The following is my paraphrased, compressed interpretation of Appendix 10 of E.W. Bullinger’s Companion Bible, published by Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, Michigan. For a longer explanation of numbers, I recommend reading the original appendix. For a book-length explanation, see Bullinger’s Numbers in Scripture. Bullinger’s system is user-friendly and easily memorized. The comments in brackets are mine.
[ZERO does not have a meaning of its own. It only counts when attached to bigger numbers, such as 10, 200, 1000, etc., as an indication of size.
ONE denotes unity and commencement.
TWO denotes difference. However, if two persons or passages agree, it is conclusive. Otherwise 2 infers enmity, opposition and division.
THREE denotes completeness. Also symbolizes resurrection.
FOUR denotes creative works.
FIVE denotes Divine Grace.
SIX is the human number. Adam was created on the 6th “day,” or age.
SEVEN denotes spiritual perfection. It is the number of the Holy Spirit’s work.
EIGHT denotes a new beginning, or resurrection. The 8th is a new first, hence the octave in music, colour, days of the week, etc.
NINE denotes finality of judgement.
TEN denotes ordinal perfection. Another new first, after the ninth digit, when numeration begins anew.
ELEVEN denotes disorder, or disorganization, because it is 1 short of the number 12.
TWELVE denotes governmental perfection. There were 12 tribes of Israel and Christ traveled with 12 disciples.
THIRTEEN denotes rebellion, apostasy, defection, disintegration, etc.
Other numbers follow the laws which govern the smaller numbers, as being their factors, sums, products, or multiples.
Literal meanings of numbers also count, such as 3 meaning 3 times, or the 3rd time, or triple. [End of Companion Bible information.]
There are two ways to interpret numbers. The first is numbers quoted in the story. The second is chapter and verse numbers, which can also offer valuable clues to the meaning of words. However, I offer the following cautions. In the Greek Septuagint, Psalms 9 and 10 are combined, which means all subsequent psalms in the Septuagint are one number higher than in other Bibles. That progression travels until the end of the Psalms, where an extra psalm is added in the Greek Septuagint, leaving the same total. Finally, part of Jeremiah is missing in the Septuagint and the chapters after 25 are in a different order. Chapter and verse numbers were not inserted by the Bible’s original authors. Our modern chapter numbers were arranged by the English Archbishop Langton, during the early 13th century. The verse numbers we use today were sorted out by Robert Estienne, of France, who published a complete Bible in 1553. The Langton-Estienne system has been used ever since. Although these two, separate numberers of the Bible were not the same people as the writers, God nonetheless gifted them with the same Holy Spirit and sent them to guide us today, as I found with numerous examples in The Death and Resurrection of the West.
Measurements in modern translations are sometimes converted into miles, gallons, pounds, etc. Although this gives an accurate comprehension as to actual size, it throws the original numbers off, so check with other translations to get the full, symbolic message from those numbers.
Now you know how to interpret hidden messages in the Bible’s numbers. Thank you for you interest! You can learn a lot and have loads of fun with these.
