Properties of the number 40

Symbolism

• According to the Bible, it is the number of the waiting, the preparation, the test or the punishment. Also the Bible often resorts to the number 40 when starts a new chapter of the history of the salvation. On the other hand, forty would indicate the duration of a generation or a long period, whose we ignore the exact length.

• Symbolize the death with oneself and the spiritual rebirth.

• According to R. Allendy, "it is the achievement of a cycle in the world, or rather the rhythm of the cyclic repetitions in the Universe".

• According to saint Augustin, forty expresses the perfection "because the Law was given in ten commandments, then it is through the whole world that the Law has been preached, and the whole world is composed of four parts, Orient and Occident, South and North; therefore, by multiplying ten by four, we obtain forty. Or well, it is by the four books of the Gospel that the Law is accomplished."

• Represent the man incorporated in the Universe and combatting the prince of the disorder, according to Claude of Saint Martin.

• Represent the complete and sufficient period to finish a work, according to Lacuria.

• Represent the eternal hell, according to J. Boehme, because it is the constraint with the cycles of the incarnation whose form does not change.

• Symbol of penance, but these 7 aliquot parts - 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 20 - generate for our joy the number 50 in which the inheritance returns to the antique owner, in which, if we make penitence as it is appropriate, the ancient dignity is rendered to us with an increase. According to Thibaut Of Langres, it is for this reason that it is sung the psalm 50 "Miseree" for the remission of sins.

• It corresponds to the thirteenth Hebraic letter, mem, and to the Arcane 13 of the Tarot: the Death, marking the completion of a stage.

Bible

• Forty days after the birth, Jesus was presented to the Temple of Jerusalem for his legal purification, according to the established law.

• The 40 days of fast of Jesus in the desert. (Mt 4,2)

• Forty days separate the Ascension of Jesus of his Resurrection. (Act 1,3)

• The Flood of Noah lasted 40 days. (Gn 7,4)

• Elijah walked 40 days and 40 nights before to reach the Horeb mount. He fasted during 40 days before to begin his public ministry and he remained 40 days on the Carmel mount. (1 K 19,8)

• The priest Eli had been judge of Israel for 40 years. (1 S 4,18)

• Moses was 40 years old when he was called by God and that he killed an Egyptian, and escaped in the desert of Midian. He kept the herd of Jethro during 40 years. He resided finally 40 days and 40 nights to the summit of the mount Sinai before to receive the Tables of the Law. (Ex 24,18)

• During 40 day Goliath defied David.

• The children of Israel lived during 40 years in the constraint with the Philistines. (Jg 13, 1)

• The Hebrews wandered 40 years in the desert. (Nb 32,13)

• The reign of Joash lasted 40 years in Jerusalem. (2 Ch 24,1)

• The people of Nineveh had to repent during 40 days. (Jon 3,4)

• Isaac was 40 years old when he married Rebekah. (Gn 25,20)

• The embalming of Jacob was prolonged during 40 days. (Gn 50,3)

• The reign of David on Israel lasted 40 years, just as the reign of Solomon in Jerusalem. (1 K 2,11 and 11,42; 2 Ch 9,30)

• Ezekiel supported the iniquity of the house of Juda during 40 days.

• The 40 emissaries of Canaan.

• The 40 years of repentance of Adam after his corrupt practice.

• Forty is the number of chapters of the book of the Exodus of the Old Testament.

General

• Jesus preached for 40 month.

• Saint John takes care 40 hours near to the body of the Very Holy Virgin Mary before her Assumption to the Sky.

• It is 40 years after the crucifixion of the Jesus Christ that Jerusalem was taken by the Romans and that the Temple was destroyed.

• The body of Jesus remained 40 hours in the sepulchre.

• Jesus received 40 blows of whip during his whipping, according to visions of Maria Valtorta. However, according to visions of Mary Agreda, Jesus would have received 5115 blows of whip!

• The 40 days of the Lent before Easter.

• Number of years that no man and no beast would have crossed Egypt, according to an old prophecy.

• According to the book of secrets of Enoch, the four rivers of the terrestrial Paradise are subdivided by forty and surround all the Earth.

