Properties of the number 12

Symbolism

• Twelve is the number of what is completed, which forms a whole, a perfect and harmonious unit. In the ancient civilizations, like Oriental and Judaic, it corresponds to the plenitude, the completion and the integrality of a thing. R. Allendy tells that it expresses the idea that the Universe forms a whole, associated with the idea of differentiation - 10 + 2.

• Represent the manifestation of the Trinity to the four corners of the horizon - 3 X 4.

• Symbolize the command and the good, and governs the space and the time, that is to say the operation of the Cosmos, from where its designation of cosmic number.

• Symbol of material and spiritual food, because of the 12 breads which Jesus Christ broke to the Last Supper, Himself being the Bread of Life.

• Number attributed to the government of the world or the cosmos.

• It is the creative capacity, and in some religions, it expresses also the Divine Mother.

Bible

• The twelve apostles of the Jesus Christ: Simon whom he called also Peter, Andrew, James and John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon called the Zealot, Jude son of James, and Judas Iscariot, replaced after the Ascension by Matthias. (Lk 6,12-16; Mt 10,2-4; Mk 3,16-19; Act 1,13)

• A woman suffered haemorrhage since twelve years she was cured by Jesus. (Lk 8,40)

• In the Revelation: the twelve gates of the celestial City (Rv 21,12); the twelve kinds of precious stone of the celestial City (Rv 21,19-20); the twelve stars of the crown that wears the woman (Rv 12,2); the trees of life, which bear twelve crops of fruit in a year, one in each month (Rv 22,2).

• The twelve "minor" prophets of the Old Testament: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi.

• The twelve son of Ishmael. (Gn 25,13-16 and 16,20)

• The twelve great priests of Chronicles.

• The twelve stones of the altar of the alliance. (Ex 24,4)

• The twelve names engraved on the pectoral. (Ex 28,21)

• The twelve loaves of permanent offering on the golden table. (Lv 24,5)

• The twelve branches to confirm the choice of Aaron. (Nb 17,21)

• The twelve explorers sent in Canaan. (Dt 1,23)

• The twelve stones chosen by the twelve men in the Jordan to make a monument. (Jos 4,3)

• The twelve administrators of Solomon for all Israel. (1 K 4,7)

• The twelve oxen of the bronze Sea. (1 K 7,25)

• The twelve strips made with the cloak of Ahijah. (1 K 11,30)

• The twelve stones of the altar of Elijah. (1 K 18,31)

• The sacrifices of the twelve animals. (Nb 7,87 and 29,17)

• The three series of twelve silver bowls offered for the dedication of the altar. (Nb 7,84)

• The twelve curses proclaimed by Moses to all men of Israel. (Dt 27,15-26)

• The twelve springs of Elim. (Ex 15,27)

• The twelve tributes of Israel: Judah, Reuben, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph and Benjamin. (Rv 7,5-8)

• The twelve years required for the young Israelis to be admitted as "son of the law".

• The twelve precious stones which were on the pectoral of the great Priest Aaron, brother of Moses.

• The twelve son of Jacob. (Gn 46,8-25)

General

• The twelve articles of the Creed.

• The twelve promises make by Our Lord, to saint Marguerite Mary Alacoque, for those that would have a devotion to His Sacred Heart by practicing the first nine Fridays of the month.

• God would have given to Moses not ten but twelve commandments. In addition, in the revelations of Maria Valtorta, Jesus declares that "if the Commandments of the Law are ten - Commandments given by God the Father to Moses on the Sinai (Ex 20) -, in reality they are twelve since that the Word of the Father, the eternal and infinitely perfect Wisdom, has completed and perfected the Law, teaching that commandments of the commandments are: 'To love God of all yourself, and your neighbor as yourself', because these two firsts and main commandments are, in reality, the base of life of the Ten, since the three firsts can not be practiced if you don't love God of all yourself, of all your forces, of all your soul, and that the seven others can not be practiced if you don't like the neighbor as yourself, without lacking to the love, to the justice and to the honesty towards what or anyone."

