The Meaning of the Number Thirteen
Let’s look in the Bible for references to the number thirteen to understand its meaning:
- Nimrod, who founded the tower of Babel (Genesis 6) in defiance to God, was the thirteenth in Ham’s line of descendants. Here the number thirteen is connected with the rebellion of men against the Creator.
- The destruction of Jericho is also connected with the number 13, for the city was marched around for six straight days, and on the seventh day it was marched seven times adding up to the number thirteen.
- Destruction of the Jews at Queen Ester time was issued on the thirteen of the month. Haman the Agagite had a decree signed on the thirteenth day of the first month that on the thirteenth day of the 12th month all Jews in the Persian Empire were to be killed (Esther 3:7-9).
- In Mark 7, Jesus mentions thirteen sins that defile a person. These are: adulteries, fornications, evil thoughts, murders, covetousness, thefts, wickedness, licentiousness, guile, blasphemy, foolishness, pride and an evil eye (Mark 7:20 – 23).
- The phrase ‘valley of Hinnom’ (or variation thereof) occurs in thirteen places in Scripture. This phrase is the modern name for the valley Gehenna, from the Hebrew Gehinnom, which is a small valley in Jerusalem. In the Jewish and Christian literature Gehinnom is an analogue of hell or Lake of Fire as described by Jesus in Matthew 5:22 & 18:9. The valley was a place of Satanic services for the god Moloch (or Molech). There, pagan parents would offer their children as sacrifices to be burned alive on the red-hot arms of the idol.
- The Bible mentions 13 different famines that are recorded in: Genesis 12:10, 26:1, 41:54; Ruth 1:1; 2 Samuel 21:1; 1 Kings 18:1; 2 Kings 4:38, 7:4, 25:3; Nehemiah 5:3; Jeremiah 14:1; Luke 15:14 and Acts 11:28.
- The dragon, a symbol for Satan, is found 13 times in Revelation. Satan is the originator of sin and rebellion against God.
So, the number thirteen is used in connection with rebellion, evil, and death.
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In His service,
BibleAsk Team