• The stigmatized Martha Robin was fed only the Eucharist during 40 years.

• The 40 days of fast that Buddha made to the desert before to exert his apostolate.

• It is to 40 years that Buddha and Mahomet would have begun their preaching.

• According to the Egyptians, it is the number of days necessary in order that the soul becomes definitively delivered of his body. Indeed, following the death of the physical body, the etheric body spends globally 40 days to be dissolved in the universe. As long as it is not fully dissolved and that particles which constitute it did not join the various elements of the nature, the conscience of the defunct will remain linked, more or less closely, to the terrestrial world in which he evolved. This is why a religious ceremony is celebrated 40 days after a death in some traditions in order to facilitate the definitive liberation of the conscience of the being with his habits and his material fasteners. It should however not confuse with what it is called the etheric energy which it is totally extracted of the body after the three days following the death.

• According to the Gospel of Barnabas, chapter 54, at the end of the world, there will be 40 darkness years on the world, after what, God will give the life to his Messenger, as well as to his angels and all the elect.

• For Islam, the number 40 occupies an important place: the 40 companions, the 40 perfect; the universe is supported by 40 pillars; the 40 supports of the dome of the Mosque of Omar in Jerusalem; And at the Means-Age the Muslems were made depilate the armpits every 40 days.

• In some savage tribes, after the circumcision, the males had to withdraw themselves in the bush for a period of solitude of 40 days at the end of which they could then return to the village.

• There had 40 mourning nights in the mysteries of Persephon and 40 days of sacrifices in the greeting of Mithra.

• Philip-August and Saint-Louis enforce the regulation "Forty-the-Roy", period of 40 days where it was forbidden to any Lord to attack the nearest relatives of the offender.

• Birthday of person in Japan: beginning of the old age - shoro.

• Anniversary of marriage: weddings of ruby.

Occurrence

• The number 40 is used 98 times in the Bible.

• The number 1 under its cardinal form is used 40 times in the Gospel of saint John.

• The number 40 is used 5 times in the Koran. (Koran II,48, V,29, VII,137, X,17 and XLVI,14)

• The term "city of David", designating Jerusalem, appears 40 times in the OT. The verb to adore is used 40 times in the NT and the verb to disavow, 40 times in the Bible.

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Last modification: December 19, 1998

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59 Comments for Number 40 Symbolism, 40 Meaning and Numerology

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The number 40 and the Aztecs civilization

by Ramon Torres Padilla - 10/29/23 11:01 AM

The Aztec civilization also had an important meaning and attribute for the number 40. In their mythology. It is said that it rained for 40 days and nights and was caused by the moon goddess called the “Coyolxauhqui By the Aztecs

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Misleading untruths

by Minister RC - 11/29/20 7:49 AM

There are way to many untruths in this article. 1st, you cannot try to use the same symbolism through different religious groups. The symbolism simply does not line up. The number 40 is significant to the God of Israel and those of the New Covenant/New Testament that was established through Jesus Christ. 2nd, Jesus was not struck 40 times. The Roman law stated that Jews should be beaten 40 times save one, which means that the 40th lash was reserved so that the individual was not struck more than 40 times in the case of a miscount. 3rd, Jesus' body was in the tomb/sepulchre longer than 40 hours. The Word of God states that he was risen on the third day. A 2-day cycle would already credit 48 hours, moreso, you have to have an understanding of Jewish days and time, especially being that their time in days do not line up with the Gregorian calendar that we use today. Example, Rashashan, the Jewish new year, is closer to the beginning of the USA fiscal year rather than its actual new year. 4th, Jesus' ministry lasted 3 1/2 years before he was killed. I would suggest that factual evidence and factual history is used when making these kinds of posts. It was some good reading, just not factual reading.

