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Gematria

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions | 1997 | | Copyright

Gematria (Heb., gimatriyya, from Gk., geometria). Use or study of hidden meanings through numbers, especially the numerical equivalence of letters. Gematria was much employed by the kabbalists and was used to prove the messiahship of Shabbetai Zevi. Despite criticism, its use was widespread in both Sephardi and Ashkenazi circles.

In Islam, the equivalent techniques are known as ʿilm ul-ḥurūf, based on abjad (the numerical values of the letters). Thus Adam and Eve are specially related to God because their names = the Divine Name (of Allāh).

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JOHN BOWKER. "Gematria." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

JOHN BOWKER. "Gematria." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Gematria.html

JOHN BOWKER. "Gematria." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Gematria.html

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Gematria

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church | 2000 | | Copyright

Gematria. A method of interpretation employed by the Rabbis to extract hidden meanings from words. It depended on the fact that every Hebrew letter possessed a numerical value and it was thus possible by counting the value of the letters in a Hebrew word to assign to it a numerical value. The method was occasionally used by early Christians. In Rev. 13: 18 the number of the beast is given as 666, which is the numerical equivalent of the Hebrew words for ‘Nero Caesar’.

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E. A. LIVINGSTONE. "Gematria." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

E. A. LIVINGSTONE. "Gematria." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O95-Gematria.html

E. A. LIVINGSTONE. "Gematria." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 2000. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O95-Gematria.html

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gematria

A Dictionary of the Bible | 1997 | | Copyright

gematria A Hebrew word for a method of biblical interpretation employed by rabbis and also adopted occasionally by Christians. It involved the system in Hebrew where numerals were represented by a particular letter, and so a word or name could be assigned a number. Thus in Rev. 13: 18 it could be argued, in reverse, that the number 666 represents a name; the Hebrew letters make the words ‘Nero Caesar’.

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W. R. F. BROWNING. "gematria." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

W. R. F. BROWNING. "gematria." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O94-gematria.html

W. R. F. BROWNING. "gematria." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O94-gematria.html

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gematria

Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes | 2007 | Copyright

gematria •barrier, carrier, farrier, harrier, tarrier •Calabria, Cantabria •Andrea • Kshatriya • Bactria •Amu Darya, aria, Zaria •Alexandria •Ferrier, terrier •destrier •aquaria, area, armamentaria, Bavaria, Bulgaria, caldaria, cineraria, columbaria, filaria, frigidaria, Gran Canaria, herbaria, honoraria, malaria, pulmonaria, rosaria, sacraria, Samaria, solaria, tepidaria, terraria •atria, gematria •Assyria, Illyria, Styria, Syria •Laurier, warrior •hypochondria, mitochondria •Austria •auditoria, ciboria, conservatoria, crematoria, emporia, euphoria, Gloria, moratoria, phantasmagoria, Pretoria, sanatoria, scriptoria, sudatoria, victoria, Vitoria, vomitoria •Maurya •courier, Fourier •currier, furrier, spurrier, worrier •Cumbria, Northumbria, Umbria •Algeria, anterior, bacteria, Bashkiria, cafeteria, criteria, cryptomeria, diphtheria, exterior, hysteria, Iberia, inferior, interior, Liberia, listeria, Nigeria, posterior, Siberia, superior, ulterior, wisteria •Etruria, Liguria, Manchuria, Surya

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"gematria." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"gematria." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-gematria.html

"gematria." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-gematria.html

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