### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **châmêsh**, represented by `{{H2568}}`, is the primitive numeral for **five**. It appears **343 times** in **273 unique verses**, making it a common and significant number in the biblical text. It is used for basic counting, defining measurements, and marking specific points in time, serving as a foundational element in both narrative and law.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{H2568}}` is used in various practical contexts. It specifies dimensions in sacred construction, such as the altar of burnt offering, which was **five** cubits long and **five** cubits broad [[Exodus 27:1]]. It is used to count groups of people and things, from the **five** lords of the Philistines [[Judges 3:3]] to the **five** sheep Abigail brought to David [[1 Samuel 25:18]]. The number also marks time, as when Joseph predicted there were "yet... **five** years of famine" [[Genesis 45:6]] or when God added **fifteen** years to King Hezekiah's life [[Isaiah 38:5]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words provide a broader numerical context for `{{H2568}}`:
* `{{H2572}}` **chămishshîym** (fifty): As a multiple of five, this number is used for organizing people into groups of fifties [[Exodus 18:21]] and for marking the hallowed **fiftieth** year of Jubilee [[Leviticus 25:10]].
* `{{H6235}}` **ʻeser** (ten): Representing double the value of five, this number is foundational, seen in the **ten** commandments [[Deuteronomy 4:13]] and in administrative units like rulers of **tens** [[Exodus 18:21]].
* `{{H6240}}` **ʻâsâr** (-teen): This term is combined with other numerals to form the teens. It is frequently joined with `{{H2568}}` to denote the **fifteenth** day of the month for significant feasts like the Feast of Tabernacles [[Leviticus 23:34]].
* `{{H8147}}` **shᵉnayim** (two): This number is often seen in proximity to five, as in the description of a sparse harvest where "two or three berries" are left in one place and "four or **five**" in another [[Isaiah 17:6]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H2568}}` is evident in its symbolic applications.
* **Divine Favor and Grace:** The number is associated with special blessing, as when Benjamin receives **five** changes of raiment and a mess **five** times larger than his brothers' from Joseph ([[Genesis 45:22]], [[Genesis 43:34]]).
* **Human Weakness and Divine Power:** The number highlights the disparity between human strength and God's might. With God's help, **five** Israelites will chase a hundred enemies, but in disobedience, a great number will flee from just **five** ([[Leviticus 26:8]], [[Isaiah 30:17]]).
* **Atonement and Sacred Offerings:** In a trespass offering, the Philistines return **five** golden emerods and **five** golden mice, corresponding to their five lords [[1 Samuel 6:4]]. A sacred tribute is levied as one soul for every **five** hundred taken in battle [[Numbers 31:28]].
* **Order in Worship:** The number **five** is integral to the design of the tabernacle and temple, from the altar's **five**-cubit dimensions to the arrangement of lavers and candlesticks in sets of **five** on the right and left ([[Exodus 27:1]], [[2 Chronicles 4:6-7]]).
### Summary
In summary, `{{H2568}}` is far more than a simple counting unit. While it functions practically in measurements, dates, and enumerations, it also carries significant symbolic meaning. It illustrates themes of divine favor, human accountability before God, and the precise order of sacred worship. Through its varied use, **châmêsh** reveals how even a basic numeral is woven into the theological fabric of Scripture.
TRV