Bible Associations

Eleven – Compacted, Coupled, or Joined

            The numbers one and eleven are very similar in their association with bible subjects.  The number one is associated with the subject of unity.  The number eleven is closely allied with this association in that eleven is associated with that which is compacted, coupled, or joined together. 

            The word, coupled, appears eleven times in the Old Testament:

                        1.  Ex. 26:3 "The five curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and other five curtains shall be coupled one to another."

                        2.  Ex. 26:24 "And they shall be coupled together beneath, and they shall be coupled together above the head of it unto one ring: thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners."

                        3.  Ex. 36:10 "And he coupled the five curtains one unto another: and the other five curtains he coupled one unto another."

                        4.  Ex. 36:13 "And he made fifty taches of gold, and coupled the curtains one unto another with the taches: so it became one tabernacle."

                        5.  Ex. 36:16 "And he coupled five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves."

                        6.  Ex. 36:29 "And they were coupled beneath, and coupled together at the head thereof, to one ring: thus he did to both of them in both the corners."

                        7.  Ex. 39:4 "They made shoulderpieces for it, to couple it together: by the two edges was it coupled together."

            Similarly, the Greek word, kollao, means to cleave, join (self), keep company.  This Greek word is found eleven times in the New Testament and is used to indicate that which is cleaved together, joined, or coupled. 

            One of the coverings of the Old Testament tabernacle had eleven curtains.  These eleven curtains were all coupled together: Ex. 26:7 "And thou shalt make curtains of goats' hair to be a covering upon the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt thou make. 8 The length of one curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and the eleven curtains shall be all of one measure. 9 And thou shalt couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and shalt double the sixth curtain in the forefront of the tabernacle. 10 And thou shalt make fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain that is outmost in the coupling, and fifty loops in the edge of the curtain which coupleth the second. 11 And thou shalt make fifty taches of brass, and put the taches into the loops, and couple the tent together, that it may be one."

            The Lord gave the gift of the gospel ministry and one of the purposes of the gospel ministry is to preach the word of God so that the members of the church may be coupled or joined together around the word of God: Eph. 4:11 "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love."

            The question is asked and answered in Amos 3:3, " Can two walk together, except they be agreed?  To be united in faith, we must be agreed.  Our agreement is not on the details or interest of each individual, but our agreement is one the fundamental teachings of the scriptures.  

            There are some Old Testament verses that associate the number eleven and the word of God which, of course, is that by which we are coupled together:

                        1.  Deu. 1:3 "And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spake unto the children of Israel, according unto all that the LORD had given him in commandment unto them;"

                        2.  Eze. 26:1 "And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,"

                        3.  Eze. 30:20 "And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the first month, in the seventh day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,"

                        4.  Eze. 31:1 "And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the third month, in the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,"

                        5.  Zec. 1:7 "Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Sebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying,"

            Another example of this association between the number eleven and the subject of being coupled, joined, or compacted together is found in Gen 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 stars made obeisance to me."  The dream of Joseph, who is a very strong figure of Christ in the Old Testament was that his eleven brothers would come one day and make obeisance unto him.  The figure is that we as the children of God are coupled together in our true worship of Christ through the knowledge of the word of God.