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Meaning of Hebrews Six Four to Six

The number "six" (Hebrew: שֵׁשׁ, shesh) appears frequently in the Hebrew Bible, often denoting a specific quantity or a period of time [1, 2, 3, 4, 9]. Its masculine form is שִׁשָּׁה (shishah) [6, 9]. The term is a primitive number, related to the idea of an "overplus beyond five" [9].

In various biblical contexts, "six" marks distinct periods or counts:

The number four (Hebrew: אַרְבַּ֤ע, 'ar.Ba') also appears in conjunction with six in some texts [5]. For instance, Ezekiel 1:6 describes living creatures with "four faces... and four wings" [7]. In a practical halakhic discussion, the Babylonian Talmud mentions a garden bed that is "six by six handbreadths" where one may plant "five different types of seeds," with four on the sides and one in the middle [20]. Another rabbinic discussion in the Talmud compares different measures for meals, noting that one Sage calculates "nine meals to a kav," while another, Rabbi Yoḥanan, calculates "six meals to a kav" [19]. Abraham Ibn Ezra, a Jewish rationalist commentator, interprets "four or five" in Isaiah 17:6 as referring to berries [18].

In patristic thought, the number six was sometimes considered a "perfect number." Clement of Alexandria, for example, notes that the embryo is said to be perfected in the sixth month, citing physicians and philosophers like Polybus and Aristotle. He suggests that the Pythagoreans also considered six a perfect number, associating it with the creation of the world and calling it "Marriage" [16].

The Jamieson, Fausset & Brown commentary, a Presbyterian work, interprets the "four chariots" with horses of different colors (white, black, grizzled, and bay) in Zechariah 6:1-3 as representing various dispensations, with "grizzled" implying a mixed period of prosperity and adversity [21]. This commentary also discusses the concept of "full age" or "perfect" in Hebrews 5:14, linking it to the idea of "perfection" in Hebrews 6:1. This maturity involves having "senses exercised to discern both good and evil," distinguishing between sound and unsound doctrine, much like an adult can discriminate food unlike an infant [14].

