Numerical Secrets of the Bible: Introduction to Biblical Arithmology

by Casper J Labuschagne

Were you intrigued, but disappointed by The Bible Code? Numerical Secrets of the Bible, written by one of Europe's leading biblical scholars, gives you the actual facts about one of the most important recent discoveries in the field of biblical study, namely that the books of the Bible are numerical compositions. The biblical writings were not written in an off-hand manner, but were meticulously composed according to compositional techniques in which the counting of words played a crucial role. This discovery has far-reaching consequences for our views on the formation and the structure of the text of the Hebrew Bible and of the Greek text of the New Testament. Labuschagne introduces you to the fascinating world of number symbolism in biblical times. He demonstrates how well-known symbolic numbers, such as 7 and 12, and especially the lesser known holy numbers 17 and 26, which represent the numerical value of the name YHWH, were used to give structure to the text and to deepen its contents. Among other fascinating findings, this study confirms the medieval Jewish tradition that the name of God is interwoven in the fabric of the text of Holy Scripture. ""This is a fascinating book and an important one. I heartily concur with the author's opening remarks that we have here an account of the discovery of one of the most Important findings of our time in the field of biblical study. The Bible is no ordinary book and Labuschagne provides a welcome glimpse into the incredible labor on the part of ancient scribes ('counters') who put the text in exact mathematical form to the glory of God."" --Dr. Duane L. Christensen, Professor of Biblical Studies and Ancient Near Eastern History, William Carey International University Casper Labuschagne was born in Heilbron, South Africa in 1929. He studied Semitic languages and theology at the University of Pretoria and at the State University in Groningen, The Netherlands, from 1947 to 1956. He holds an MA in Semitic languages and a Doctor of Divinity from the University of Pretoria. He was a minister of the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa in 1957 and 1958. He was a senior lecturer in Semitic languages at the University of Pretoria and from 1967 to his retirement in 1991, was lecturer and later professor of Old Testament at the State University in Groningen. He has published a major, four-volume commentary on Deuteronomy in Dutch.

208 pages, Paperback

Published July 20, 2016

Reviews

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book that I have read on numerology, but I have used Labuschagne's work as a resource for a while now whenever I have preached or taught on a particular passage of the Old Testament. In this book he explains logotechnical analysis, the term for his method first coined by Claus Schedl, whose work Labuschagne continues.

Labuschagne contends that numerology is a sub-discipline of literary criticism, and that, far from being an alternative or a break from the historical–critical analysis of texts, it is a necessary part of such analysis given the Bible's own use of numbers to give texts structure and meaning. From Labuschagne's point of view, scholarly research into logotechnical analysis has brought to light the use of structural numbers by biblical writers as limited to the following categories (154)
1. The three numbers having special individual symbolic significance: 7, 10, 11
2. The numbers 17 and 26, representing the numerical values of the divine name YHWH and God's Glory (which Labuschagne proposes are woven throughout the text of Scripture to seal God's presence in the text, symbolically)
3. The numbers that derive their symbolic significance from the numerical value of a key idea, word, or important name relevant to that text (i.e. the numerical value of David in Matthew's genealogy).

Labuschagne demonstrates in this book, at times, the inescapable fact that the biblical writers were consciously using numbers in their writings. It was eye-opening to me to read of Labuschagne's work being ridiculed and rejected offhand by his peers. Labuschagne himself likens his work to an archaeological dig-site that he has found. Though he has set forth his own interpretation of the evidence, which he admits may be flawed, scholars must reckon with the reality that the evidence exists and invites explanation. This is very close to my own evaluation of his work here. At times, Labuschagne's arguments were very unpersuasive to me, whether because he did not give more attention to defending them or because his selection of texts seemed arbitrary. At other times, I was very persuaded by what he has seen in different passages, such as his discussion of the lifespans of the Patriarchs, the use of the number 10 in Deuteronomy, the use of the number 7 as a structuring device in the Tabernacle laws, and the 7 + 4 = 11 pattern in the Pentateuch.

One thing I wish Labuschagne would have spent more time on is the logic of the numbers and patterns he discusses. When he did discuss these things, these were some of the high points of the book for me. To give just one example: Labuschagne discusses the relationship between 7, 12, 4, and 3, and argues that the numbers 3 and 4 describe heavenly and terrestrial realities (3 being the vertical levels of God's world, 4 being the horizontal directions of the earth), the combination of which (by sum or by product) total 7 and 12.

This is a good book for someone who is unfamiliar with numerology. I should also mention that Labuschagne's work, which is free and available online, should be a resource every Bible teacher consults when examining numerological facets of texts.

[Kyle Grindberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly insightful and amazing once you get past his obnoxious textual critical outlook.