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40

by Morn - 12/02/11 4:32 PM

Have never understood how the obvious is overlooked! 40 derives directly from the period of 40 weeks = 40 x 7 days starting from the woman's last menstrual period to give the expected date if delivery of the baby, and as a unit if time has been so used for millennia! But then, later theologians of any religion probably didn't discuss their ideas with midwives and expectant mothers. Hence, the associations of 40 as a period of time with a period of preparation, incubation, sometimes trial, followed by a new and transformed beginning - it is a forward-looking number. The symbolism of 38 derives directly from this - the baby can be born any time from 2 weeks before to 2 weeks later, I.e. from 38 weeks, so 38 signifies the beginning of 'labour', the beginning of the new beginning - as in Deuteronomy, when Moses begins his preparations in earnest to invade Canaan, or in john's gospel when Jesus meets the man who has sought healing for 38 years. Also, in mark's gospel, count how many hours Jesus was dead. Mary (maureen) norrie

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RE:40

by Anonymous - 5/14/20 11:04 AM

This was a concise and comprehensive interpretation.

Read 3 more replies

not yelling the truth about the bible

by gga - 5/08/20 2:36 AM

don't do it again

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The Koran is not the Bible...

by V.B. - 4/21/20 12:53 PM

The Koran and the Bible can not he combined. They are two different books. Jesus is the God of the living.

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Appreciation to you

by GES - 1/17/20 6:58 AM

Thank you very much for the well articulated information. Very useful and helpful insights. One therefore can appreciate the number 40 and ably re- align his/her life journey. Be blessed indeed

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RE: Appreciation to you

by Anonymous - 2/14/20 12:24 AM

letter mem is 40 and means water. I though it was a cleaning, like baptism. I never heard about baby gestaton of 40 weeks, babies are in fluid. the desert wanderings and temptations dont make sense.

40 40 40

by By Ajayi - 4/28/19 11:47 AM

Please sir,i which to know what this means. This number appeared to me 3 time in 3 days

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RE: 40 40 40

by Anonymous - 12/31/19 10:12 AM

It's means the end of one cycle. It's a transition to a new phase. It could mean a new job, financial level, spiritual height...e.t.c if you look back, you will observe a drastic change that period.

Dream

by Francine - 7/19/19 12:23 AM

I’m walking through a garden and it’s very heavy white mist, the grass is thick and I hear a fountain trickling, I follow the noise and it’s a three tiered rock fountain with green ivy all over it. I look in the fountain and their are gold and silver coins in the water on the bottom tier, on the second tier are wads of money and loose bills in different denominations. Then I hear someone walking up to me and I turn around and I see a silhouette and around that silhouette the light is purer and very very bright. Two arms are raised to me with palms up and in each palm is a 20 dollar bill. And the person has white robe sleeves but I cannot see their face but I look up and I see the eyes of Jesus. What does this mean? I had this dream about 30 years ago. I looked up 40 in the Bible and it’s crazy how many times and ways it’s used biblically.

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Please explain

by Anonymous - 7/08/19 7:49 AM

A demon appeared to me after I lost my child . He offered me 40$ to give her back. Can anyone can tell me who this demon is. Or what 40 means.

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YOUR NAME

by Elik Troconis - 8/01/11 2:58 PM

Hello; I read your article about number 40. I found it really interesting and I am citing it in a really important work. After congratulating you for the wonderful work done in all your website, I would like to know your name so that I can cite you correctly.
Thank you,
Elik Troconis.

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Re: your name

by Anonymous - 2/27/19 2:50 PM

There was 40 yrs between the, 'i have a dream' speech by, Martin Luther King to "President Obama" becoming president.

40 meaning

by Anonymous - 11/06/13 11:56 AM

I thought that the #40 means death

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RE: 40 meaning

by Anonymous - 2/04/19 4:20 PM

It is only said to in certain modern works, such as the TV show Supernatural.

#40??

by sara - 12/18/17 1:18 AM

This is strange I'm comment number 40 the past week I've been seeing number 40 on license plates but only in the cars that are in front of me I'm not sure what this means but I'm sure it will come together

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RE: #40??

by Anonymous - 1/25/19 5:19 PM

The roads represent pathways to destiny. The cars represents ministries the plates represent divine authorization. And upon the plates the 40code.And 40 represents probation, trials, preparation. Those vehicles were in front of you for u to follow and learn from and u will be guided on the right path. Basically I believe God is trying to show you the kind of Ppl or ministries you can receive instructions from to be properly guided.Ppl and ministries that have been tried and tested.

