The number twelve plays a prominent role in the Holy Bible, being mentioned over 150 times. Offered herein is a selected listing of verses from both the Old Testament and New Testament.

►OLD TESTAMENT REFERENCES

• The Old Testament includes twelve Minor Prophet (1) books: Hosea (2), Joel (3), Amos (4), Obadiah (5), Jonah (6), Micah (7), Nahum (8), Habakkuk (9), Zephaniah (10), Haggai (11), Zechariah (12) and Malachi (13).
• The Old Testament includes twelve Historical books: Joshua (14), Judges (15), Ruth (16), 1 Samuel (17), 2 Samuel (18), 1 Kings (19), 2 Kings (20), 1 Chronicles (21), 2 Chronicles (22), Ezra (23), Nehemiah (24), and Esther (25).
• God (26) tells Abraham (27) that He will make Ishmael (28) the father of twelve rulers (Genesis 17:20). See Genesis 25:12-18 for the names of Ishmael's children.
• The Twelve Sons of Israel (Jacob/29) are mentioned as the Twelve Tribes of Israel (30) for the first time (Genesis 49).
• Moses (31) built an altar to the Lord with twelve stone pillars which represented the Twelve Tribes of Israel (Exodus 24:4).
• Embedded in the Israelite high priest’s breastplate were twelve precious stones (Exodus 28:15-21). See also Revelation 21:19-20.
• As a lasting covenant (32), the Lord commanded a regular offering of twelve loaves on the table of pure gold (Leviticus 24:5).
• Twelve silver plates, twelve silver sprinkling bowls and twelve gold dishes were offered by the Israelite leaders for the Altar dedication (Numbers 7:84).
• When the Altar was dedicated and anointed, the total number of animals for the burnt offering came to twelve young bulls, twelve rams and twelve male lambs a year old, together with their grain offering. Twelve male goats were used for the sin offering (Numbers 7:87).
• The Lord directed Moses to send Twelve Spies (33) to explore Canaan (34) (Numbers 13:1-16).
• Twelve Curses for Disobedience (35) are outlined (Deuteronomy 28:15-68).
• The Lord directed Joshua (36) to choose twelve men, one from each tribe, to take twelve stones from the Jordan River (37) and erect a memorial to the people of Israel (Joshua 4:1-11).
• King Solomon (38) had twelve district governors throughout Israel (1 Kings 4:7).
• The Prophet (39) Elijah (40) repaired an altar of the Lord with twelve stones, one for each of the Twelve Tribes of Israel (1 Kings 18:30-31).
• Elisha (41) was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen when Elijah called him (1 Kings 19:19).
• The number twelve is mentioned 24 times in 1 Chronicles 25.
• When Israel returned from Babylonian (42) captivity, Ezra (43) set apart 12 priests (Ezra 8).
• [Saying 12] Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge (Proverbs 23:12).
• King Nebuchadnezzar II's (44) dream of acting like a wild animal is fulfilled after twelve months (Daniel 4). Afterward, he became a believer of the God of Israel.

►NEW TESTAMENT REFERENCES

• Jesus (45) chose twelve untrained, ordinary men to become His Disciples (46) (students). They later became His Apostles (one who is sent) (Matthew 10:1-4, Mark 3:13-19, Luke 6:12-16).
• Jesus raised a twelve year old girl from the dead and healed a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years (Matthew 9:18-26, Mark 5:21-43, Luke 8:40-56).
• Jesus was found preaching in the Temple at age twelve (47) (Luke 2:41-52).
• There were twelve baskets containing leftovers after Jesus fed the five thousand (Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:30-44, Luke 9:10-17, John 6:1-15).
• Jesus asks, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight?" (John 11:9).
• A great sign appeared in Heaven: a woman clothed with the Sun, with the Moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head (Revelation 12:1).
• The walls of the New Jerusalem will have twelve foundations, which will be inscribed with the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb (Revelation 21:14).
• The wall foundations of the New Jerusalem will be decorated with twelve precious stones (Revelation 21:19-20). See also Exodus 28:15-21.
• The New Jerusalem, descending out of Heaven from God, will have twelve gates made of twelve pearls (Revelation 21:21). The names of the Twelve Tribes of Israel will be written on the twelve gates, which will be manned by twelve Angels (48).
• In the New Jerusalem, the Tree of Life will bear twelve crops of fruit (Revelation 22:1-5).

If figures related to twelve (12 or 12 times 12 or 12,000, etc) are included, the count is still higher. It is critical to remember that, sometimes, the mention of the number twelve (or any number) is just that and nothing more. It's important to not get "lost in the weeds" of any number mentioned in the Bible and, therefore, lose focus on the spiritual meaning of the message at hand.

+  +  +  +  +  +  +  +  +

Footnotes, External Sources and Page Credits appear below. Consider printing and sharing the offered PDF narrative and other listed resources with family, friends and strangers alike for use in Bible Studies (a), Home/Church Faith Sharing Groups (b), Discipleship Encounters (c) and/or Personal Faith Enrichment!

Modifications are welcome at goodnews@marionmannaproject.com.

FOOTNOTES:

  (1) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/ot-minor-prophets

  (2) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/hosea

  (3) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/joel

  (4) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/amos

  (5) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/obadiah

  (6) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/jonah

  (7) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/micah

  (8) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/nahum

  (9) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/habakkuk

(10) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/zephaniah

(11) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/haggai

(12) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/zechariah

(13) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/malachi

(14) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/historical-books

(15) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/joshua

(16) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/judges

(17) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/judges

(18) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/1-samuel

(19) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/2-samuel

(20) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/1-kings

(21) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/2-kings

(22) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/1-chronicles

(23) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/2-chronicles

(24) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/ezra

(25) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/nehemiah

(26) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/esther

(27) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/God-of-the-bible

(28) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/Abraham

(29) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/Ishmael

(30) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/jacob-patriarch

(31) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/twelve-tribes-of-israel

(31) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/Moses

(32) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/covenants

(33) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/twelve-spies

(34) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/Canaan

(35) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/disobedience

(36) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/joshua-son-of-nun

(37) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/jordan-river

(38) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/solomon

(39) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/prophets-of-the-bible

(40) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/Elijah

(41) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/elisha

(42) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/babylon

(43) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/ezra-1

(44) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/Nebuchadnezzar

(45) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/Jesus-Christ

(46) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/twelve-apostles

(47) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/young-jesus-in-the-temple

(48) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/angels

  (a) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/bible-studies

  (b) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/christian-education

  (c) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/discipleship