• In the visions of Maria Valtorta, Jesus explains that he sees represented in his twelve apostles choose by Him all the whole humanity and in which all the humanity is seen also gathered in his twelve apostles. In the French book "Parole d'Amour" (Word of Love), Jesus specifies by giving more precision: "Among myriads of men, twelve represents for Me all the humanity. And each man has one of these twelve spirits to follow. (...) My Church has twelve faces and there is only one that unites them all: the mine. Me only am for you the Perfection. And from Me, this unique Spirit is divided into twelve virtues for the man. Even if in you, you have all them, only one prevails and for you: it is the love. Here is the charisma by which the Holy Spirit leads you to Me. In other brothers, other virtues prevail, but all you assume yourselves in Me. This is why I tell you it: do not seek to act with another charisma that, while being in you, does not prevail on which my Father has given you, otherwise you will not succeed in your mission. That is be quite clear! John could not be Peter, neither Peter Philip, nor Philip James, neither James Andrew, nor Andrew Jude, neither Jude Thomas!." And similarly that Juda, one of the Twelve, betrays Him, Jesus affirms - in private revelations of Maria Valtorta - in the proportion of one on twelve, one of us also betrays Him.

• The twelve shepherds who see the Child Jesus in the crib during His birth: Elijah, Levi, Samuel, Jonah, Isaac, Tobit, Jonathas, Daniel, Simeon, John, Joseph and Benjamin, according to visions of Maria Valtorta.

• At the three years old, the Virgin Mary entered to the Temple and she remained there for a period of twelve years.

• According to the visions of Anne-Catherine Emmerich, after his temptation in the dessert, Jesus is served by 12 superior angels and 72 angels of lower level.

• The twelve plagues which will knock the earth before come from the Messiah and his kingdom, according to the Apocalypse of Baruch of the writings of the library of Qumran.

• In the appearances of the Virgin Mary to sister Mary-Danielle, named "Bush of Thorns", Mary speaks about the twelve apostles of the last times who will be called to lead a combat for the truth: "They are these twelve that will restore the new Church which will resuscitate from the ancient. I will reign with them, because they will be the princes of the new Church."

• The twelve winds and their porticoes seen in the vision by Enoch, according to the Book of the calendar of writings of the library of Qumran.

• The tradition reports that Joseph of Arimathea, who brought in Great Brittany the cup of the Holy Grail, had with him twelve knights.

• The Testaments of the twelve patriarchs (from the writings of the library of Qumran), for each of twelve son of Jacob.

• The twelve degrees of humility according to the holy monastic rule of saint Benoit.

• The Buddhists recognize twelve causes of existence or Nidanas.

• According to revelations of Isabelle David in her French book "2000 ans sur le chemin de la lumière" (2000 years on the path of the light), twelve Brothers and Sisters would be in permanent meditation on each continent. Some among them would be the luminous Beings.

• Fabre of Olivet recognizes in the man twelve abilities, divided into six dualities: attention and perception, reflection and repetition, comparison and judgement, retention and memory, perception and comprehension, imagination and creation.

• The twelve signs, or constellations, of the zodiac.

• Receptacle of the good and the evil, the Egg of Osiris contained twelve white pyramids, symbol of the good, and twelve black pyramids, emblems of the evil, introduced by Typhoon.

• The twelve "simple" letters of the Hebraic alphabet are the initials of the zodiacal names in Hebrew.

• The twelve eras that the Earth crosses in 26000 years. At each of the twelve cycles of the humanity would incarnate a rescuer.

• The twelve works of Hercules:

  1. Slay the Nemean Lion,
  2. Kill the Hydra,
  3. Capture the Cerynean Stag,
  4. Cage the Erymanthian Boar,
  5. Clean the Augean Stables,
  6. Kill the Stymphalian Birds,
  7. Claim the Mares of Diomedes,
  8. Pen the Cretan Bull,
  9. Take the Girdle of Hippolyte, the Amazon,
  10. Capture Geryon's Cattle,
  11. Fetch the Golden Apples of Hesperides, and
  12. Capture Cerberus from the Gates of Tartaros.
  
  

• The twelve animals of the Chinese horoscope: the Rat, the Ox, the Tiger, the Cat, the Dragon, the Snake, the Horse, the Goat, the Monkey, the Cock, the Dog and the Pig.

• The twelve lunar years in the Chinese lunar calendar forming the complete cycle which lasts sixty years.

• There are twelve principal divinities in the Greek mythology.

• The twelve names of the Sun in Sanskrit, which are pronounced such as the mantras.

• In the Japanese cosmology, the Creator is sat on twelve sacred cushions.

