 - 34).
Now Peter was sitting outside in the court; and a maid came to him, saying, "You also were with Jesus the Galilean." But he denied it before everyone . . . And after he went out into the porch, another maid saw him and said to those there, "This man was also with Jesus the Nazarean." Then again he denied it with an oath . . .
After a little while, those who were standing by came to Peter and said, "Truly, you also are one of them, for even your speech shows that you are." Then he began to curse and to swear, saying, "I do not know the Man." And immediately a cock crowed (Verses 69 to 74 of Matthew 26).
The book of Luke adds that Jesus looked directly at Peter when he rejected him the third time (Luke 22:61).
Number 74 and Mythical Beasts
The huge creature called a leviathan is found in only four King James Old Testament verses. One of its four references is in verse 14 of Psalm 74. Verse 13 of the same chapter also mentions dragons!
For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.
Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness (verses 12 - 14 of Psalm 74, KJV).
While only briefly mentioned in the Psalm, the entire chapter of Job 41 reveals God's description of the leviathan. It is one of the greatest beasts he created!
More Info on Biblical Meaning of 74
The English phrase "threescore and fourteen," used for the number 74, is found only in the book of Numbers.
There are 7 words and phrases in the Bible's original languages that are recorded exactly 74 times.
74 is the product of 2 x 37. Both 2 and 37 are prime numbers.
God commanded ancient Israel, every seven years, to observe what is known as a Sabbatical year (Leviticus 25:1 - 7, 19 - 23). One of these special periods began on September 15 in 74 B.C. and ended on September 3 in 73 B.C.
The province of Lycia and Pamphylia was created, in 74 A.D., from the existing provincial areas of Lycia (formed in 43 A.D. by Emperor Claudius) and Pamphylia. Lycia is directly referenced once (Acts 27:5) while Pamphylia is recorded five times in the King James New Testament (Acts 2:10, 13:13, 14:24, 15:38 and 27:5).
The siege of Masada took place from 73 to 74 A.D. It was one of the final events in Rome's first war against the Jews in Judea.
Jesus is mentioned 74 times in the Muslim Quran out of 6,236 verses. Forty-two of these are indirect references (Ron Rhodes, "Reasoning from the Scriptures with Muslims," page 132).
The Greek word pur, Strong's Concordance #G4442, is found 74 times in 73 Greek New Testament verses. It is found the most in the book of Revelation (25) followed by Matthew (12) and then Mark (8). The word refers to fire either literally or figuratively.
I am come to send fire (pur) on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? (Luke 12:49, KJV).
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire (pur) and brimstone: which is the second death (Revelation 21:8, KJV).
The English word "shekels" is written 96 times in 74 King James Bible verses. It is recorded the most in the book of Numbers (44 times) followed by Leviticus (10). A shekel was a common weight used in ancient Israel that was roughly equivalent to 11.4 grams (.4 ounces). It was also used as currency. The patriarch Abraham was able to buy a cave in Hebron, which included its surrounding land, as a burial location for his beloved wife Sarah.
My lord, hearken unto me: the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver; what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead (Genesis 23:15).
And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass (1Samuel 17:4 - 5, KJV).