Bible Facts
Numbers and measurements
Direct biblical statementNot every animal went into the ark two by twoGod told Noah to take seven pairs of every clean animal and one pair of the others.Direct biblical statement153 large fishAfter the resurrection the disciples caught 153 large fish, and John notes that the net did not tear.Direct biblical statementNot one sparrow is forgottenJesus said that not one sparrow falls to the ground apart from God, and that the hairs of your head are numbered.Direct biblical statementIt rained forty days, but the waters lasted longerGenesis says rain fell forty days and nights, and the waters prevailed on the earth for 150 days.Direct biblical statementThe crowd was bigger than "five thousand"Matthew says about five thousand men ate, "in addition to women and children". The total number is not given.Direct biblical statementTwelve baskets of leftoversAfter the five thousand ate, the disciples gathered twelve baskets full of broken pieces.Direct biblical statementJesus fed a crowd twiceBesides the five thousand, Mark and Matthew record Jesus feeding about four thousand people with seven loaves.Direct biblical statementSeven days, seven times on the seventhIsrael marched around Jericho once a day for six days, then seven times on the seventh day, before the walls fell.Direct biblical statementNaaman washed seven timesNaaman, an army commander with leprosy, was healed after washing seven times in the Jordan as Elisha told him.Direct biblical statementElijah soaked the altar firstBefore God sent fire on Mount Carmel, Elijah had the altar and sacrifice drenched with water three times.Text-derived calculationMethuselah's 969 yearsGenesis gives Methuselah's age at death as 969 years, the highest age recorded for anyone in the Bible.Direct biblical statementAbraham was 100 when Isaac was bornAbraham was one hundred years old when Isaac was born, and Sarah about ninety.Direct biblical statementMoses' eyes were not dim at 120Moses died at 120 years old; Deuteronomy says his eye was not dim and his strength had not gone.Direct biblical statementMoses was 80 when he spoke to PharaohExodus gives Moses' age as 80 and Aaron's as 83 when they spoke to Pharaoh.Direct biblical statementJoseph: 17 when sold, 30 before PharaohJoseph was seventeen when he was feeding the flock with his brothers, and thirty when he stood before Pharaoh.Translation-dependent observationGoliath's heightFirst Samuel gives Goliath's height as "six cubits and a span", roughly three metres by common estimates.Direct biblical statementDavid chose five stones and used oneDavid chose five smooth stones from the brook, and one stone struck Goliath.Direct biblical statementA king at seven years oldJehoash (Joash) became king of Judah when he was seven years old.Direct biblical statementJosiah became king at eightJosiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and later led a great reform after the book of the law was found.Direct biblical statementGod called the boy Samuel four timesGod called Samuel at night; three times he ran to Eli, and the fourth time he answered "Speak, for your servant hears."Text-derived calculationEsther 8:9 is the longest verse in this editionIn the World English Bible on BibleKenya, Esther 8:9 is the longest verse, with 86 words.Text-derived calculationPsalm 119 is the longest chapterPsalm 119 has 176 verses, the most of any chapter in the Bible.Text-derived calculationPsalm 117 is the shortest chapterPsalm 117 has just two verses, the fewest of any chapter.Translation-dependent observation3 John: 14 verses in this editionIn the World English Bible, 3 John has 14 verses; some editions divide its last verse in two and count 15.Translation-dependent observation66 books in Protestant BiblesProtestant Bibles have 66 books: 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New. Catholic and Orthodox Bibles include additional books.Translation-dependent observationAnna's age can be read two waysLuke 2:37 can mean that Anna was a widow of eighty-four years of age, or that she had been a widow for eighty-four years.Translation-dependent observationForgive "seventy times seven"When Peter asked if he should forgive seven times, Jesus said "until seventy times seven" (or "seventy-seven times").Translation-dependent observationThe Ten Commandments are called "ten words"Exodus and Deuteronomy call the commandments "the ten commandments", literally "ten words" in Hebrew.Direct biblical statementJesus was about thirty when he beganLuke says Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his ministry.Literary or interpretive observationFour of Jesus' brothers are namedMatthew and Mark name James, Joses (Joseph), Simon and Judas as Jesus' brothers, and mention sisters without naming them.Direct biblical statementSeen by more than 500 at oncePaul writes that the risen Jesus appeared to more than five hundred people at one time, most of whom were still alive.Direct biblical statementPeople heard in their own languagesAt Pentecost visitors from many lands heard the disciples speaking about God's mighty works in their own languages.Direct biblical statementSolomon's temple took seven yearsFirst Kings says Solomon spent seven years building the temple, and thirteen years building his own house.Direct biblical statementJerusalem's wall rebuilt in 52 daysUnder Nehemiah's leadership the wall of Jerusalem was finished in fifty-two days.Direct biblical statementGideon's army was cut to 300God reduced Gideon's army from 32,000 to 300 men, so that Israel would not boast that they saved themselves.Direct biblical statementA baby prince was hidden for six yearsWhen Queen Athaliah killed the royal family, Jehosheba hid the infant Joash in the temple for six years.Direct biblical statementIsaiah saw seraphim with six wingsIn Isaiah's vision each seraph had six wings: two covering the face, two the feet, and two for flying.Direct biblical statementJonah was angry about a plantAfter Nineveh repented, Jonah was angry; God gave him shade with a vine and then taught him through it.Direct biblical statementIsrael wandered forty yearsAfter refusing to enter the land, Israel wandered in the wilderness forty years, one year for each day the spies explored.Direct biblical statementAbram set out at seventy-fiveAbram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran as God had told him.Direct biblical statement276 people on Paul's shipActs says there were 276 people on the ship that was wrecked on the way to Rome, and all reached land safely.Direct biblical statementTwo disciples walked to Emmaus with JesusOn the day of the resurrection, two disciples walked to Emmaus, sixty stadia from Jerusalem; Jesus walked with them but they did not recognise him.Direct biblical statementNineveh took three days to crossJonah describes Nineveh as "an exceedingly great city, three days' journey across".Literary or interpretive observationForty days, three timesForty days marks Moses on the mountain, Elijah's journey to Horeb and Jesus in the wilderness.Literary or interpretive observationTwelve tribes and twelve apostlesJesus chose twelve apostles and spoke of them sitting on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.Text-derived calculationMatthew's three groups of fourteenMatthew arranges Jesus' genealogy in three groups of fourteen generations.Direct biblical statementIshmael also had twelve sonsLike Jacob, Ishmael had twelve sons, called "twelve princes, according to their nations".Direct biblical statementThirty pieces of silverJudas agreed to hand Jesus over for thirty pieces of silver; Matthew connects the later purchase of a field with a prophecy.