• There would be twelve Universe and the earth would belong the twelfth. And in this twelfth Universe, there would be twelve different solar systems.

• The twelve petals of the Anahata Chakra located in the area of the heart and the twelve petals of the corolla of the Sahasrara Chakra located a the top of the head.

• It is the number of proposals or verses of the Emerald Table, summarizing all the teaching of the Hermetic tradition. It is a document originating from Egypt, attributed to Hermes Trismegist.

• According to some testimonies, there would be on the planet twelve rich families which would be at the base of a "secret government" whose their only goal would be to direct and to enslave the whole world by the power of money. This government would have a seizure on United Nations, the military, the agencies of information, the World Bank and of any tool making it possible to make and to act as they want. According to other sources, this secret government would be rather a meeting of multinational and thirteen rich families. Some authors see even in this secret government an analogy with the Beast of the Revelation.

• The woman would carry her child during twelve months: three astral months and nine physical months.

• Our solar system would be composed of twelve planets. There remains only one planet to be discovered by the man among the eleven remaining ones since one of them was destroyed. That orbiting beyond Pluto was discovery in 1993. That to discover would orbit between Mars and Jupiter. Both would have approximately the size of Mars planet.

• Twelve is the number of the disciples accompanying the great Masters of the history: the 12 apostles of the Christ; the 12 disciples choose by Mahomet to spread his doctrine; the 12 minor flamines beside the Pontiff Maximus; the 12 first companions of St. Francis of Assisi; the 12 disciples of Confucius; the 12 disciples of Mithra; the 12 descendants of Ali; the 12 companions of Odin, with also the 12 goddesses for women; the 12 marshals of Napoleon.

• In the Islamic religion, there are the twelve imams. The imam is the preferential intermediary between the men and God. For the Shiites, he should be descent of Ali, son-in-law of Mahomet. The twelfth imam having disappeared at age of four years old, in 260 of the Hegira (873), with the death of his father, he had no successor and he was considered alive.

• The twelve gods of Egypt whose Hercules was the chief.

• The twelve tables of the shield of Achilles which represent the social and the agricultural life during each month, starting with January.

• The twelve "fevers" of the Russian popular tradition.

• The twelve provinces that Râ visits each day by passing one hour in each one of them.

• The twelve animals of the Chinese dances included in the ceremony of the change of year.

• The twelve imposing rooms of the Scandinavian paradise.

• The twelve virtues and the twelve vices of Our Lady of Paris.

• The twelve solo circuits which made taking part the quadrigae in the races of tank of ancient Greece.

• The twelve rooms of the Hell corresponding to the twelve nocturnal hours of the eschatologic doctrines of Valentine.

• The twelve lions decorating the steps of the throne of Solomon in the Arab legends.

• The twelve seats surrounding the throne of Odin.

• Measured by the passage of the twelve moons (29 days and half each time), the lunar year counts only 354 days.

• Twelve is the first number known as "abundant" since the sum of its dividers (aliquot parts) gives a result higher than 12: 1+2+3+4+6=16.

• The twelve gates of the human body of the man - 2 eyes, 2 ears, 2 nostrils, the mouth, 2 breasts, the navel, the anus and the penis.

• The human cell has twelve biochemical salts.

• The twelve ganglions in the human body.

• The pure light would be made up, not of 7, but of 12 colors.

• The twelve semitones derived from the seven notes of the scale.

• Birthday of marriage: linen or silk weddings.

Occurrence

• The number 12 is used 189 times in the Bible.

• The Gospel of Thomas uses on the whole 12 different numbers: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 24, 60, 99, 100, 120, 1000 and 10000. The sum of each of their individual occurrence gives as total 36.

• The number 12 is used 7 times in the Koran. (Koran II,57; II,130; III,78; VII,159; VII,159; IX,36 and LXXXV,1)

• The word Gehenna is used 12 times in the Bible, the 12 times in the NT. In the Gospel of John, 12 times the Christ is designated as the Son of Man.

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Last modification: December 19, 1998

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244 Comments for Number 12 Symbolism, 12 Meaning and Numerology

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My birthdate

by Anonymous - 1/23/13 12:58 PM

I was born on 12/12/91 and this year my birthday 12/12/12 i turned 21....i always find myself catching 12:12 when i look at the clock on 12/12/06 i turned 12 years old and it was one of the hardest years of my life. Ive always favored the number 12 and i know i have a anointing on my life.There are very few people in this world with the birth date 12/12. Im really trying to figure out the significances behind it all.

