The number forty-two appears in various contexts throughout the Bible, often symbolizing a period of trial, judgment, or significant transition. Its occurrences are scattered across both the Old and New Testaments, each instance contributing to a broader theological narrative.

Old Testament References

1. The Journey of the Israelites: In the Book of Numbers, the Israelites' journey from Egypt to the Promised Land is marked by forty-two encampments. Numbers 33:1-49 lists these stages, symbolizing a period of testing and preparation as the Israelites transition from slavery to nationhood.

2. The Reign of Ahaziah: In 2 Kings 8:26, Ahaziah, the king of Judah, is said to have begun his reign at the age of twenty-two, but a parallel account in 2 Chronicles 22:2 states he was forty-two. This discrepancy has been the subject of much scholarly debate, often attributed to a copyist error or differing chronological systems. Regardless, Ahaziah's short reign is marked by idolatry and alliance with the house of Ahab, leading to his downfall.

3. The Bears and the Youths: In 2 Kings 2:23-24, the prophet Elisha is mocked by a group of youths, and in response, two bears come out of the forest and maul forty-two of them. This event underscores the seriousness of respecting God's prophets and serves as a divine judgment against irreverence.

New Testament References

1. The Genealogy of Jesus: In the Gospel of Matthew, the genealogy of Jesus is divided into three sets of fourteen generations, totaling forty-two generations from Abraham to Christ (Matthew 1:17). This structured genealogy emphasizes Jesus' rightful place in the Davidic line and the fulfillment of God's promises.

2. The Prophetic Period in Revelation: The Book of Revelation mentions a period of forty-two months in several contexts, symbolizing a time of tribulation and persecution. Revelation 11:2 speaks of the Gentiles trampling the holy city for forty-two months, while Revelation 13:5 describes the beast exercising authority for the same duration. This period is often interpreted as a time of intense spiritual conflict preceding the ultimate victory of Christ.

Symbolic Interpretations

In biblical numerology, the number forty-two is often associated with a time of testing or judgment. It is seen as a multiple of the number seven, which signifies completeness or perfection, and six, which is often associated with imperfection or humanity. Thus, forty-two can represent the culmination of human imperfection under divine scrutiny.

Theological Significance

The occurrences of the number forty-two in Scripture highlight God's sovereignty and the unfolding of His divine plan through periods of trial and judgment. Whether through the testing of the Israelites, the judgment upon irreverent youths, or the prophetic visions in Revelation, the number serves as a reminder of God's ultimate authority and the hope of redemption through Christ.1417. duo -- two
... Word Origin a primary number Definition two NASB Word Usage both (1), forty-two*
(2), pairs (2), twenty (1), two (124), two men (3). both, twain, two. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1417.htm - 6k

5065b. tesserakonta -- forty
... Word Origin from tessares and a modified form of deka Definition forty NASB Word
Usage forty (14), forty-four* (3), forty-six* (1), forty-two* (2), thirty-nine ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5065b.htm - 5k

705. arbaim -- forty
... 3), forty (73), forty times (1), forty-eight* (2), forty-first* (1), forty-five*
(2), forty-nine* (1), forty-one* (4), forty-seven* (1), forty-two* (3), twenty ...
/hebrew/705.htm - 6k

8147. shenayim -- two (a cardinal number)
... 2), 642* (2), 652* (2), 72* (1), 72,000* (1), 822* (1), 832* (1), both (62), both*
(7), couple (2), double (7), each other (1), few (1), forty-two* (3), pair (7 ...
/hebrew/8147.htm - 7k

How to Overcome Disappointment
... TALK FORTY-TWO. HOW TO OVERCOME DISAPPOINTMENT. You have been disappointed,
haven't you? Of course you have, again and again. Does ...
//christianbookshelf.org/naylor/heart talks/talk forty-two how to overcome.htm

of the Woman driven into the Wilderness.
... expressed) for 1260 days. Secondly, Of the seven-headed beast restored,
and endued with power for forty-two months. Thirdly, Of the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mede/a key to the apocalypse/synchronism i of the.htm

