Meaning of Numbers: The Number 30
The English word "thirty" used for the number 30 is recorded 174 times in 164 King James Bible verses. The Old Testament writings that it the most are the book of Numbers (37 times) followed by Genesis (18) and 1Chronicles (16). The New Testament books that use the word the most are the gospel of Matthew (4 times) followed by the book of John (2).
The meaning of 30 comes, in part, from it symbolizing dedication to a particular task or calling. Aaronic priests were initially dedicated to serving at thirty years of age (Num. 4:3). God likely choose 30 because it was when a person reached both physical and mental maturity and could therefore handle major responsibilities.
John the Baptist, who was of priestly descent (his mother was a descendant of the daughters of Aaron and his father was a priest), began his ministry at age 30. In the fall of 26 A.D., at the age of thirty, Christ began to publicly preach the gospel. His ministry lasted for three and one-half years.
And Jesus Himself began to be about thirty years old, being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph, the son-in-law of Eli . . . (Luke 3:23, HBFV).
This number can also represent the sacrificial blood of Jesus, as He was betrayed by Judas for 30 silver coins. This act was a fulfillment of prophecy.
And I said to them, "If it is good, give me my price; and if not, let it go." So they weighed my price - thirty pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12).
Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him (Jesus) unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14 - 15, KJV).
When Judas flung the "blood money" he was paid back into the temple, the priests did not accept it as an offering but rather decided to buy a potter's field with it. Though they were not aware of it, what they did was also fulfilling prophecy (Zechariah 11:13).
Jesus, in 30 A.D., suffered and shed His precious blood as God's sacrificial Lamb for the world's sins.
Appearances of the Number Thirty
The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in caves on the upper northwest shore of the Dead Sea started in 1947. Among all the scrolls found over the years, 30 copies of the Psalms have been identified.
The patriarchs Salah (grandson of Shem), Peleg (who lived to see the world's continents divide) and Serug (the great-grandfather of Abraham) had their first sons at the age of 30.
The prophet Ezekiel begins his book of the same name in the thirtieth year (which likely referenced his age at the time - Ezekiel 1:1). It is at this time he receives his first recorded vision from God, known as the "wheel in the middle of a wheel" or "wheel within a wheel" vision.
And it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God (Ezekiel 1:1, KJV).
Abraham bartered with Jesus, who had taken human form, in an attempt to save the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah from total destruction. He first got the Lord to agree to spare the cities if 50 righteous were found, then 45, then 40 (Genesis 18:22 - 29). He then got the Lord to agree to spare them if 30 righteous were discovered.
And he said, "Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Perhaps there shall be thirty found there." And He said, "I will not do it if I find thirty there." (Genesis 18:30, KJV).
Jair, one of the Judges of Israel delineated in the Bible, had thirty sons. He was wealthy enough not only to provide each of them with their own horse to ride, but also gave each of them a city for 30 total (Judges 10:4). Ibzan, another Judge of Israel, had thirty sons and the same amount of daughters (Judges 12:9).
Samson and the Number 30
Samson decides to get married to a Philistine woman as a way of provoking Israel's most implacable enemy the Philistines (Judges 14:1 - 4). At his wedding celebration he offers a prize of a linen garment and a clothing change to each of the 30 men who are considered friends of the bridegroom if they collectively answer his riddle. If they fail to answer correctly, however, they must give him the same prize he offered.
Out of the eater came forth food, and out of the strong came forth sweetness (Judges 14:14, HBFV).
Samson's guests, unable to respond to his riddle, conspire with his new wife to have her entice him to divulge the answer. She succeeds in discovering the answer and secretly conveys it to the wedding guests.
Samson, upon discovering he had been manipulated, travels to the Philistine city of Ashkelon, kills 30 men, and gives their clothes to those who through trickery answered his riddle (Judges 14:11 - 19).
Chapters and Verses
In the Old Testament, the Biblical chapters of Genesis 38, Exodus 6, Leviticus 6, 18, Numbers 23, Deuteronomy 22, 31, Judges 19, 1Samuel 18, 2Kings 25, 1Chronicles 21, 29, Job 6, 22, 39, Proverbs 20, Isaiah 5, Jeremiah 6, 22, 44 and Daniel 3 contain 30 verses in the King James translation.
In the New Testament, the chapters Matthew 11, 19, Acts 11, 22, Philippians 1 and 2 have 30 verses in the KJV.
The 30th largest King James Bible book, in terms of chapters, is the book of Nehemiah. It contains 13 chapters and 406 verses.
The 30th largest King James Bible book, in terms of verses, is Hebrews. Written by the Apostle Paul in the early part of 61 A.D., it contains 303 verses and 13 chapters.
Book 30 of the King James Bible translation is the writing of the minor prophet Amos. His book, written around 762 B.C., primarily discusses events surrounding the prophetic Day of the Lord.
More Info on Biblical Meaning of 30
There are 42 words and phrases in the Bible's original languages that are recorded exactly 30 times.
30 is a product of 2 x 3 x 5, all of which are prime numbers.
The Hebrew Gereshon (Strong's Concordance #H1648), translated as "Gershon" or "Gershom" in the King James, is written 30 times in 30 Old Testament Hebrew verses. It is found the most in the book of 1Chronicles (12 times). It is the name of several individuals in Scripture including the firstborn son of Levi (Genesis 46:11) and Moses.
And Moses was content to live with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah. And she bore a son, and he called his name Gershom, for he said, "I have been a stranger in a strange land." (Exodus 2:21 - 22, KJV).
As an interesting side note, Exodus 2:22 was used by writer Robert Heinlein to title his 1961 science fiction book "Stranger in a Strange Land."
The Greek Kaisar (Strong's #G2541), translated as "Caesar" in the King James, is recorded 30 times in 24 Greek New Testament verses. It is utilized the most in the book of Acts (11 times). The word, which means "severed," was first used by Julius Caesar. After his death those who ruled the Roman Empire used it as part of their title.
And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar (Kaisar) the things that are Caesar's (Kaisar), and to God the things that are God's (Mark 12:17, KJV).
In Gematria, 30 is represented by the 12th Hebrew letter called Lamed. In the Greek alphabet it is represented by the letter Lambda.
The Hebrew word ribqah, Strong's Concordance #H7259, is recorded 30 times in 29 Hebrew Old Testament verses. The word, which means "fettering by beauty" or "ensnarer," is found only in the book of Genesis. In the King James it is translated as "Rebekah," the name of the patriarch Isaac's wife.
And Rebekah (ribqah) lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel . . . And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah (ribqah), and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death (Genesis 24:64, 67, KJV).
2Chronicles 30 records a momentous Passover observed in King Hezekiah's reign by the Kingdom of Judah. The Bible writes about nine additional important Passovers in Exodus 12, Numbers 9, Joshua 5, 2Chronicles 35, Ezra 6, Luke 2, John 2 and 6, and Matthew 26.
Joseph, a type of Jesus, was thirty years old when Egypt's Pharaoh placed him in charge over all that he ruled. King David also, when he began to reign over Israel, was this age (2Samuel 5:4).
Both the death of Aaron and Moses was mourned by the children of Israel for 30 days (Num. 20:29, Deuteronomy 34:8).
In 30 A.D. the New Testament church is born. It started in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost (Sunday, May 28) when God's spirit initially came upon 120 individuals celebrating the Feast day. Later in the day an additional 3,000 were baptized, received God's Holy Spirit, and became Christians (Acts 2).