The Number Forty in Scripture

The number forty appears over and over again in the Bible. What follows is a list of its more important appearances there:

It rained for forty days and forty nights when the flood covered the earth (Genesis 7)

Noah waited forty days after the mountain peaks became visible to release a raven (Genesis 8:6-7)

Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah (Genesis 25:20)

It took forty days to embalm Jacob (Genesis 50:2-3)

The children of Israel ate manna for forty years (Exodus 16:35)

Moses was on the mountain for forty days and forty nights (Exodus 24:18 and 34:28)

Forty silver bases to support the frames of the Tabernacle (Exodus 26:19-21 and 36:24-26)

Spies looked over the Promised Land for forty days (Numbers 13:25)

The children of Israel wandered in the wilderness for forty years (Numbers 14:33-34 and others)

Caleb was forty years old when Moses sent him to look at the land (Joshua 14:7)

Forty years of rest during the times of the Judges (Judges 3:11, 5:31, 8:28, and I Samuel 4:18)

Forty years into the hands of the Philistines (Judges 13:1)

Goliath taunted the army of Israel for forty days (I Samuel 17:16)

David reigned as king of Israel for forty years (II Samuel 5:4)

Solomon reigned as king of Israel for forty years (I Kings 11:42)

Elijah traveled forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai (I Kings 19:8)

Ezekiel prophesied that Egypt would be desolate for forty years (Ezekiel 29:11-13)

Jonah prophesied that Nineveh would be destroyed in forty days (Jonah 3:4)

Jesus fasted for forty days and nights and was tempted by Satan (Matthew 4:2, Mark 1:13, and Luke 4:2)

Jesus appeared to his disciples forty days after he was resurrected (Acts 1:3)