Biblical Hebrew Forum

[John Ronning <ronning AT ilink.nis.za>]

John Burnett wrote,



>
> <....>
>
> Age of Abraham at death:        175= 5x5  x7
> Age of Issac at death:       180= 6x6  x5
> Age of Jacob at death:      147= 7x7  x3
> Yrs Jacob was called Israel: 64=  8x8  x1
>
> (The years of "Israel" are not given directly but derivable from scripture).
>
> Note the nifty sequences, up and down the columns, 1-3-5-7 and
> 5-6-7-8.  Note also that the factors of each number, (5+5+7),
> (6+6+5), (7+7+3), and (8+8+1) in each case add up to 17.
>
> Now, 17 is a very interesting number and it occurs in a number of
> places,

<rest snipped>

I did recall reading an article about the sequences of Abraham,
Isaac & Jacob's
lifespans, but it did not include "the years Jacob was called
Israel," probably because
the correct number is more like 50 years, not 64.

Jacob was 77 when he left for Haran, and he stayed there for 20
years, at the end of
which he was named Israel (by synchronizing Jacob's age "few and
evil 130 years" when he
saw Pharaoh [Gen 47:9] with Joseph's age when he appeared before
Pharaoh 9 years earlier
(Gen 41:6).

Just an example of how people can get started off the deep end
thinking they are
following "facts".  A "nifty sequence," yes, but you'll have to
find another candidate
for 64.

Another point, regarding Jim West's comments - the things
believed by the "educated" are
not necessarily any less "stupid" than those believed by the
dullards, or whatever term
it was you used.  In fact, some things are so absurd it takes a
very great deal of
education to believe them!

Yours,

John Ronning