The number 12
Governmental perfection, divine authority, Israel
God's own numbers — unity, completeness, divine order
Twelve represents governmental perfection and divine authority in ruling. Twelve tribes of Israel, twelve apostles, twelve foundations of New Jerusalem. It signifies God's perfect administration of His purposes on earth.
In Hebrew and Greek
Hebrew
Shnem asar (שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר) - twelve
Greek
Dodeka (δώδεκα) - twelve
First occurrence
And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died.
The pattern in Scripture
- Twelve tribes of Israel
- Twelve apostles
- Twelve gates of New Jerusalem
- Twelve foundations (Rev 21:14)
- Twelve baskets of fragments
Key verses
And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died.
Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and w...
These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns, and by their castles; twel...
All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and ble...
12:12 verses
Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his...
For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land o...
Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother’s wo...
And ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God, ye, and your sons, and your daughters, and your mense...
The king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one;