RE: Need help understanding

by Anonymous - 1/25/19 5:04 PM

Yeah.it represents a stage or a phase in the curriculum of your life. A phase of development.

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Need help understanding

by Anonymous - 3/26/17 6:24 AM

My whole life the number 40 has followed me. It has been assigned to me several times from childhood to even now. It shows up all the time. Is there a meaning?

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RE: Need help understanding

by Anonymous - 1/25/19 5:03 PM

Yeah.it represents a stage or a phase in the curriculum of your life. A phase of development.

4040

by Rachid Ahmed - 6/04/16 7:27 AM

i just dreamed last night with the number 4040 everything was 4040 car plates house numbers on tv everything was 4040 does that have a meaning ?

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RE: 4040

by Anonymous - 1/25/19 4:12 PM

40 doubled is just for emphasis. That's a code bundled with a lot of meaning to you. It represents the end of a phase of your life and the birthing of a new phase by God in all aspects.

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#40

by Azah - 7/20/18 2:16 AM

Thank you for sharing all the information relating to 40. At least now I know I am not crazy or loosing it. From a young age 40 has always been the number that comes to my mind and growing up I never bothered to look it up or understand why but as I'm older now I have had this urge to find out more and this site has helped me put some things into perspective. For me 40 is associated with spiritual rebirth and deliverance. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

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#40??

by sara - 12/18/17 1:22 AM

ok REALLY strange I thought I was commenting Amber 40 but it was really 39 so when I went back to look I see number 40 now I'm more baffled than ever

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quote

by Norbert - 12/04/17 2:36 AM

Could you give exact references , where the quote of st Augustine (According to saint Augustin, forty expresses the perfection... ) comes from?

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THANK YOU

by SHAWKINS - 7/04/12 9:37 AM

I RECENTLY TURNED 40 AND MY WORLD TURNED IN MARCH UPSIDE DOWN. EVERYTHING WENT CRAZY, PRAYER LIFE, BIBLE READING, HEALTH, FINANCES, MARRIAGE YOU NAME IT. RECENTLY THOUGH EVERYTHING IS TOP SIDE UP AGAIN! I LIKE WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT A SPIRITUAL RE BIRTHING. I GOING THROUGH IT RIGHT NOW AND IT'S AWESOME.

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Re: thank you

by Anonymous - 1/16/17 4:31 PM

On the 4th day YHWH Elohom will come!

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The Truth.

by Ryan Osborn - 11/26/16 4:24 PM

Jesus Christ Is God Almighty In The Flesh! Believe Jesus Christ Shed his blood and died for all of our sins on the cross, he was buried and he rose again from the dead three days later by his power and if you believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ then you shall be saved and go to Heaven forever. None of our good works shall save us or anything else will from our sins that deserve destruction and death in a Lake Of Fire for all eternity. Once saved always saved forever by the gospel of Jesus Christ for all our sins. Ephesians Chapter 2:8-9, 1 Corinthians Chapter 15:1-4 And Romans Chapter 3:25. The King James Bible.

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No. 40-40

by Melanie - 7/26/16 4:31 AM

Thank you for the depth of the meaning of 40.....I will look at some things differently ....

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true meaning of Bible forty

by bukenya Emma muwonge - 4/28/16 9:55 AM

forty means deliverance of someone from something bad.cod after forty years Israelites were delivered into the promised Land

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The meaning of 40

by The Wizard of π - 2/28/16 3:12 PM

Check out my article about the meaning of 40 in Google plus, thanks!

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am an artiste my name is 4t dayz...

by kepha - 11/12/15 12:17 AM

I was trying to choose my artiste name & this is what I thought of...

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40

by lorenzo - 10/31/10 8:30 PM

40... I only buy the number 40 on the lottery. don,t know why......

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RE: 40

by Thinker - 9/18/15 4:51 PM

Yeah! How many times have you won ? Genius !