The Meaning
... contagion of renewed idolatry, as of revived ethnicism; in one word, the anti-christian
apostasy which was to flourish in the Church for forty-two months of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mede/a key to the apocalypse/the meaning 2.htm

Whether Christ's Genealogy is Suitably Traced by the Evangelists?
... For Matthew, at the commencement of his book, beginning from Abraham and
coming down to Joseph, enumerates forty-two generations. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether christs genealogy is suitably.htm

The Cardinal Point of the Synchronisms; Or, the Synchronism
... days of the witnesses' mourning in sackcloth finish at the end of the sixth trumpet,
or the beginning of the seventh, there also must the forty-two months of ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/mede/a key to the apocalypse/i the cardinal point of.htm

The Mouth of the Beast.
... The Mouth of the Beast. "And there was given to him a mouth speaking great things
and revilings; and power was given to him to make war forty-two months. ...
/.../bliss/a brief commentary on the apocalypse/the mouth of the beast.htm

Introduction
... To the Basle edition of 1521 forty-two sermons were added, the editor, John Rymann,
saying of them that "they have been more recently discovered and collected ...
//christianbookshelf.org/tauler/the inner way/introduction.htm

Saved by Grace Alone.
... An old man got up in one of our meetings and said, "I have been forty-two years
learning three things." I pricked up my ears at that; I thought that if I could ...
//christianbookshelf.org/moody/sovereign grace/chapter ii saved by grace.htm

Of the Reason Why Forty Generations (Not Including Christ Himself) ...
... [696] But he did not then reckon them all up in one sum, counting them one
by one, and saying that thus they make up forty-two in all. ...
/.../augustine/the harmony of the gospels/chapter iv of the reason why.htm

Heart Talks
... BLOWING THE CLOUDS AWAY. TALK FORTY-ONE. HOW TO FERTILIZE LOVE. TALK FORTY-TWO.
HOW TO OVERCOME DISAPPOINTMENT. TALK FORTY-THREE. THE BIG END OF TROUBLE. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/naylor/heart talks/

Forty-two (15 Occurrences)
Forty-two. Forty-three, Forty-two. Forum . Multi-Version Concordance
Forty-two (15 Occurrences). Revelation 11:2 Leave ...
/f/forty-two.htm - 10k

42360 (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance 42360 (2 Occurrences). Ezra 2:64 The whole assembly together
was forty-two thousand three hundred sixty, (See NAS NIV). ...
/num/42360.htm - 6k

42 (2 Occurrences)
... They will tread the holy city under foot for forty-two months. (See NIV). Ezra
2:24 The children of Azmaveth, forty-two. (See NAS NIV). ...
/num/42.htm - 6k

Months (65 Occurrences)
... nations. They will tread the holy city under foot for forty-two months. ... him.
Authority to make war for forty-two months was given to him. ...
/m/months.htm - 28k

Shibboleth (1 Occurrence)
... They said "sibboleth," as the word was pronounced by the tribes on the west, and
thus they were detected (Judges 12:1-6). Forty-two thousand were thus detected ...
/s/shibboleth.htm - 8k

Forty (142 Occurrences)
... nations. They will tread the holy city under foot for forty-two months. ... him.
Authority to make war for forty-two months was given to him. ...
/f/forty.htm - 38k

Forum (1 Occurrence)

/f/forum.htm - 9k

Sixty (70 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT RSV). Ezra 2:64 The whole assembly together was
forty-two thousand three hundred sixty, (WEB BBE DBY WBS YLT RSV). ...
/s/sixty.htm - 28k

Ahaziah (34 Occurrences)
... The reading "fortytwo" (2 Chronicles 22:2) is a scribal error, since according
to 2 Chronicles 21:5, 20 Jehoram the father was only 40 years old at the time ...
/a/ahaziah.htm - 28k

Youths (28 Occurrences)
... in the name of Yahweh. Two female bears came out of the woods, and mauled
forty-two of those youths. (WEB NIV). Job 29:8 Seen me ...
/y/youths.htm - 14k

Are the Ten Commandments taken from the forty-two precepts of Ma'at? | GotQuestions.org

Why was Israel cursed with forty years of wilderness wandering? | GotQuestions.org

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