Author: Jim

Because of Egypt’s treatment of Israel the Lord God prophesies against them:
Ezekiel 29:9-13 And the land of Egypt shall be desolate and waste; and they shall know that I am the Lord: because he hath said, The river is mine, and I have made it. Behold, therefore I am against thee, and against thy rivers, and I will make the land of Egypt utterly waste and desolate, from the tower of Syene even unto the border of Ethiopia. No foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot of beast shall pass through it, neither shall it be inhabited forty years. And I will make the land of Egypt desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate, and her cities among the cities that are laid waste shall be desolate forty years: and I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the countries. Yet thus saith the Lord GOD; At the end of forty years will I gather the Egyptians from the people whither they were scattered:
Stephen rehearses Israel’s History: Moses lived 120 years, 40 in Egypt, 40 as a shepherd, and 40 years in the wilderness leading the children of Israel:

Acts 7:23 And when he (Moses) was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.
Acts 7:30 And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him (Moses) in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush.
Acts 7:36 He (Moses) brought them out, after that he had shewed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years.
Acts 7:42 Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness?
Paul rehearses Israel’s History:
Acts 13:18 And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness.
Acts 13:21 And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.
Hebrews 3:9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.
Hebrews 3:17 But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?

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The Ups and Downs of Israel during the times of Judges and Kings.

Judges 3:11 And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
Judges 5:31 So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.
Judges 8:28 Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.
Judges 13:1 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.
1 Samuel 4:18 And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.
2 Samuel 5:4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. 1 Kings 2:11 And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem. 1 Chronicles 29:27 And the time that he (David) reigned over Israel was forty years; seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.
2 Samuel 2:10 Ishbosheth Saul’s son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David.
2 Samuel 15:7 And it came to pass after forty years, that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the LORD, …
1 Kings 11:42 And the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years. 2 Chronicles 9:30 And Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.
2 Kings 12:1 In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign; and forty years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba.
2 Chronicles 24:1 Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Zibiah of Beersheba.

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Forty Years is mentioned 45 times in the Bible. Usually a time of testing.
Genesis 25:20 And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.
Genesis 26:34 And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite:

Exodus 16:35 And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan.
Numbers 14:33-34 And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness. After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.
Numbers 32:13 And the LORD’S anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed.
Deuteronomy 2:7 For the LORD thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the LORD thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing.\
Deuteronomy 8:2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
Deuteronomy 8:4 Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.
Deuteronomy 29:5 And I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes are not waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot.
Joshua 5:6 For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: unto whom the LORD sware that he would not shew them the land, which the LORD sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey.

The Lord God continues to remind Israel of their disobedience:

Nehemiah 9:21 Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.
Psalm 95:10 Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways:
Amos 2:10 Also I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and led you forty years through the wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorite.
Amos 5:25 Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?

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Forty days appears 25 times in Scripture.
Of course the first reference is to Noah and the flood:
Genesis 7:4 For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth.
Genesis 7:12 And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
Genesis 7:17 And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth.
Note: It rained 40 days and nights the water pevailed for 150 days but Noah was on the Ark for 1 year.
Genesis 8:6 And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made:
The next reference in regarding the length of time for embalming a body. Genesis 50:3 And forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the days of those which are embalmed: and the Egyptians mourned for him …
Moses is called by God into the top of Mt Sinai.
Exodus 24:18 And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.
Moses is called by God unto the top of Mt Sinai a second time, tablets of stone.
Exodus 34:28 And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.
12 men spying out the land. (see 12 Spies)
Numbers 13:25 And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.
Numbers 14:34 After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.
Moses recounts receiving the tablets (10 commandments) of stone. Deuteronomy 9:9 When I was gone up into the mount to receive the tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant which the LORD made with you, then I abode in the mount forty days and forty nights, I neither did eat bread nor drink water:
Deuteronomy 9:11 And it came to pass at the end of forty days and forty nights, that the LORD gave me the two tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant.
Deuteronomy 9:18 And I fell down before the LORD, as at the first, forty days and forty nights: I did neither eat bread, nor drink water, because of all your sins which ye sinned, in doing wickedly in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
Deuteronomy 9:25 Thus I fell down before the LORD forty days and forty nights, as I fell down at the first; because the LORD had said he would destroy you.
Deuteronomy 10:10 And I stayed in the mount, according to the first time, forty days and forty nights; and the LORD hearkened unto me at that time also, and the LORD would not destroy thee.
Goliath challenges Israel:
1 Samuel 17:16 And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.
Elijah, when dealing with Ahab and Jezebel: note: Horeb is Siani
1 Kings 19:8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.
Ezekiel and the siege against Israel (a sign):
Ezekiel 4:6 And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year.
Nineveh had 40 days to repent and turn to God:
Jonah 3:4 And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.
At the beginning of his ministry, the Lord Jesus fasted:
Matthew 4:2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
Mark 1:13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.
Luke 4:2 Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.
The Lord walked on earth to prove he had indeed risen from the Grave.
Acts 1:3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God
To better understand, read the verses in context.

