תִּשְׁעִים (tish.im)
tish.im
ninety
H:NQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 17 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N
Definition
Definition
Brown-Driver-Briggs
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The number ninety appears in Scripture as a marker of human limitation and divine patience. In Genesis, it often marks the late stage of life for the patriarchs, reminding us that our years are finite. Yet even at this age, God’s promises remain active. Abraham laughs in disbelief when he hears Sarah is ninety, yet God chooses to work through what seems biologically impossible.
In other contexts, like the temple pillars or census lists, ninety signifies completeness within a larger order. It reminds us that every detail matters to God. Whether counting years or objects, Scripture shows that nothing is too small for divine attention. This number invites us to trust God’s timing, even when His plans seem distant or difficult to understand.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 17 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- ninety13×
- and/ ninety4×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- תִּשְׁעִ֥ים11×
- תִּשְׁעִ֣ים2×
- וְ/תִשְׁעִים֙2×
- וְ/תִשְׁעִֽים\׃2×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 17:17
Then Abraham fell on his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, “Will a child be born to him who is one hundred years old? Will Sarah, who is ninety years old, give birth?”
Abraham’s laughter highlights the tension between human impossibility and God’s power to fulfill promises beyond natural limits.
-
Genesis 5:9
Enosh lived ninety years, and became the father of Kenan.
Enosh’s ninety years anchor the genealogy in real, measurable time, showing God’s faithfulness across generations.
-
Daniel 12:11
“From the time that the continual burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate set up, there will be one thousand two hundred ninety days.
The twelve hundred ninety days use ninety as part of a prophetic period, emphasizing precision in God’s timeline for restoration.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the number ninety symbolize in the Bible?
Why does Abraham laugh when he hears Sarah is ninety?
Is ninety used in prophetic contexts?
Every Occurrence (17 verses across 7 books)
Genesis 6 verses
Enosh lived ninety years, and became the father of Kenan.
Genesis 5:17All of the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred ninety-five years, then he died.
Genesis 5:30Lamech lived after he became the father of Noah five hundred ninety-five years, and became the father of other sons and…
Genesis 17:1When Abram was ninety-nine years old, Yahweh appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty. Walk before me and…
Genesis 17:17Then Abraham fell on his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, “Will a child be born to him who is one hundred…
Genesis 17:24Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.