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RE: My birthdate

by Anonymous - 2/10/13 4:52 PM

I just had a son who was born on 12-12-12. He weighed 7 lbs 5 oz which equals you guessed it.

RE: My birthdate

by Cindy - 5/17/13 5:27 PM

My baby was also born on 12/12/12. But sadly, he passed away on 1/25/13 :(

Actions

by 1212 - 4/17/13 6:25 PM

My apology Not not nots but many knots and nuts. I love America and Americans and am sad.

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Wake up

by 1212 - 4/17/13 6:22 PM

People are judged by their actions not words or empty speeches. This time is very important and the result is not yet defined. Miracles can happen. Love 1212

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1212

by 1212 - 2/06/13 6:24 PM

This is not sermon on the mount. A war is happening and always was between good and evil. Good wins because the true ones are strong.

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RE: 1212

by Anonymous - 4/07/13 11:27 AM

Yes. I'm not religious but I believe in a creator whatever it is!

Donkey Commander

by 1212 1964 - 4/04/13 8:53 PM

Do you trust the current donkey commander ?

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Duck Commander

by 1212 - 4/04/13 8:49 PM

The real meaning of this post is to evaluate what it is to be an American and a Christian and to respect the true teachings of our lord Jesus Christ. It is amazing how God can send his message to everyone through this humorous TV show. This is only 1 example how God works in mysterious ways. God bless and understand what I am saying. 1212 1964

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President

by 1212 - 3/25/13 8:31 PM

Duck Commander for President

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I am the 12th child, born on the 12th day, of the 12th month, in the year 1944.

by Paul Theodore Joseph D'Aoust - 12/13/12 12:20 PM

I've always felt a (secret) closeness to the numbers 3 and 12, though I never followed my curiousity. Yesterday, being the 12th day of the 12th month, as well as being the year 2012, (when I turned 68)made me reflect on it and wonder if my overall life, and or well-being might have been enhanced by having studied these numbers to my life in general. Though I generally show a side of myself to others, (love the company of any and ALL people, especially those who are kind, happy, outgoing and as a rule, energetic, honest and cheery) I have lived (most of) my 68 years with a rather low self-esteem, as well as by and large a follower, though I longed to be a leader. I've always felt like the third wheel on a bicycle and as well always felt like my presence would not be missed, were I to leave the room / group/ family. Something is missing in my life, however, I can't pinpoint it, no matter how many times I've thought about it. I've oftengiven what, in my estimation, was a good idea or solution, only to say that I'd heard that somewhere or other. Any pro-bono psychiatrists out there reading this???????? Thanks.

Tall Paul, 5'-1" and shrinking.

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RE: I am the 12th child, born on the 12th day, of the 12th month, in the year 1944.

by Jesus Follower - 3/12/13 12:20 PM

I believe what you may be missing is a Savior, and the promise of a better future not just for you but for all of those around you. You need Jesus. He gives you a purpose and a reason, He wakes you up every morning thinking: "whom will I serve today Lord? I'm ready!" So come to Jesus, and LIVE!

James

by Casbolt - 3/04/13 8:52 PM

1212 1964 James Casbolt
Evil is done

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12-12-12

by Diana - 12/10/12 2:26 PM

My birthday is also on 12-12-12 this year and I will be turning 48 too(4+8=12). My social security number is divisable by 12... it has 3 number when added equal 12. I also see 12:12 on the clock all of the time. I always thought it was a special birthday. I'm hoping its good luck! Happy 12-12-12 to everyone!

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RE: 12-12-12

by ADEWALE - 12/12/12 7:55 AM

I am also born on this date, and i am 39 years old (3+9=12).

RE: 12-12-12

by Anonymous - 2/10/13 4:58 PM

I just had a son on 12-12-12 and he weighed 7 lbs 5 oz 7+5=12

I seem

by Anonymous - 1/22/13 5:40 PM

You are all blind ,maybe not all. Pray

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mathematics

by test items - 1/17/13 3:56 PM

what is the meanof 12 and 16

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12th day of the 12th month

by Anonymous - 1/16/13 6:40 PM

My ex boyfriend (still friends) told me he recently dreamed 3 times about saving me from the ocean on the 12th day of the 12th month. we don't know which day it is and if it's based on the Gregorian or the Hijri calendar (He's an Arab Muslim and I'm a Christian)

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twelfth birthday

by Dima - 1/07/13 11:01 AM

My son Ora will be 12 this year.I pray that he should have a playful , sharing dinner with 12 of his best friends on that evening.