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The number 40 generally symbolizes a period of testing, trial, probation or judgement appearing 145 times in Scripture.

Here are some more interesting references to FORTY:

After the flood waters had receded, and the tops of the mountains were visible, Noah waited another 40 days to open the window of the Ark (Genesis 8:6).
Isaac was 40 years old when he took Rebekah as his wife (Genesis 25:20).
Esau, Isaac’s son, also got married when he was 40 (Genesis 26:34).
Embalming took 40 days in early Bible times (Genesis 50:3).
Moses was on Mt. Sinai for 40 days and 40 nights (twice!) (Exodus 24:18)
(Exodus 34:28)( Deuteronomy 9:9,11,18,25)( Deuteronomy 10:10).
The spies that Moses sent to spy out the Promised Land were there for 40 days (Numbers 13:25)(Numbers 14:34).
One of those spies was Joshua, and he was forty years old when he went
(Joshua 14:7).
Moses died when he was 120 years old (Deuteronomy 34:7). His life can be divided into 3 sections of 40 years: (first 40) being born and growing up in Pharaoh’s house in Egypt (Acts 7:20-23), (middle 40) fleeing to Midian after killing the Egyptian, and living there for 40 years (Acts 7:29-30), (last 40) returning to Egypt, the exodus, and the events that followed
(Acts 7:36)(Exodus 7:7).
Aaron died 40 years after the Israelites had left Egypt (Numbers 33:38).
Three different times in Judges, the land had rest for 40 years
(Judges 3:11)(Judges 5:31)(Judges 8:28).
Eli judged Israel for 40 years (1 Samuel 4:18).
Ishbosheth became king over Israel when he was 40 years old (2 Samuel 2:10).
Three kings reigned for 40 years: David (1 Kings 2:11)(2 Samuel 5:4-5), Solomon (1 Kings 11:42), and Joash (2 Chronicles 24:1)(2 Kings 12:1).
(Saul may also be a part of this group [Acts 13:21], but this is controversial
[1 Samuel 13:1].)
The 10 lavers in the Temple each held “40 baths” (about 230 gal.) of water
(1 Kings 7:38).
The time period between Jesus’ resurrection and ascension was 40 days
(Acts 1:3).
The book of Exodus has 40 chapters.
The average length of a woman’s pregnancy is 40 weeks.
Lent is the 40 days before Easter (not counting Sundays).

Trial, Testing, Or Judgment:

Forty appears 145 times in Scripture. The number 40 generally symbolizes a period of testing, trial, probation or judgement. This certainly seems to be borne out in a number of places in the Bible, however, it also is used for more than that. Let’s first look at the ways it could be taken as a number signifying trial, testing, or judgment, then we will look some other significant uses.

Here are some interesting references to FORTY:

When God destroyed every living thing on the Earth by flood, it rained 40 days and 40 nights (Genesis 7:4,12,17).
Three men in the Bible fasted 40 days and 40 nights: Moses (Exodus 34:28)(Deuteronomy 9:9,18,25)(Deuteronomy 10:10), Elijah (1 Kings 19:8), and Jesus (Matthew 4:2)(Luke 4:2)(Mark 1:13).
Because Israel refused to enter the Promised Land, God condemned them to wander in the “wilderness” for 40 years (Numbers 14:33-34)(Numbers 32:11-13)( Deuteronomy 8:2)(Joshua 5:6).
God also kept their clothing and sandals from wearing out for the whole 40 years: (Deuteronomy 29:5, Deuteronomy 8:4.)
The Israelites were given manna in the desert for 40 years to “test” and “humble” them (Exodus 16:35)( Deuteronomy 8:3,16)
When scourging someone, they could not receive more than 40 lashes
(Deuteronomy 25:3)(2 Corinthians 11:24).
The Israelites were in captivity to the Philistines for 40 years for doing evil
(Judges 13:1).
Goliath taunted Israel for 40 days and nights (1 Samuel 17:16), until David defeated him.
Ezekiel laid on his right side for 40 days to “bear the iniquity” of Judah’s sins
(Ezekiel 4:6).
God proclaimed judgment against Egypt, saying it would be desolate for 40 years (Ezekiel 29:10-12).
God gave Nineveh 40 days to repent or be overthrown (Jonah 3:4).

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