12: The Importance of Numbers in the Bible

Did you know the number twelve is the largest number in the English language to have only one syllable? I have found lots of other facts about the number, for example, it is the smallest number that can be divided by exactly six numbers (1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 12). Before the metric system was introduced, the world used to divide weights and measurements by twelve, for instance, there are 12 inches to a foot. This is called the duodecimal system and has not yet been completely eradicated from society; we still buy eggs by the dozen or half dozen.
 
A twelve-sided shape is called a dodecagon. Dodeca-is the Greek pronoun meaning twelve and duodeca-is the Latin equivalent. Regular cubes have twelve edges and a three-dimensional shape with twelve sides is called a dodecahedron. 
 
There are twelve months of the year and usually twelve full moons. It takes twelve Earth years for Jupiter to travel a full circle around the sun. There are twelve hours in a half-day and manual clocks are numbered from one to twelve. There are twelve signs of the zodiac, both Western and Chinese. 
Twelve is the atomic number of magnesium. The human body has twelve cranial nerves. The duodenum is the name for the first part of the small intestine, which measures approximately twelve inches long (30 cm). 
 
In music, there are twelve major and minor keys (not counting enharmonic). In art, there are twelve basic hues on a colour wheel: three primary colours (red, yellow, blue), three secondary colours (orange, purple, green) and six tertiary colours (yellow-orange, chartreuse green, blue-green, azure, violet, rose). 
 
In myth and legend, there are the twelve labours of Hercules and twelve knights of the roundtable. The Norse god Odin has twelve sons. There are twelve days of Christmas.
 
In the Bible, it is thought the number twelve is used 187 times, 22 of which appear in Revelation. It is generally believed that twelve is a perfect number and symbolises God’s power and authority. One of the most notable instances of the number twelve is the Twelve Apostles: Peter, Andrew, James (son of Zebedee), John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, James (son of Alpheus), Thomas, Simon, Jude Thaddeus and Judas Iscariot (later replaced by Matthias).
 
In the Old Testament, Ishmael, the first son of Abraham, has twelve sons who become twelve tribal rulers (Genesis 25:16). More importantly, however, are Jacob’s twelve sons, who are the forefathers of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. A good way to remember their names in birth order is the mnemonic “Repentant Sinners Love Jesus. Do Not Give Animals In Zoos Jelly Beans.”

• Reuben (Repentant)
• Simeon (Sinners)
• Levi (Love)
• Judah (Jesus)
• Dan (Do)
• Naphtali (Not)
• Gad (Give)
• Asher (Animals)
• Issachar (In)
• Zebulun (Zoos)
• Joseph (Jelly)
• Benjamin (Beans)

 
As mentioned above, the number twelve is significant in the Book of Revelation. According to Revelation 7, twelve thousand from each tribe of Israel will receive salvation. This is a total of 144,000 men. Later, in Revelation 14, it is said the same amount will be taken from the earth in order to serve and follow the Lamb wherever he goes. 
 
In Revelation 12, a woman “clothed with the sun” wears a crown of twelve stars on her head. In Revelation 21, there is a description of the new Holy City of Jerusalem. It has a high wall with twelve pearl gates. Each gate is inscribed with the twelve tribes of Israel and guarded by twelve angels. The walls of the city have twelve foundations and on these are the names of the twelve apostles of the lamb. The walls are 144 cubits thick, which is the sum of 12 x 12. 
 
Let’s look at some examples of the number twelve in the other books of the Bible. As you will no doubt see, many of these allude to the Twelve Tribes of Israel established in Genesis. 

• Leviticus 24:5 (NIV): Take the finest flour and bake twelve loaves of bread, using two-tenths of an ephah for each loaf.
• John 6:3 (NIV): So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
• Jeremiah 52:20 (NIV): The bronze from the two pillars, the Sea and the twelve bronze bulls under it, and the movable stands, which King Solomon had made for the temple of the Lord, was more than could be weighed.
• 1 Chronicles 6:63 (NIV): The descendants of Merari, clan by clan, were allotted twelve towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Zebulun.
• Numbers 7:86 (NIV): The twelve gold dishes filled with incense weighed ten shekels each, according to the sanctuary shekel. Altogether, the gold dishes weighed a hundred and twenty shekels.
• John 11:9 (NIV): Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light.”
• Ezra 8:35 (NIV): Then the exiles who had returned from captivity sacrificed burnt offerings to the God of Israel: twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven male lambs and, as a sin offering, twelve male goats. All this was a burnt offering to the Lord.
• Joshua 3:12 (NIV): Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.
• Daniel 4:19 (NIV): Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon …
• Acts 7:8 (NIV): Then he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision. And Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him eight days after his birth. Later Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs.
• Exodus 24:4 (NIV): Moses then wrote down everything the Lord had said. He got up early the next morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel.
• Numbers 17:2 (NIV): Speak to the Israelites and get twelve staffs from them, one from the leader of each of their ancestral tribes. Write the name of each man on his staff.
• Numbers 7:84 (NIV): These were the offerings of the Israelite leaders for the dedication of the altar when it was anointed: twelve silver plates, twelve silver sprinkling bowls and twelve gold dishes.
• Numbers 33:9 (NIV): They left Marah and went to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there.
• Luke 22:30 (NIV): … so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
• 1 Kings 4:7 (NIV): Solomon had twelve district governors over all Israel, who supplied provisions for the king and the royal household.
• 1 Kings 10:22 (NIV): Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom.
• 1 Kings 11:30 (NIV): … and Ahijah took hold of the new cloak he was wearing and tore it into twelve pieces.
• 1 Kings 18:31 (NIV): Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Your name shall be Israel.”
• Matthew 26:53 (NIV): Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?
• Matthew 19:28 (NIV): Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

 
There are twelve patriarchs from and including Noah’s son Shem up to and including Jacob:

1. Shem
2. Arphaxad
3. Salah
4. Heber
5. Peleg
6. Reu
7. Serug
8. Nahor
9. Terah
10. Abraham
11. Isaac
12. Jacob 

 
Finally, my last instance of the number twelve to mention is that the first recording of Jesus’ words in scripture occurs when he was only twelve years old. “When Jesus was twelve years old, they went to the festival as usual.” (Luke 2:42, GNT)