Meaning of Numbers: The Number 318
The possible meaning of the number 318 is derived from the occurrence of certain words and events surrounding the first war recorded in God's word!
The English word "peace" appears 318 times, in 296 verses, in the King James version of the Old Testament. The word, many times, is derived from the Hebrew shalom (Strong's Concordance #H7965). Jerusalem's name means "founded peacefully" or "teaching of peace." Jerusalem is also commonly referenced as the city or place of peace.
The first time out of 318 occurrences that "peace" is utilized in the KJV is when God promises Abram (Abraham) he will have a son and then makes a covenant with him. The word assures the father of the faithful that he will live a long life.
And thou (Abram) shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age (Genesis 15:15, KJV).
Appearances of Number Three Hundred Eighteen
Entry 318 in the Hebrew definitions portion of Strong's is the word ochoreyn. The word, which occurs only once in the King James, is translated as "the last" in Daniel 4.
But at the last (ochoreyn) Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying . . . (Daniel 4:8, KJV).
The English word "his" appears 318 times, in 203 verses, in the King James version of the book of 1Kings. Its first use is in the book's second verse which shows how some in the ancient world dealt with the inability to generate enough body heat in old age.
Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat. Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat (1Kings 1:1 - 2, KJV).
The English word "priests" is recorded 318 times in 293 King James Bible verses. It is written the most in 2Chronicles (69 times) followed by Nehemiah (34) and Joshua (29). In regard to ancient Israel, priests could only come from the tribe of Levi. Aaron, Israel's first High Priest, was from this tribe.
The Levites were given the responsibility of serving in and maintaining the tabernacle in the wilderness that much later became Jerusalem's temple (Numbers 1:50, 18:1 - 7).
And thou shalt come unto the priests the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days, and enquire; and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgment . . . (Deuteronomy 17:9, KJV).
And the priests the sons of Levi shall come near; for them the Lord thy God hath chosen to minister unto him, and to bless in the name of the Lord; and by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried (Deuteronomy 21:5, KJV).
Number 318, Abraham and Lot
318 played a critical role not only in the Bible's first series of battles but also in the lives of the patriarchs Abraham and Lot.
King Chedorlaomer of Elam, sometime between 1880 and 1875 B.C., gathered a coalition of three other kings in order to punish five kingdoms (city states) who chose to no longer serve him.
That these (Chedorlaomer's coalition) made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar.
All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea. Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled (Genesis 14:2 - 4, KJV).
These five rebellious rulers lived near the Dead Sea's southern end. As the coalition travels south toward the "rebels," along the King's Highway, they conquer several nations before reaching their ultimate destination.
Chedorlaomer's coalition fights and overcomes the five rebelling rulers. They also take Abraham's nephew Lot, and his family, as prisoners. Abraham hears what has taken place and musters 318 of his trained servants to pursue Chedorlaomer as he travels toward Dan. Dividing his forces into two groups, Abraham (who is 80+ years old) fights and leads his men to victory. Lot, his family, and all their possession are saved (Genesis 14:11 - 16)!
More Info on Biblical Meaning of 318
318 is the product of 2 x 3 x 53. 2, 3 and 53 are all primes.
The Hebrew word arba, Strong's #H702, is written 318 times in 277 verses in the original language version of the Old Testament. It occurs the most in Ezekiel (52 times) followed by Exodus (38) then Numbers (37). Although the word usually means "four" it is sometimes translated as "fourth" or can be combined with the Hebrew word for ten (asar) to designate fourteen or fourteenth.
The first of the Bible's 318 uses of arba is used to describe the river that watered the Garden of Eden. This stream began in Eden, then flowed through the garden to irrigate it, and then upon leaving it split up into four separate waterways. Scripture refers to these four rivers as the Pison, Gihon, Hiddekel (another name for the Tigris) and Euphrates (Genesis 2:11 - 14).
And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden . . . And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four (arba) heads (Genesis 2:8, 10, KJV).
And in the fourteenth (arba asar) year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings that were with him, and smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzims in Ham, and the Emims in Shaveh Kiriathaim . . . (Genesis 14:5, KJV).