Number Eleven

From: The Numerals Of Scripture By: Edward C. Pressland

• 1 min. read • grade level: 9

This numeral is also not much used. It is one short of the well defined 12, which expresses administration in completeness. And 11 will be found where proper administration is not reached.

Thus, in Deut. 1:2²(There are eleven days' journey from Horeb by the way of mount Seir unto Kadesh-barnea.) (Deuteronomy 1:2), we read, "there are eleven days journey from Horeb by the way of Mount Seir unto Kadesh-barnea." This latter place was on the border of the land of promise, so that a 12th day would have carried the people in: that would have been complete administration. But because of unbelief, they could not enter in, and at Kadesh-barnea it was, they had to turn back into the wilderness. At Horeb, the terms of their relationship to God had been settled, but it is at 11 days journey from Horeb, that their failure is made manifest and the value of the 12th day (administering the full blessing in the land) is lost to them.

Why is it 1100 pieces of silver in Judg. 16:5⁵And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver. (Judges 16:5) and again in 17:2? There is no other 1100 in Scripture.

There is a peculiar multiple of 11 x 50 in 1 Kings 9:23²³These were the chief of the officers that were over Solomon's work, five hundred and fifty, which bare rule over the people that wrought in the work. (1 Kings 9:23), where Solomon sets 550 people over his work as chief officers.

There were 77 (7 x 11) princes in Succoth, when Gideon went there (Judg. 8:14¹⁴And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him: and he described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men. (Judges 8:14)).

The life of our Lord Jesus Christ on this earth was about 33 years = 3 x 11.

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