The Design of Scripture
The Numbers Eighteen, Nineteen, and Twenty
The Number Eighteen
Given the fact that numbers are infinite, it goes without saying, even though I am saying it, that there are many numbers of which we have little overwhelming evidence as to their meaning in scripture. The numbers 'eighteen' and 'nineteen' probably fall into that catagory. The number eighteen, being 3 times the number 6, does have some not so coincidental relationships with the idea of bondage. Here are a few examples.
Luke 13:4-5
Or those EIGHTEEN, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and killed them, think ye that they were SINNERS above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay. But, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."
Luke 16:11,16
"And, behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity EIGHTEEN years, and was bowed together, and could in no way lift herself up ... And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Avraham, who Satan hath BOUND, lo, these EIGHTEEN years, be loosed from this BOND on the Sabbath day?"
In the account of the judges of Israel in Shoftim we have a connection of bondage with the number eighteen.
Shoftim 3:14
"So the children of Israel SERVED Eglon, the king of Moab, EIGHTEEN years."
Shoftim 10:7-8
"And the anger of YHVH was hot against Israel, and he SOLD them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon. And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel EIGHTEEN years, all the children of Israel who were on the other side of the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gil'ead."
The prophet Yirmeyahu is placed into prison (bondage) during the EIGHTEENTH year of the reign of Nebuchadrezzar (Yirmeyahu 32:1). When the same king of Babylon carried the Yehudim into captivity, he did so in the EIGHTEENTH year of his reign (Yirmeyahu 52:27-28).
There are three words in Hebrew that have a gematria of eighteen that are of particular interest. They are 'eyvah, which means enmity, as in seed of the serpent in B'reshith 3:15. I would say that the serpent is in charge of bondage. Another word is chatta', which is the word translated 'sin' throughout scripture. That word ranks high on the bondage list. And the last word is yaqah, which means to 'suffer'. Bondage and suffering go well together.
The Number Nineteen
The next number is, at least as I understand, the favorite number of Louis Farakhan. I am not sure why, and if there is anyone out there that has some insight into this man's obsession with this number, feel free to email me. The number 'nineteen' seems to speak of faith. The number is only found 3 times in scripture. The most demostrative appearance seems to be the number of total people or groups listed in the so called 'hall of faith' in Ivrim 11. Beginning with 'we' (#1) in Ivrim 11:3 this chapter follows with, Abel (#2, etc), Enoch, Noach, Avraham, Sarah, Yitz'chak, Ya‘aqov, Yoseph, Mosheh, Yehoshua, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthae, David, Samuel, and the prophets (#19). Other than the 'nineteen' spaces between the twenty pillars in the tabernacle, there is not a lot to be said of this number. It is interesting to note however that we culturally tie the word 'faith' with pillars. The mathematical calulations of the ancient Rabbi's have concluded that leap years in the scriptural calendars should occur 7 times every nineteen years. I personally rely on the sun, moon, and stars for that, so I do not put alot of 'faith' in the manmade systems.
The gematria of batach, or trust, is nineteen. Also the numerical value of Chavah, or the 'lifegiver' is nineteen, not to mention yadah, or the root word of Judah.
The Number Twenty
The number 'twenty' appears quite often in the scriptures. It seems to speak of redemption, for it was the 20th year of the sons of Israel, that they were redeemed with half a shekel of silver.
Sh'mot 30:12-14
"When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a RANSOM for his soul unto YHVH, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them. This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary (a shekel is twenty gerahs): an half shekel shall be the offering of YHVH. Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from TWENTY years old and above, shall give an offering unto YHVH."
The main supporting sides of the tabernacle were the longer north and south sides. Each side was 'reared up' by twenty boards set in forty sockets of, you quessed it, silver. Silver is what was used to betray the 'blood' of Yahshua by Judas, and this, among other reasons, is the connection of blood, silver, and resurrection. It is no coincidence that the word 'reared up' is used several places in Torah to desribe the strength of the tabernacle. The word 'reared up' is the word qum in the Hebrew, and the word anastasis in the Greek. In the English, these words are the words for 'resurrection'.
We all know that it was Boaz who REDEEMED Ruth as hago'el the near kinsman, or redeemer. The man Boaz is mentioned twenty times in the book of Ruth.
Shalom Alecheim!