81-89: The Importance of Numbers in the Bible

Of the eighties, only eighty-three, eighty-four, eighty-five and eighty-six appear in the Bible. Just because some numbers are not mentioned, does not mean there is nothing to connect them with the word of God. For example, the first sixteen verses in Matthew record eighty-one names in the genealogy of Jesus. In Jewish Annals, eighty-one great priests are recorded, beginning with Aaron and ending with Phannias. In Buddhism, it is believed Buddha was eighty-one when he died. The Greek philosopher Plato also died at the age of eighty-one. 
 
Eighty-two is the atomic number of lead, a metal with which we are all familiar. The book of Genesis uses eighty-two different numbers that are greater than one thousand.
 
Eighty-three is the twenty-third prime number. In Judaism, when a man reaches the age of eighty-three, they may celebrate a second bar mitzvah. The Torah suggests that the lifespan of a man is seventy years; therefore, an eighty-three-year-old has lived thirteen years of a second lifespan. 
 
In the Bible, Aaron is eighty-three at the time the plagues began in Egypt.

• Exodus 7:7 (NIV): Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh.

 
Did you know, it takes eighty-four years for Uranus to orbit the sun? That is the same length of time the prophetess Anna waited to meet the child Jesus, for she was eighty-four years old when he was presented at the temple:

• Luke 2:37 (NIV): and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshipped night and day, fasting and praying.

 
The number eighty-five appears twice in the Bible. The first can be found in the book of Joshua. Caleb tells Joshua that he was forty-years-old when Moses sent him out to explore the land. Since then, he has lived forty-five years:

• Joshua 14:10 (NIV): Now then, just as the Lord promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old!

 
In 1 Samuel, Saul ordered Doeg the Edomite to kill the priests of Nob:

• 1 Samuel 22:18 (NIV): The king then ordered Doeg, “You turn and strike down the priests.” So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck them down. That day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod.

 
Eighty-six is the atomic number of radon. There are eighty-six elements on the modern periodic table. There is only one mention of the number in the Bible:

• Genesis 16:16 (NIV): Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.

 
The number of stars in the Great Bear constellation total eighty-seven, however, eighty of them are invisible to the naked eye. Eighty-seven is not written in the Bible but those interested in Hebrew Gematria will tell you that the word Eden has the numerical number of eighty-seven.
 
The planet Mercury takes a mere eighty-eight days to travel around the sun. Whilst the number does not appear in the Bible, the number seven appears eighty-eight times!
 
According to the apocryphal book of Levi, which is part of the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, Levi records that he spent eighty-nine years in Egypt. 
 
When combined together, the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John total eighty-nine chapters. 
 
Since these numbers are barely touched on in the Bible, it is safe to say they hold no particular meaning. Nonetheless, I have found it fascinating to discover little known facts in my research.