GENESIS 1:5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first (echad) day.
This is a reference to which position in a sequence of days that this particular day occupied (it was the first of several days). Here, the word "echad" is used as an ordinal, and does not indicate a unification of days.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 0, as a quantity: 0, as an ordinal: 1
GENESIS 1:9 ¶ And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one (echad) place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
Did God gather the waters to a "unified" place, or to a single place? Here, the word "echad" refers not to a unification of places, but to quantity of places.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 0, as a quantity: 1, as an ordinal: 1
GENESIS 2:11 The name of the first (echad) is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold;
Here, the word "echad" is an ordinal reference: a reference to which position in a list of rivers that this river occupies.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 0, as a quantity: 1, as an ordinal: 2
GENESIS 2:21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam and he slept: and he took one (echad) of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
Does this refer to a "unified" rib, or does this refer to a single rib? Here, the word "echad" indicates a quantity of ribs, not a unification.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 0, as a quantity: 2, as an ordinal: 2
GENESIS 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one (echad) flesh.
The man and his wife are still physically two bodies, yet they are "one flesh." Here, the word "echad" is used idiomatically, and indicates a union of bodies, not a quantity.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 2, as an ordinal: 2
GENESIS 3:22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one (echad) of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
In English, the word "one" is sometimes used as a pronoun, and has a numerical function. (For example: "One of the cows was limping.") In Hebrew, the word "echad" is sometimes used in the same way: as a pronoun with a numerical function. Grammatically, the phrase "one of us" means that man has been included as a single member in the group called "us" (a quantity). It does not indicate a union.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 3, as an ordinal: 2
GENESIS 4:19 ¶ And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one (echad) was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.
Was Adah a "united" wife, or was only one of these two wives called Adah. Here, the word "echad" indicates a quantity of wives called Adah, not to a "unified" wife.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 4, as an ordinal: 2
GENESIS 8:5 And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month: in the tenth month, on the first (echad) day of the month, were the tops of the mountains seen.
This is a reference to which position in a sequence of days that this particular day occupied. Here, the word "echad" is ordinal reference.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 4, as an ordinal: 3
GENESIS 8:13 ¶ And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first (echad) year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry.
This is the first of two instances of the word "echad" in Genesis 8:13. Here, the word "echad" indicates which year in the sequence of years (of Noah's life) that this took place. It is an ordinal reference.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 4, as an ordinal: 4
GENESIS 8:13 ¶ And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first (echad) day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry.
This is the second of two instances of the word "echad" in Genesis 8:13. Here, the word "echad" is a reference to which day in a sequence of days (of that month) that this particular day occupies. It is used as an ordinal, and does not refer to a "united" day.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 4, as an ordinal: 5
GENESIS 10:25 And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one (echad) was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother's name was Joktan.
In English, the word "one" is sometimes used as a pronoun, and has a numerical function. (For example, "One is Peleg, the other is Joktan.") In Hebrew, the word "echad" is sometimes used in the same way: as a pronoun with a numerical function. In this verse, one (echad) of these two brothers was named Peleg, and the other was named Joktan. Here, the word "echad" is used as a pronoun with a numeric function, and indicates a quantity of sons named Peleg. It does not indicate a "unification" of brothers.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 5, as an ordinal: 5
GENESIS 11:1 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one (echad) speech.
This verse introduces the story of the tower of Babel. Does this refer to a "unified" speech pattern, or merely to a single language? Genesis 11:7-8 says that God confused their language such that they could no longer understand each other, causing them to abandon construction of the tower. Here therefore, the word "echad" indicates a quantity of languages, not a unification.
Note: The first instance of the word "one" ("...of one language") uses a different Hebrew word than "echad."
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 6, as an ordinal: 5
GENESIS 11:6 And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one (echad), and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
This is the first of two instances of the word "echad" in Genesis 11:6. This verse is part of the story of the tower of Babel. Genesis 10:1-5 lists the sons of Japeth (who was himself the biological son of Noah), and then says: "By these [sons of Japeth] sere the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations." Therefore, before God "confounded" the language and scattered the people (Genesis 11:9), all the people were part of the same people (much the way that, say, the Japanese are a single people, or that the Spanish are a single people, etc.). Here, in biblical context, the word "echad" indicates a quantity of peoples, not a unification.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 7, as an ordinal: 5
GENESIS 11:6 And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one (echad) language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
This is the second of two instances of the word "echad" in Genesis 11:6. This verse is part of the story of the tower of Babel. Does this refer to a "unified" speech pattern, or merely to a single language? Genesis 11:7-8 says that God confused their language such that they could no longer understand each other, causing them to abandon construction of the tower. Here therefore, the word "echad" indicates a quantity of languages, not a unification.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 8, as an ordinal: 5
GENESIS 19:9 And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one (echad) fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.
In English, the word "one" is sometimes used as a pronoun, and has a numerical function. (For example: "The black horse is nice, but I like the white one better.") In Hebrew, the word "echad" is sometimes used the same way: as a pronoun with a numerical function. This verse is part of the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. When the sodomites were referring to Lot when they said "this one fellow came in to sojourn..," Was Lot a "unified" man, or was he an individual man? Here, the pronoun "echad" indicates a quantity of men, not a union.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 9, as an ordinal: 5
GENESIS 21:15 And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one (echad) of the shrubs.
In English, the word "one" is sometimes used as a pronoun, and has a numerical function. (For example: "Abe brought a gift for one of his children.") In Hebrew, the word "echad" is sometimes used in the same way: as a pronoun with a numerical function. In this verse, there were apparently several shrubs present. Was this child was placed was placed under a "unified" shrub, or under a single shrub? Here, the pronoun "echad" indicates a quantity, not to a "union" of shrubs.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 10, as an ordinal: 5
GENESIS 22:2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one (echad) of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
In English, the word "one" is sometimes used as a pronoun, and has a numerical function. (For example: "One of the children is crying.") In Hebrew, the word "echad" is sometimes used in the same way: as a pronoun with a numerical function. In this verse, Isaac was to be offered on the top of "one" (echad) of the mountains. Is this mountain somehow "unified," or is this a subset of all the mountains? Here, the pronoun "echad" indicates a quantity of mountains, not a union of mountains.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 11, as an ordinal: 5
GENESIS 26:10 And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? one (echad) of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us.
In English, the word "one" is sometimes used as a pronoun, and has a numerical function. (For example: "The oxen were taken by one of the farmers.") In Hebrew, the word "echad" is sometimes used in the same way: as a pronoun with a numerical function. In this verse, Abimelech suggested that some individual man might have lain with Sarah, and thought nothing of it. He said nothing of a "unified" man. Here, the pronoun "echad" indicates a quantity of possible adulterers, not a union.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 12, as an ordinal: 5
GENESIS 26:26 ¶ Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath one (echad) of his friends, and Phichol the chief captain of his army.
In English, the word "one" is sometimes used as a pronoun, and has a numerical function. (For example: "Haran, one of Terah's sons, built a city.") In Hebrew, the word "echad" is sometimes used in the same way: as a pronoun with a numerical function. In this verse, Ahuzzath was one of Abimelech's many friends. Was Ahuzzath a "unified" man, or was he an individual friend of Abimelech's? Here, the pronoun "echad" indicates a quantity of Abimelech's friends, not a union.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 13, as an ordinal: 5
GENESIS 27:38 And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one (echad) blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.
If this were a "unified" blessing, then why would Esau weep, and beg his father to bless him also? Here, the word "echad" indicates a quantity of blessings, not a "unified" blessing.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 14, as an ordinal: 5
GENESIS 27:44 And tarry with him a few (echad) days, until thy brother's fury turn away;
Rebekah told Jacob to hide at Laban's home for a number of days—not for a "unified" day. The word "days" is plural. Here, the word "echad" indicates a (indefinite) quantity, not a union.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 15, as an ordinal: 5
GENESIS 27:45 Until thy brother's anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and fetch thee from thence: why should I be deprived also of you both in one (echad) day?
In other words, Rebekah asked "Why should I be deprived of you both the same day." Here, the word "echad" indicates a quantity of days, not a "unified" day.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 16, as an ordinal: 5
GENESIS 29:20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few (echad) days, for the love he had to her.
The seven years that Jacob served for the hand of Rachel seemed to be but a small number of days—not a "unified" day. In this verse, the word "days" is plural. Here, the word "echad" indicates a (indefinite) quantity.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 17, as an ordinal: 5
GENESIS 32:8 And said, If Esau come to the one (echad) company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape.
Is this a "unified" group, or did Jacob divide his camp into two groups? (cf. Genesis 32:7). Here, the word "echad" indicates a quantity of groups, not a "unified" group.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 18, as an ordinal: 5
GENESIS 32:22 And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants, and his eleven (echad-asar) sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok.
Here, the word "echad" is part of the phrase "echad-asar," which actually means "one and ten"—in other words, "eleven." Here, the word "echad" is used as a number for a quantity of sons.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 19, as an ordinal: 5
GENESIS 33:13 And he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me: and if men should overdrive them one (echad) day, all the flock will die.
Is this a "unified" day, or does "one day" refer to a single unit of time? Here, the word "echad" indicates a quantity of days, not a unified day.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 20, as an ordinal: 5
GENESIS 34:16 Then will we give our daughters unto you, and we will take your daughters to us, and we will dwell with you, and we will become one (echad) people.
Here, the word "echad" indicates a quantity, and not a union. They would not be two peoples unified, but a single people. This matches Hamor's description of the proposal at Genesis 34:20-23 (he spoke of the two peoples merging together not as allies, but becoming the same people).
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 21, as an ordinal: 5
GENESIS 34:22 Only herein will the men consent unto us for to dwell with us, to be one (echad) people, if every male among us be circumcised, as they are circumcised.
This is part of the same story as Genesis 34:16 above. They would not be two peoples unified, but a single people. This is described by Hamor at Genesis 34:20-23 (he spoke of the two peoples merging together). Here, the word "echad" indicates a quantity of peoples, not a unification.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 22, as an ordinal: 5
GENESIS 37:9 ¶ And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven (echad-asar) stars made obeisance to me.
Here, the word "echad" is part of the phrase "echad-asar," which actually means "one and ten"—in other words, "eleven." Here, the word "echad" is used as a number for a quantity of stars.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 23, as an ordinal: 5
GENESIS 37:20 Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some (echad) pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.
This verse could also have been correctly translated as "...let us slay him, and cast him into [a] (echad) pit..." In either case, Joseph was cast into a single pit, not a "unified" pit. Here, the word "echad" indicates a quantity of pits, not a unification.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 24, as an ordinal: 5
GENESIS 40:5 ¶ And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one (echad) night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison.
Did the butler and the baker dream in a "unified" night, or did they dream on the same night? Here, the word "echad" indicates a quantity of nights, not a "united" night.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 25, as an ordinal: 5
GENESIS 41:5 And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one (echad) stalk, rank and good.
Is this a "unified" stalk, or a single stalk? Here, the word "echad" indicates a quantity, not a unification of stalks.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 26, as an ordinal: 5
GENESIS 41:11 And we dreamed a dream in one (echad) night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream.
Did the butler and the baker dream in a "unified" night, or did they dream on the same night? Here, the word "echad" indicates a quantity of nights, not a "united" night.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 27, as an ordinal: 5
GENESIS 41:22 And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in one (echad) stalk, full and good:
Again, is this a "unified" stalk, or a single stalk? Here too, the word "echad" indicates a quantity of stalks, not a unification.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 28, as an ordinal: 5
GENESIS 41:25 ¶ And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one (echad): God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do.
This instance of the use of the word "echad" must be understood in tandem with the example at Genesis 41:26. See the next example for an explanation.
Subtotal for Genesis: (See the next item.)
GENESIS 41:26 The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one (echad).
Pharaoh dreamed the same dream twice. The second time, a different set of symbols was used, but it was the same dream nonetheless. The seven good cattle, and the seven good ears mean the same thing: seven good years of plenty, for the dream is "one" (that is, the same). Twice, Joseph said "the dream is one" (singular), not, "the dreams are one" (plural). Furthermore, he said:
GENESIS 41:32 And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
Therefore, in both instances at Genesis 41:25 Genesis 41:26, the word "echad" indicates a quantity of dreams.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 30, as an ordinal: 5
GENESIS 42:11 We are all one (echad) man's sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies.
Were they the sons of a "unified" man, or of the same man? Here, the word "echad" indicates a quantity of men, not a "united father."
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 31, as an ordinal: 5
GENESIS 42:13 And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one (echad) man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not.
This is the first of two instances of the word "echad" in Genesis 42:13. The sons of Jacob were not the sons of a "unified" man—they were all sons of the same man. Here, the word "echad" indicates a quantity of men (one), not to a union of men.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 32, as an ordinal: 5
GENESIS 42:13 And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one (echad) is not.
This is the second of two instances of the word "echad" in Genesis 42:13. They were twelve brethren. Of the twelve brethren, one was no longer alive (or so they said). The phrase "...and one (echad) is not" is what the sons of Jacob said about their brother Joseph. Furthermore, Joseph was a single man—not a union of men. Here, the word "echad" indicates a quantity.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 33, as an ordinal: 5
GENESIS 42:16 Send one (echad) of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies.
Did Joseph instruct them to send a "united" brother to fetch Benjamin, or a single brother? Here, the word "echad" indicates a quantity of brothers, not a union.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 34, as an ordinal: 5
GENESIS 42:19 If ye be true men, let one (echad) of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses:
Were they directed to keep a "united" brother in the prison, or a single brother? Here, the word "echad" indicates a quantity, not a union.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 35, as an ordinal: 5
GENESIS 42:27 And as one (echad) of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn, he espied his money; for, behold, it was in his sack's mouth.
In this particular verse, was this a "unified" brother that found the money in the mouth of his sack, or was it a single brother who found it? Later, in verse 35, "it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack..." Therefore, in verse 27, this was a single brother, not somehow "unified" with anything. Here, in verse 27, the word "echad" indicates a quantity.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 36, as an ordinal: 5
GENESIS 42:32 We be twelve brethren, sons of our father; one (echad) is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.
This is what they told the Egyptian lord (Joseph) back in Genesis 42:13. They were twelve brethren. Of the twelve brethren, one was no longer alive (or so they thought). They said this, referring to their brother Joseph, who was a single brother, not a "unified" brother. Here, the word "echad" indicates a quantity.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 37, as an ordinal: 5
GENESIS 42:33 And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are true men; leave one (echad) of your brethren here with me, and take food for the famine of your households, and be gone:
Were they told to leave a "unified" brother, or a single brother in Egypt. Simeon, who was left behind, was an individual brother. Here, the word "echad" indicates a quantity, not a "union" of brothers.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 38, as an ordinal: 5
GENESIS 44:28 And the one (echad) went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since:
Read Genesis 44:18-34. Here at verse 28, Joseph was the one of the two sons of Jacob's wife (see verse 27) that Jacob thought was torn in pieces. Was Joseph a "united" son, or a single son? Here, the word "echad" indicates a quantity, not a unification.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 39, as an ordinal: 5
GENESIS 48:22 Moreover I have given to thee one (echad) portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.
Is this a "unified" portion, or is this a particular, or an additional portion? (Truth be known, if everything were otherwise divided equally, then this was an additional portion that Jacob was talking about.) Here, the word "echad" indicates a quantity.
Subtotal for Genesis: Echad as a union: 1, as a quantity: 40, as an ordinal: 5
Running total of the uses of the Hebrew word "echad" as of the end of the book of Genesis: The word "echad" was used as a union of several nouns on 1 occasion, as a quantity of nouns or a number on 40 occasions, and was used to indicate an ordinal position on 5 occasions.
| as a Union |
as a Quantity |
as an Ordinal |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Genesis | 1 | 40 | 5 |
| Exodus | - | - | - |
| Leviticus | - | - | - |
| Numbers | - | - | - |
| Deuteronomy | - | - | - |
| Total (thus far): | 1 | 40 | 5 |