Strange, surprising & fascinating
Counts, records, and surprising passages — interesting things about the Bible as a text. We report what's there.
Balaam's talking donkey
Numbers 22. A non-Israelite prophet's donkey sees an angel her owner cannot see, and speaks. One of two non-human speakers in the Bible.
How many times does the Bible mention money?
More than 800 mentions across the Bible. Silver alone (Hebrew kesef) appears over 400 times in the Old Testament.
How many times does the Bible mention wine?
More than 230 mentions of wine and strong drink. Hebrew yayin alone appears over 140 times. Wine is more often mentioned than 'prayer' in many translations.
The 9 chapters of temple measurements nobody reads (Ezekiel 40–48)
Nine chapters of detailed temple architecture in Ezekiel — over 100 specific measurements. The temple has never been built.
The longest verse in the Bible
Esther 8:9 — about 90 words in the KJV. The verse describes a single act of writing royal decrees in the Persian court.
The only book in the Bible that never mentions God
The book of Esther never mentions God in the Hebrew Bible. The Greek Additions to Esther do. The Song of Solomon is a contested second case.
The shortest verse in the Bible
'Jesus wept.' — John 11:35. Two words in English. The Greek New Testament's shortest verse is 1 Thessalonians 5:16.