New American Standard Bible 1995

Back to Reader

Luke

13

:

4

"Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem?

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Greek: Transliteration:
"Or or, than Conj H2228 ē
do you suppose to have an opinion, to seem V-PIA-2P H1380 δοκεῖτε dokeite
that those that one (or neut. that thing), often intensified by the art. preceding DPro-NMP H1565 ἐκεῖνοι ekeinoi
eighteen eighteen H1178    
Analysis:

Eighteen: Life (according to Jewish tradition)

Jewish tradition associates the number eighteen with the concept of life. The primary reason for this is when Hebrew letters are used to convey numbers (each Hebrew letter has a numerical value) the two letters which are used to express the number 18 spell life. In the New Covenant, the number 18 is only found in Luke chapter 13. There it appears three times (Luke 13:4, 11, and 16). Initially, Yeshua spoke about 18 people whom the Tower of Shiloach fell upon and killed. This occurrence of the number 18 would seem to relate to the opposite of life, i.e. death. However, it is important for the reader to understand the emphasis of this first section of this chapter is repentance. Next, Yeshua states, "Unless one repents, he shall perish." The message that Yeshua is teaching is repentance leads to life. The second and third time the number 18 is discussed concerns a woman who has been bound by her infirmity for 18 years. It was on the Shabbat (sabbath) that Yeshua healed her. In healing her, Yeshua remarked that it was proper that this woman be healed on the Shabbat, seeing that she too is a daughter of Abraham and was bound for 18 years. 

There are significant terms which Yeshua used in this passage. Shabbat relates to the Kingdom. The woman is called a daughter of Abraham.  This term expresses the inheritance of the promise that God had made to Abraham, i.e. blessing. And lastly the number 18 is again mentioned. The lesson which the reader should take from this section, is that repentance is fundamental to the Kingdom, i.e. the ultimate outcome of the Abrahamic Covenant. This all speaks to an abundant life, which the number 18 conveys.

When examining the more than two dozen occurrences for the number 18 in the Old Covenant, there is no clear connection of this number to life.

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016

on whom usually rel. who, which, that, also demonstrative this, that RelPro-AMP H3739 οὓς ous
the tower a tower N-NMS H4444 πύργος purgos
in Siloam Siloam, a pool in Jer. N-DMS H4611 Σιλωὰμ silōam
fell to fall V-AIA-3S H4098 ἔπεσεν epesen
and killed to kill V-AIA-3S H615 ἀπέκτεινεν apekteinen
them were [worse] culprits a debtor N-NMP H3781 ὀφειλέται opheiletai
than from beside, by the side of, by, beside Prep H3844 παρὰ para
all all, every Adj-AMP H3956 πάντας pantas
the men a man, human, mankind N-AMP H444 ἀνθρώπους anthrōpous
who live to inhabit, to settle V-PPA-AMP H2730 κατοικοῦντας katoikountas
in Jerusalem? Jerusalem, the capital of united Isr. and Judah, also a future heavenly city N-AFS H2419 Ἰερουσαλήμ ierousalēm

Locations

Jerusalem

JERUSALEMje-roo'-sa-lem:I. THE NAME1. In Cuneiform2. In Hebrew3. In Greek and Latin4. The Meaning of Jerusalem5. Other NamesII. GEOLOGY, CLIMATE AND SPRINGS1. Geology2. Climate and Rainfall3. The Natural SpringsIII. THE NATURAL SITE1. The Mountains Around2. The Valleys3. The HillsIV. GENERAL TOPOGRAPHY OF JERUSALEM1. Description of Josephus2. Summary of the... View Details

Siloam (Jerusalem)

SILOAM, TOWERINSee JERUSALEM; SILOAM.SILOAM; SILOAH; SHELAH; SHILOAHsi-lo'-am, si-lo'-am, si-lo'-a, she'-la, shi-lo'-a:(1) me ha-shiloach (shiloach or shilloach is a passive form and means "sent" or "conducted") "the waters of (the) Shiloah" (Isaiah 8:6).(2) berekhath ha-shelach, "the pool of (the) Shelah" (the King James Version "Siloah") (Nehemiah 3:15).(3... View Details

Parallel Verses

Removed text
Added text
New American Standard Bible 1995 "Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem?
King James Bible "Or do you suppose that Or those eighteen on eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell fell, and killed them slew them, think ye that they were worse culprits than sinners above all the men who live that dwelt in Jerusalem?
Berean Bible "Or do you suppose that Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them them: Do you think that these were worse culprits than debtors beyond all the men who live dwelling in Jerusalem?
Hebrew Greek English "Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem?