Coincidences in the Bible and in Biblical Hebrew [Paperback]

This is not a book about biblical prophecies, the Bible code or Gematria. Yet, the book exhibits a series of unexplained "coincidences" that is worth exploring and getting impressed by. There are several unique characteristics to the book, which I believe make it unlike other books of a similar nature. First, the book contains statistical analyses with highly significant results. These demonstrate that some of the coincidences in the book are in fact not coincidences at all, but rather store real and valid information. The statistical analyses, applied to some of the "coincidences", take the book's results closer to be scientifically founded. All analyses are explained in simple language, accompanied by commentary that makes them indeed accessible to those, like me, untrained in the statistical disciplines. A second important point about this book is that since it is not about biblical prophecies, the Bible code or Jewish Gematria, most coincidences are in fact new. For example, the explanation of the Ibur, and how Jewish tradition has long ago arrived at the lunar month duration of 29.530594 days (vs. today's scientifically validated value of 29.530589 days) were for me a stunning revelation. Finally, the newly added chapter 22 (in the revised 2008 edition of the book) statistically evaluates the Genesis creation story. The results, as displayed and demonstrated, are fascinating.
On the down side, the book is not homogenous in its structure. Some of the coincidences are indeed stunning, others can be seriously debated whether they are of any real significance. I believe that the sheer number of "coincidences", relating to both the Bible and to biblical Hebrew, makes this book a treasure of information that is both challenging and entertaining.

This is an interesting reading for two reasons. First, some of the "coincidences" have been known for many years from various Jewish sources, but have never been assembled in a single source in such a concentrated fashion. For example, the fact that the numerical value of "pregnancy" in Hebrew is equal to the length (in days) of human pregnancy is already quoted in the Talmud (as the author rightly specifies). Yet, as the author demonstrates by additional examples, the extent of the phenomenon is much wider in biblical Hebrew than expected. Which brings us to the second reason: the statistical analyses, applied to such diverse subjects as cosmology, biology and chemistry, constitute a fresh approach to the quantitative study of biblical Hebrew. The highly significant results, obtained from the analyses, clearly demonstrate that the relationship between numerical values of biblical Hebrew words and major features of the subjects that the words stand for - deserve further scientific exploration, not unlike the analyses given in the book.
The other "coincidences", which are not subject to statistical analysis, are no less intriguing though they are probably open to different interpretations, lacking the needed validity that statistical analysis may deliver.

The author promises at the Introduction that "we have attempted no screening of these coincidences". This at times may be judged as a minus since several of the coincidences seem to be contrived and perhaps less than persuasive. However, the sheer number of "coincidences", assembled in this book, has reached, in my judgment, a critical mass that cannot but leave one pondering what all these really mean.

The Bible will always be an inexhaustible source of discovery, and this new fascinating book about Biblical coincidences contains many original items to add to the treasure trove. The intersection of science and faith beyond academic scholarship has also received much attention in recent times. In the case of this book, though, it is not just the Bible which reveals more of its secrets, but the Hebrew language itself, another fascinating topic about which relatively little has been written for the general public.
Root connections such as Olam , relating World, Eternity and Concealment or Rechem, connecting Womb and Compassion , reveal a profound theological and moral wisdom inherent in the Hebrew language. Some of the richest examples given - and some of the most remarkable coincidences- relate to the Kabbalistic method of reading words in reverse, thus connecting Moshe ( Moses) with Ha-Shem ( God), and Aleph (One, First) with Peleh ( Miracle). Even for those not versed in Hebrew or uninterested in the various Torah interpretational techniques, the author provides many arresting insights of pure Biblical commentary, such as in the God-encounters of Abraham and Moses.
"Coincidences in the Bible and in Biblical Hebrew" should be of interest to anyone who loves the Bible, in particular to young Jews who may have concluded that the Great Book no longer has anything to teach them, or cannot measure up to modernity. For non-Jews, all the material involving Hebrew is extremely easy to understand and may prove quite enlightening.
I would have to admit that not everyone who is inexperienced in mathematics, science or statistics will be able to immediately follow those aspects or analysis in the book, but even in that case the general picture is graspable.
I strongly advise to get the newest edition of the book, the one containing a final chapter devoted to a statistical analysis of Genesis. I give this book five stars first on account of the thorough effort involved and secondly because of the author's honesty in making no claims, but encouraging the readers to make up their own minds. Other books I would recommend which transit similar paths - though in no way literally so or in such detail - are those by Gerald Schroeder.