14: The Importance of Numbers in the Bible

The number fourteen, the atomic number of silicon; what else do we associate with the number? It is the number of days in a fortnight (two weeks); there are fourteen pounds in a stone; Edward Elgar wrote fourteen Enigma Variations; a woodlouse has fourteen legs; there are fourteen lines in a sonnet; and in golf, a player can have no more than fourteen clubs in their bag. Piano Sonata No. 14by Beethoven is one of his most famous, more commonly known as Moonlight Sonata. Only fourteen overseas territories remain of the remnants of the British Empire: Akrotiri and Dhekelia; Anguilla; Bermuda; British Antarctic; British Indian Ocean; British Virgin Islands; Cayman Islands; Falkland Islands; Gibraltar; Montserrat; Oeno Islands; Saint Helena; the Sandwich Islands; and the Caicos Islands. 
 
The founder of Mormonism, Joseph Smith Jr., was fourteen when he had his first vision. The Egyptian god Osiris was supposedly torn into fourteen pieces by his brother Set. In Catholicism, there are Fourteen Holy Helpers, saints who are believed to be particularly effective against various diseases (Saints Acacius, Barbara, Blaise, Christopher, Cyriacus, Catherine of Alexandria, Denis, Erasmus of Formiae, Eustace, George, Giles, Margaret of Antioch, Pantaleon and Vitus). 
 
In the Bible, the number fourteen takes its importance from being a multiple of seven, which, if you remember, represents perfection. It also has its own significance, for instance, in Matthew one, the Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah is split into three sets of fourteen generations: Thus there were fourteengenerations in all from Abraham to David, fourteenfrom David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteenfrom the exile to the Messiah. (Matthew 1:17, NIV) 
 
It is said there are twenty-two appearances of the number fourteen in scripture and the term “fourteenth” appears twenty-four times. Here are some examples:
 

• Exodus 12:6 (NIV): Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the members of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight.
• Exodus 12:18 (NIV): In the first month you are to eat bread made without yeast, from the evening of the fourteenth day until the evening of the twenty-first day.
• Esther 9:15 (NIV): The Jews in Susa came together on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, and they put to death in Susa three hundred men, but they did not lay their hands on the plunder.
• Ezekiel 40:1 (NIV): In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth of the month, in the fourteenth year after the fall of the city—on that very day the hand of the Lord was on me and he took me there.
• Ezekiel 40:48b (NIV): The width of the entrance was fourteen cubits and its projecting walls werethree cubits wide on either side.
• Acts 27:27 (NIV): On the fourteenth night we were still being driven across the Adriatic Sea, when about midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land.
• 1 Kings 6:65 (NIV): So Solomon observed the festival at that time, and all Israel with him—a vast assembly, people from Lebo Hamath to the Wadi of Egypt. They celebrated it before the Lord our God for seven days and seven days more, fourteen days in all.
• 2 Chronicles 30:25 (NIV): They slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and the Levites were ashamed and consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the temple of the Lord.
• Genesis 31:41 (NIV): It was like this for the twenty years I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, and you changed my wages ten times.
• Joshua 15: 33:36 (NIV): In the western foothills: Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah, Zanoah, En Gannim, Tappuah, Enam, Jarmuth, Adullam, Sokoh, Azekah, Shaaraim, Adithaim and Gederah (or Gederothaim)--fourteen towns and their villages.
• Joshua 18:21-28 (NIV): The tribe of Benjamin, according to its clans, had the following towns … fourteen towns and their villages. This was the inheritance of Benjamin for its clans.
• 2 Kings 18:13 (NIV): In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah’s reign, Sennacherib king of Assyria attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them.
• 1 Chronicles 25:5 (NIV): All these were sons of Heman the king’s seer. They were given him through the promises of God to exalt him. God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.
• Genesis 14:5 (NIV): In the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him went out and defeated the Rephaites in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh Kiriathaim …

 
In the Book of Proverbs, the expression “fear of the Lord” (or similar) occurs fourteen times:

• Proverbs 1:7 (NIV): The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,but foolsdespise wisdom and instruction.
• Proverbs 1:29 (NIV): since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord.
• Proverbs 2:5 (NIV): then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.
• Proverbs 8:13 (NIV): To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behaviour and perverse speech.
• Proverbs 9:10 (NIV): The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
• Proverbs 10:27 (NIV): The fear of the Lord adds length to life, but the years of the wicked are cut short.
• Proverbs 14:26 (NIV): Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge.
• Proverbs 14:27 (NIV): The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death.
• Proverbs 15:16 (NIV): Better a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil.
• Proverbs 15:33 (NIV): Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the Lord, and humility comes before honour.
• Proverbs 16:6 (NIV): Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the Lord evil is avoided.
• Proverbs 19:23 (NIV): The fear of the Lord leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.
• Proverbs 22:4 (NIV): Humility is the fear of the Lord; its wages are riches and honour and life.
• Proverbs 23:17 (NIV): Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord.

 
It is believed that Jesus Christ was crucified on the fourteenth day of the first month in AD 30. This is because it happened at Passover, which begins on the 15thday of that month. The crucifixion took place the day before, which is also the same day that the Passover Lamb is sacrificed. 
 
Another connection to Easter is the fourteen Stations of the Cross, which is a popular devotion in many churches, although not the URC. They are as follows:

1. Jesus is condemned to death.
2. Jesus carried the cross.
3. Jesus falls for the first time.
4. Jesus meets his mother, Mary.
5. Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry the cross.
6. Veronica (a woman of Jerusalem) wipes the face of Jesus. 
7. Jesus falls for the second time.
8. Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem.
9. Jesus falls for the third time.
10. Jesus is stripped of His clothes.
11. Jesus is nailed to the cross.
12. Jesus dies on the cross.
13. Jesus is taken down from the cross.
14. Jesus is placed in the tomb.

 
When I began my research for the importance of the number fourteen in the Bible, I was not expecting to find much. I guess I have been proved wrong.