Five is a structural number in the Bible rather than a symbolic one. It is how several books are organised, and it is how the ancient world counted with its hand. That is more interesting than the meanings usually assigned to it. Five as a shape, not a symbol The Torah is five books — Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy — which is why it is called the Pentateuch, from the Greek for five scrolls. The book of Psalms is…

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