Dr. Denise Flanders, an assistant professor of Biblical Studies at Taylor University, delivered a speech on Interpreting Biblical Numbers in the math department on September 29, 2023. Many students from the math department participated in the talk. Dr. Flanders mentioned that the Bible and mathematics are inextricably linked.
The Bible contains a multitude of numbers, each serving various rhetorical and literary purposes. Some numbers are hyperbolic, such as the account of Jephthah allegedly killing 42,000 men in one day. Others are symbolic, like the soldiers circling Jericho seven times over seven days with seven priests blowing seven horns. The numbers 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 12, and 40 among others have been assigned various meanings such as “unity,” “perfection,” “completion,” and “generation.” Additionally, numbers are often used for comparison, as seen in the contrast between Saul killing thousands and David killing tens of thousands. Furthermore, biblical numbers can also evoke earlier narratives; for instance, both Jesus and Moses fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. Lastly, some numbers appear peculiar, such as the mention of 42 bears killing disrespectful children in 2 Kings 2.
The varied uses of numbers in the Bible for different rhetorical and literary purposes were the focus of discussion in this talk, particularly in relation to the Old Testament. It is clear that there are connections between Mathematics and Biblical Studies！
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