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Everywhere I Go!

by C. W. Stapleton - 12/05/12 9:03 PM

I'm seeing the number 12 everywhere I go! Every time I glance at a digital clock it's 12:12 or (11:11.) I find myself putting the number 12 in my artwork. I see the number 12 in sequences. At my place of employment, there's the number 12 making itself in existence.

I'm telling you I'm not creating this reality just by my conscious or does synchronicity play its part? That may have some involvement, but I believe there are higher beings engineering and communicating with us so we can wake up.

Our world is trying to evolve and she's waiting on humans to evolve with her.

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RE: Everywhere I Go!

by Sypho - 12/30/12 3:36 PM

You are quite right. But if we waste time, our world will be disastrous to us. I think the number you see is unique to you. Others will see different numbers or symbols with meaningsa which only them can hope to decypher. You can try and decode the true meaning of your own symbol, 12.Good luck.

Obama

by 1212 1964 - 12/16/12 5:13 AM

Obama is the pinnacle of evil, fake tears. He has drones killing children every day. He makes me and all the angels sick. What are you going to do. Nothing, then we will do it for you.

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my number 12 12 12

by T - 12/12/12 5:22 PM

My birthday is today..50 years old... born on 12/12/1962..which another 12 I like to think in 6 x 2= 12..born at 12:36 am..and 12 letters in my name..crazy..I think 12 is my lucky number

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The Number 12/3

by Anonymous - 12/12/12 3:20 PM

My Soul Number # 12/3 My Path Destiny # 16/7 and my Life Lesson # 43/7 Outer Personality # 31/4 I have a birthmark on back of Solomon Seal/Star of David. What tell you me????

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Birthday

by Tameka - 11/16/12 7:40 AM

My Birthday is 12/12/12 I will be 36 years old. My first and last name has 12 letter in it.Wow

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RE: Birthday

by marsha - 11/29/12 2:30 PM

my daughter will also be 36 on 12-12-12 & I am trying to find what the odds of this birthday is.no luck!can you help me?

RE: Birthday and anniversary date on 12/12/12

by Aly - 12/12/12 2:54 PM

This date is very special for anyone born on that date or anniversary...! We are celebrating 36 years of marriage. 12+12+12=36 every year since 2000, our anniversary date and the year add up to be the same...it is the same with you birthday if you were born in 1976... Cool, huh.?

12 12 12

by grace - 12/12/12 9:55 AM

and am 26 years old

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RE: 12 12 12

by Anonymous - 12/12/12 2:00 PM

121212 adds up to 36!

birthday

by paula - 12/08/12 11:44 AM

my daughter woz born on 12/12/12 ,at 12oclock happy birthday my little baby x

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RE: birthday

by Anonymous - 12/12/12 12:06 PM

mom of baby x I hope you see this. How could you know what day & at what time your daughter was going to be born on FOUR DAYS before????

12 12 12

by grace - 12/12/12 9:55 AM

to day is my bday and am happy to know that no 12 is not bad lucy

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12

by Adedapo Muyiwa - 12/11/12 3:26 PM

That's the highest number of valves your car engine can get i.e V12.

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Beware! 12-12-12 Is A Highly Remarkable And Blessed Day For Those Who Sincerely Love And Obey Our Lord Jesus Christ. But It's A Day Of Judgement To Those Who Don't Love Him Genuinely Remember Judas Iscariot The No.12 Disciple What Happen To him.

by Patrick - 12/11/12 2:48 PM

Note 12-12-2012 Will Come Again In A Millenium Years(a Thousand Year)Again That Is 12-12-3012 So I Advice You All To Pray Fervently And Sing Songs Of Praise And Hymns Songs To Our Dearest Lord And Saviour JESUS CHRIST the Reigning And Eternal King. Amen

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12/12/12

by CMAC121209 - 12/11/12 4:16 AM

My son will be 3 years old tomorrow (12/12/12). I kept saying that he gets 3 12's for his third birthday. I thought it meant something bad though. I am glad to find out that it is good.

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