What does the number 38 in the bible mean?

Answer 1

In the King James version * The word thirtyeight is not mentioned * The phrase thirty eight is not mentioned * The phrase eight and thirty is not mentioned The phrase thirty and eight(h) is mentioned 6 times * Deuteronomy 2:14 And the space in which we came from Kadeshbarnea, until we were come over the brook Zered, was thirty and eight years; until all the generation of the men of war were wasted out from among the host, as the LORD sware unto them.

* 1 Kings 16:29 And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years.

* 2 Kings 15:8 In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah did Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months.

* 1 Chronicles 23:3 Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and upward: and their number by their polls, man by man, was thirty and eight thousand.

* Nehemiah 7:45 The porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, an hundred thirty and eight.

* John 5:5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

There appears to be no meaning other than many years and large numbers. Other numbers appear far more frequently, so if 38 has a significance it is not apparent.