The number sixty-one appears in the Bible in various contexts, often related to genealogies, census data, and specific events. While not as frequently mentioned as other numbers, it holds significance in the biblical narrative and can be explored through its occurrences and symbolic meanings.

Biblical Occurrences:

1. Ezra 2:64-65: In the context of the return from the Babylonian exile, the number sixty-one is part of the total count of the assembly. The passage states, "The whole assembly numbered 42,360, besides their 7,337 menservants and maidservants, as well as their 200 male and female singers." The number sixty-one is not explicitly mentioned here, but it is part of the detailed enumeration of the people returning to Jerusalem and Judah, highlighting the importance of each individual in the restoration of the community.

2. Nehemiah 7:66-67: Similar to the account in Ezra, Nehemiah provides a census of the people who returned from exile. The text reads, "The whole assembly numbered 42,360, besides their 7,337 menservants and maidservants, as well as their 245 male and female singers." Again, while sixty-one is not directly mentioned, it is part of the broader context of the meticulous recording of the people, emphasizing the significance of each person in the rebuilding efforts.

Symbolic Meaning:

In biblical numerology, numbers often carry symbolic meanings. While sixty-one does not have a widely recognized symbolic interpretation, it can be understood in the context of its components. The number sixty is often associated with completeness or the fulfillment of time, as seen in the sixty years of Isaac's age when he fathered Esau and Jacob (Genesis 25:26). The number one signifies unity or primacy, often representing God as the one true God.

When combined, sixty-one could symbolize a complete or fulfilled unity, perhaps reflecting the idea of a community or group coming together in wholeness. This interpretation aligns with the contexts in which the number appears, particularly in the post-exilic restoration of Israel, where the unity and completeness of the returning community were crucial for the reestablishment of worship and society.

Theological Reflection:

From a theological perspective, the occurrences of numbers like sixty-one in the Bible remind readers of the importance of each individual in God's plan. The detailed records in Ezra and Nehemiah underscore the value of every person in the covenant community. This reflects the biblical theme that God knows and cares for each individual, as seen in passages like Psalm 139:1-4, where the psalmist acknowledges God's intimate knowledge of each person.

Furthermore, the restoration narratives in Ezra and Nehemiah highlight God's faithfulness in bringing His people back to their land, fulfilling His promises despite their previous disobedience. The inclusion of specific numbers, such as sixty-one, in these accounts serves to authenticate the historical record and demonstrate the precision of God's providential care.

In summary, while the number sixty-one may not be prominent in biblical texts, its presence in genealogical and census records points to the broader themes of community, restoration, and divine faithfulness.

American Board of Foreign Missions.
... The number of missions in this department is seventeen; of stations, sixty-one;
of ordained missionaries, one hundred and eleven, five of whom are also ...
/.../hayward/the book of religions/american board of foreign missions.htm

Jesu, Mein Erbarmer, Hore
... When he was sixty-one, the exertion of so much speaking brought on an internal injury
which was almost fatal; he recovered and lived to the age of seventy, but ...
/.../winkworth/christian singers of germany/jesu mein erbarmer hore.htm

Episcopal Missions.
... The expenditures of this Board, for the year 1841, were sixty-one thousand
five hundred and eighty-six dollars and thirty-seven cents. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/hayward/the book of religions/episcopal missions.htm

"He is More Honored than Jupiter These Days," the Philosopher was ...
... "But not for old women, my dear fellow.". "Indeed! And he is himself
sixty-one.". "Hist"the imperator! There, by the gate yonder.". ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bacheller/vergilius/chapter 3 he is more.htm

How Amon Reigned Instead of Manasseh; and after Amon Reigned ...
... what is here mentioned. And it happened that those predictions took effect
after three hundred and sixty-one years. 5. After these ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 4 how amon reigned.htm

To the Rev. A. Brandram
... His entire stock consisted of sixty-one Testaments, twenty-five of which he sold
without the least difficulty or interruption in the single village of Arganza ...
/.../borrow/letters of george borrow/to the rev a brandram 57.htm

Divine Healing.
... In Isaiah sixty-one, is another prophecy of the Savior: "The Spirit of the Lord
God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto ...
//christianbookshelf.org/orr/the gospel day /chapter ix divine healing.htm

The Scriptures
... We have tested three chapters, chosen haphazard, and find that in these
chapters Wesley introduced sixty-one changes into the text. ...
/.../the hymns of methodism in their literary relations/chapter i the scriptures.htm

The Jewish Institutions and Laws of Far Higher Antiquity than the ...
... of ??neas and the founding of Lavinium, ten years; and to the government of Ascanius,
eight years; and to the descent of the Heraclid??, sixty-one years; and ...
/.../the stromata or miscellanies/chapter xxi the jewish institutions and.htm

Ten Reasons Demonstrating the Commandment of the Sabbath to be ...
... in their thirteenth; Pliny, Bartolus, and Caesar, in their eighth septenary; and
Johannes de temporibus, who lived three hundred and sixty-one years, died in ...
/.../bayly/the practice of piety/ten reasons demonstrating the commandment.htm

Sixty-one (3 Occurrences)
Sixty-one. Sixty-nine, Sixty-one. Sixty-seven . Multi-Version
Concordance Sixty-one (3 Occurrences). Numbers 31:34 and ...
/s/sixty-one.htm - 7k

Donkeys (71 Occurrences)
... NAS NIV). Numbers 31:34 and sixty-one thousand donkeys, (WEB NAS NIV). Numbers
31:39 The donkeys were thirty thousand five hundred ...
/d/donkeys.htm - 28k

Sixty (70 Occurrences)
... four hundred. (WEB BBE DBY WBS YLT RSV). Numbers 31:34 and sixty-one thousand
donkeys, (WEB BBE DBY WBS YLT RSV). Numbers 31:39 The ...
/s/sixty.htm - 28k

5000 (3 Occurrences)
... Ezra 2:69 they gave after their ability into the treasury of the work sixty-one
thousand darics of gold, and five thousand minas of silver, and one hundred ...
/num/5000.htm - 7k

100 (8 Occurrences)
... Ezra 2:69 they gave after their ability into the treasury of the work sixty-one
thousand darics of gold, and five thousand minas of silver, and one hundred ...
/num/100.htm - 8k

61000 (1 Occurrence)
... Ezra 2:69 they gave after their ability into the treasury of the work sixty-one
thousand darics of gold, and five thousand minas of silver, and one hundred ...
/num/61000.htm - 6k

61 (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance 61 (1 Occurrence). Numbers 31:39 The donkeys were thirty
thousand five hundred; of which Yahweh's tribute was sixty-one. (See NAS NIV) ...
/num/61.htm - 6k

Levy (19 Occurrences)
... two. (See NAS). Numbers 31:39 The donkeys were thirty thousand five hundred;
of which Yahweh's tribute was sixty-one. (See NAS). Numbers ...
/l/levy.htm - 13k

Darics (5 Occurrences)
... Ezra 2:69 they gave after their ability into the treasury of the work sixty-one
thousand darics of gold, and five thousand minas of silver, and one hundred ...
/d/darics.htm - 8k

Minas (9 Occurrences)
... Ezra 2:69 they gave after their ability into the treasury of the work sixty-one
thousand darics of gold, and five thousand minas of silver, and one hundred ...
/m/minas.htm - 8k

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