Sources

  1. STEPBible TAHOT “Ezk.41.5#04=L — Hebrew tagged text (TAHOT): שֵׁ֣שׁ [shesh] "six"”
  2. STEPBible TAHOT “Exo.36.16#07=L — Hebrew tagged text (TAHOT): שֵׁ֥שׁ [shesh] "six of"”
  3. STEPBible TAHOT “Jer.34.14#13=L — Hebrew tagged text (TAHOT): שֵׁ֣שׁ [shesh] "six"”
  4. STEPBible TAHOT “1Ch.4.27#06=L — Hebrew tagged text (TAHOT): שֵׁ֔שׁ [Shesh] "six"”
  5. STEPBible TAHOT “Zec.6.1#06=L — Hebrew tagged text (TAHOT): אַרְבַּ֤ע ['ar.Ba'] "four"”
  6. STEPBible TAHOT “Ezk.46.4#08=L — Hebrew tagged text (TAHOT): שִׁשָּׁ֧ה [shi.Shah] "[will be] six"”
  7. Ezekiel “Ezekiel 1:6 (YLT) — and four faces <FI>are<Fi> to each, and four wings <FI>are<Fi> to each of them,”
  8. Nehemiah “Nehemiah 6:4 (YLT) — and they send unto me, according to this word, four times, and I return them <FI>word<Fi> according to this word.”
  9. Strong's Hebrew Dictionary “[H8337] שֵׁשׁ — Definition: six (as an overplus beyond five or the fingers of the hand); as ord. sixth | Derivation: masculine שִׁשָּׁה; a primitive number; compare H7797 (שׂוּשׂ) | KJV usage: six(-teen, -teenth), sixth.”
  10. Job (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Job 5:19: in six . . . yea, in seven-- (Pro 6:16; Amo 1:3). The Hebrew idiom fixes on a certain number (here "six"), in order to call attention as to a thing of importance; then increases the force by adding, with a "yea, nay seven," the next higher number; here "seven," the sacred and perfect number. In all possible troubles; not merely in the precise number "seven."”
  11. Midrash Rabbah (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Midrash Rabbah, Shir HaShirim Rabbah 6:4:2: Another matter, “you are fair, my love, like Tirtza,” when you wish [ at rotza ]. When you wish, 8 When you wish to wholeheartedly fulfill My will. you need not seek to learn from anyone. Who said to them to bring wagons and cattle to bear the Tabernacle? Was it not of their own accord that they brought them? That is what is written: “They brought their offering before the Lord: six covered wagons [and twelve oxen, a wagon for every two princes and an ox for each; they brought them before the Tabernacle]” (Numbers 7:3), corresponding to the six firma”
  12. Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Niddah 146a.94:21: The six years stated with regard to a Hebrew slave (see Exodus 21:2) and similarly the years of a son and of a daughter, as will be explained, all of these are years from the time of the first year until that same time of year in the year specified, i.e., these periods are units of whole years instead of expiring on predetermined dates, as at the end of the calendar year. This supports the opinion of Rav that the years mentioned with regard to a sexually underdeveloped man or woman are full years.”
  13. Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Niddah 47b.21: The six years stated with regard to a Hebrew slave (see Exodus 21:2) and similarly the years of a son and of a daughter, as will be explained, all of these are years from the time of the first year until that same time of year in the year specified, i.e., these periods are units of whole years instead of expiring on predetermined dates, as at the end of the calendar year. This supports the opinion of Rav that the years mentioned with regard to a sexually underdeveloped man or woman are full years.”
  14. Hebrews (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Hebrews 5:14: strong meat--"solid food." them . . . of full age--literally, "perfect": akin to "perfection" (Heb 6:1). by reason of use--Greek, "habit." senses--organs of sense. exercised--similarly connected with "righteousness" in Heb 12:11. to discern both good and evil--as a child no longer an infant (Isa 7:16): so able to distinguish between sound and unsound doctrine. The mere child puts into its mouth things hurtful and things nutritious, without discrimination: but not so the adult. Paul again alludes to their tendency not to discriminate, but to ”
  15. Sefaria (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki) on Ruth 3:15: Six measures of barley. It is impossible to say [that it means] six se’ah , because it is not customary for a woman to carry such a [large] load; rather, [it means] literally, six barleycorns; and he hinted to her that there was destined to emerge from her a son who would be blessed with six blessings: “the spirit of wisdom and understanding, counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and fear of Adonoy.” 20 Yeshaya 11:2. Alternatively, this is the equivalent of a kav which is one sixth of a se’ah , also referred to as a שש and mentioned in Yechezke”
  16. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 2: Hermas, Tatian, Theophilus, Athenagoras, Clement of Alexandria — CHAP. XVI.--GNOSTIC EXPOSITION OF THE DECALOGUE. (part 4): maturity. And they say that the embryo is perfected exactly in the sixth month, that is, in one hundred and eighty days in addition to the two and a half, as Polybus the physician relates in his book On the Eighth Month, and Aristotle the philosopher in his book On Nature. Hence the Pythagoreans, as I think, reckon six the perfect number, from the creation of the world, according to the prophet, and call it Me- 513 seuthys[1] and Marriage, from its being the mi”
  17. Midrash Rabbah (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Midrash Rabbah, Shemot Rabbah 1:8: “Joseph died along with all his brothers and that entire generation” (Exodus 1:6). Teaching that as long as one of those who descended to Egypt was alive, the Egyptians did not enslave Israel. “The children of Israel were fruitful, propagated, increased, and grew exceedingly, and the land filled with them” (Exodus 1:7). “The children of Israel were fruitful, propagated…” Even though Joseph and his brothers died, their God did not die, but rather: “The children of Israel were fruitful, propagated…” 15 It was His Providence that ensured the continuity of the ch”
  18. Sefaria (Jewish (Rationalist)) “Abraham Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 17:6: Four or five . Supply berries.”
  19. Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Eruvin 82b.20: The Gemara asks: Even after allowing for this adjustment, it remains the case that according to this Sage, Rabbi Shimon, there are nine meals to a kav , whereas according to the other Sage, Rabbi Yoḥanan, although it suffices for more than four meals, there are only six meals to a kav . According to the measure of Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Beroka, each meal is two-thirds of a quarter kav , i.e., one sixth of a kav , which still leaves a considerable discrepancy between their measures.”
  20. Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 84b.4: MISHNA: The Gemara continues to discuss an additional halakha based on a biblical allusion. From where is it derived that in a garden bed that is six by six handbreadths, that one may plant five different types of seeds in it? He may do so without violating the prohibition of sowing a mixture of diverse kinds of seeds in the following manner. One sows four types of plants on each of the four sides of the garden bed and one in the middle. There is an allusion to this in the text, as it is stated: “For as the earth brings forth its growth, and as a garden causes”
  21. Zechariah (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Zechariah 6:3: white--implying joy and victory [CALVIN]. grizzled--piebald. Implying a mixed dispensation, partly prosperity, partly adversity. All four dispensations, though various in character to the Gentile nation, portended alike good to God's people. bay--rather, "strong" or "fleet"; so Vulgate [GESENIUS]. The horses have this epithet, whose part it was to "walk to and fro through the earth" (Zac 6:7). However, the Septuagint and Chaldee agree with English Version in referring the Hebrew to color, not strength.”
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