Properties of the number 14

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Symbolism

• For R. Allendy, "it is the ratio of the cyclic law 4 with the cosmic unit 10 having for result to maintain the life - 1 + 4 = 5 - and serving as a node to the double current of evolution and involution - 7 x 2 = 14". It would represent also the nature working out the life.

• Represent "the Holy Spirit being spread in the freedom and in the nature, although the nature does not know it", according to Jacob Boehme.

• This number "represents the figure of the Christ immolated the fourteenth day of the moon, and at similar day the children of Israel had command to celebrate the Passover, that is to say the passage of the Red Sea", according to C. Agrippa.

• Regarded as the number of David according to the Bible. The evangelist Matthew would have organized the genealogy of Jesus on this basis.

• It is the number of the good and the charity.

Bible

• The fourteen generations of Abraham to David, just as of David to the deportation of Babylon, and the deportation of Babylon to the Christ. (Mt 1,1-17)

• The fourteen epistles written by saint Paul, having on the whole 100 chapters and adding up 2335 verses.

• The weddings of Tobit and Sara last fourteen days. (Tb 8,20)

• With the return of Exile, after the rebuilding of the Temple, the Israelis celebrated the Passover the fourteenth day of the first month. (Ezr 6,19)

• Jacob worked fourteen years for his uncle Laban in order to be able to marry his daughter Rachel. The first period of seven years he allowed him to take Leah for woman, the older sister of Rachel, and after the second period of seven years, he could finally marry Rachel. And Jacob had of Rachel fourteen son and grandsons. (Gn 29,15-30 and 46,22)

General

• The fourteen stations of the Way of Cross. Let us to mention that the number of stations varied until the 13th century and is finally fixed to fourteen by Clement XII and Benoit XIV. In 1958, a fifteenth is added at Lourdes to integrate the cult of Mary: "With Mary in the hope of the resurrection", but the fourteen stations have remained popular.

• The sufferings of the Christ would have begun fourteen days before Passover to finish with his passion.

• Every year, the celebration of the Easter is never done in the same date, contrarily to the feast of Christmas which is always celebrated on December 25. At the fourth century after Jesus Christ, one established that this major feast of the liturgical calendar would be celebrated the first Sunday following the 14th night of lunation of March, if this one presents it on March 21, to the equinox of the spring, or after this date.

• The James apostle, tells the Major, was killed fourteen years after the crucifixion of the Jesus Christ.

• The fourteen beatitudes of saint Anselme and saint Bernard rewarding the blissful in the Paradise. The seven beatitudes of the body: health, beauty, the agility, force, liberty, pleasure, longevity. The seven beatitudes of the soul: agree, honor, power, security, joy, wisdom, friendship.

• The Virgin Mary was 14 years old at the time of Annunciation according to the visions of Mary Agreda, that is to say exactly 14 years, 6 month and 17 days.

• In the Roman Catholic Church, it designates under the name Auxiliary Saints a group of fourteen saints particularly famous for the effectiveness of their invocation. They are represented often together. We invoke thus saint Denis against diabolic possessions, saint Acace for the headaches, saint Blaise for the sore throat, etc. The others are saint George, saint Erasme, saint Pantaleon, saint Guy, saint Christophe, saint Cynaque, saint Eustache, saint Egide, saint Marguerite, saint Barbe and saint Catherine.

• According to the Indians, fourteen Manous control the world in successive and equal reigns, during the great cycle of the Maha Kalpa or Day of Brahma, having 4320000000 solar years.

• In the Book of Enoch, apocryphal book, it talks about the fourteen preferential trees which remain always green for all season of the year.

• According to the Egyptian legend, the body of Osiris was cut into 14 pieces whose 13 was found by Isis, the 14th, the penis, having been devoured by the fishes.

• In Egypt, the Amenti, area where go the souls of deaths, westward of the Nile, was divided in 14 parts.

• Among Greeks, the fourteen days "alcyonians" were the 7 days preceding and the 7 days following the solstice of winter. During this period, the sea was supposed calm so as to allow the "alcyons" to build their nest and to brood. The alcyons came from the Metamorphosis of Ceyx, son of the Star of the morning, Eosph閞os (in Latin Lucifer) and his wife Alcyon, girl of Eole.

• In the minor Tarot, each of four colors includes fourteen cards: the ace, the nine following cards until the ten, the jack, the rider, the queen and the king.

• The king Henry IV was born 14 centuries, 14 decades and 14 years after the Christian era. He came in the world on December 14 and dies on May 14. He lived 4 x 14 years, 14 weeks and 14 days.

• Louis XIV went up on the throne on May 14, 1643 - 1+6+4+3=14. He was saved by Turenne at Blema in 1652 - 1+6+5+2=14. In accordance with an Edict of Charle V, he was declared major at 14 years and governed himself in 1661 - 1+6+6+1=14. He made build the Hotel of the Invalids in 1670 - 1+6+7+0=14. He died in 1715 - 1+7+1+5=14 - at the age of 77 years old - 7+7=14 - having reigned 72 years - 7x2=14.

• Fourteen years marked the major age of kings of France, majority which the young Romans reached at 17 years old.

• The astral body of the man is totally developed and installed only at the age of fourteen years old.

• The fourteenth year is, for the man, the year of the puberty.

• The fourteen ascending and downward days of the moon.

• The fingers of each of the two hands are composed of fourteen phalanxes.

• Anniversary of marriage: ivory weddings.

Gematria

• Fourteen is the numerical value of the name of David, and of the words "hand" and "gold" in Hebrew, this last one being the symbol of the original purity of the matter.

Occurrence

• The number 14 is used 50 times in the Bible.

• The numbers 23 and 120 are used 14 times in the Bible.

• The "Torah of the Lord" (or God, the Lord God) is mentioned 14 times in the books of the Chronicles. The verb to bear and the word shepherd are used 14 times in the NT and the words forgiveness and merciful, 14 times in the Bible.

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Last modification: December 19, 1998

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