Meaning of Numbers: The Number 52
The English phrases "fifty and two" and "two and fifty," used for the number 52, is recorded 10 times in 10 King James Bible verses.
The possible meaning of the number 52 is derived from both facts about and writings within Scripture.
Azariah (Uzziah) was the son of Amaziah, the ninth ruler over the Kingdom of Judah. In 792 B.C., at the tender age of sixteen, he began to co-rule the people with his father. After sharing the reins of power for about twenty-four years, he became sole monarch over God's people when Amaziah died in 767. He would ultimately be king for a total of 52 years.
Azariah is considered one of the better kings over Judah. His 52 years of rule (2Kings 15:1 - 7, 2Chronicles 26:1 - 23) is the second longest of any sovereign over either Israel or Judah. His death in 740 B.C., at the age of 68, would also make him the oldest person who would ever rule Judah.
Appearances of Number Fifty-Two
The Hebrew word daniyel, Strong's Concordance #H1841, is recorded 52 times in 43 Hebrew Old Testament verses. The word is found exclusively in the book of Daniel (52 times).The word, which means "judgment of God" or "God is my judge," is translated in the King James as the name "Daniel."
Daniel began his life as a member of Judah's royal family. In 605 B.C., as a young child, he was taken captive during King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon's first attack on Jerusalem. Made a eunuch after arriving in Babylon, Daniel soon rose to prominence in the empire (Daniel 2). He lived a long enough life to see the Babylonian Empire destroyed and replaced by the Persians (Daniel 9).
Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel (daniyel), my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart (Daniel 7:28, KJV).
Psalm 52, written by King David, condemns the treachery of a man named Doeg. King Saul, who wanted God's priests killed because he thought they were disloyal, couldn't get a Israelite to do his dirty work. A man named Doeg, however, an Edomite, steps up and with zeal murders 85 priests. He then proceeds to travel to the priestly city of Nob where he slaughters most of its innocent inhabitants, including women, babies and even animals (1Samuel 22)!
Why do you boast yourself in evil, O mighty man? The mercy of God endures forever. Your tongue devises destruction, like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. You love evil more than good, and lying more than to speak righteousness. Selah (Psalm 52:1 - 3).
The prophet Nehemiah, a captive of the Persian Empire, was given the task of returning to Jerusalem and supervising its rebuilding (Nehemiah 1 - 2). Under his oversight, the city's walls were repaired and rebuilt in 52 days (6:15).
In a fascinating bit of trivia, Nehemiah is the only person to record the names of the gates within Jerusalem's wall. The names of these gates, found in chapter 3, are Sheep (verses 1 - 2), Fish (verses 3 - 5), Old (verses 6 - 12), Valley (verse 13), Dung (verse 14), Fountain (verse 15), Water (verse 26), Horse (verse 28), East (verse 29) and Miphkad (or Inspection, verse 31).
Bible by the Numbers
In the Old Testament, the Biblical chapters of Deuteronomy 32, 1Samuel 14 and Psalm 89 contain 52 verses in the King James Bible.
In the New Testament, the chapters Mark 10, Luke 2 and Acts 13 have 52 verses in the King James.
Book 52 of the King James Bible translation is 1Thessalonians. It was written by the Apostle Paul in 50 A.D. It holds the distinction of being the earliest writing of Paul including in the New Testament.
The 52nd largest King James book, in terms of chapters, is the book of Malachi. It contains 4 chapters and 55 verses.
The 52nd largest King James book, in terms of verses, is the writing of the minor prophet Joel. It contains 73 verses in 3 chapters.
The Sabbath
The vast majority of years in both the Julian (before October 1582) and our modern Gregorian calendar systems have 365 days. This means each year contains 52 weekly Biblical Sabbaths (sunset Friday to sunset Saturday).
Leap years, even though they have 366 days, do not violate the count of fifty-two Sabbaths. Year 2020 was a leap year where February 29 added a fifth Sabbath to the month. The yearly Sabbath count, however, was still the same.
Number 52 and Apostle Paul
During Paul's second missionary journey, which ran from 49 to 52 A.D., he stayed in Corinth for roughly one and one-half years (Acts 18).
In the spring of 52 A.D., Paul leaves Corinth, along with Priscilla and Aquila, and sails to Ephesus. Staying in the city for only a short time, he soon travels to Jerusalem so that he can celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles (Acts 18:19 - 21). After the feast, he journeys to Syrian Antioch and spends the rest of the year in the city.
In 54 A.D. the Apostle Paul turned 52 years old.
More Info on Biblical Meaning of 52
The English phrases "fifty and two" and "two and fifty," used for the number 52, are found in the books of Nehemiah (4 times), Ezra (3), and the books of Numbers, 2Chronicles and 2Kings (one each).
There are 3 words and phrases in the Bible's original languages that are recorded exactly 52 times.
52 is the product of 2 x 2 (2 squared) x 13. Both 2 and 13 are prime numbers.
Jesus, in the gospels, is directly accused on six separate occasions of being possessed of the devil or a demon. One of these occurrences is recorded in verse 52 of John 8 after he declares those who believe in him will receive eternal life.
Then the Jews said to Him (Jesus), "Now we know that You have a demon . . ."
The English word "signs" appears 53 times in 52 verses in the King James Bible. It is written the most in the book of Acts (8 times) followed by Exodus (7). The word frequently appears in the same sentence as "wonders" to describe either the miraculous powers God uses to carry out his will or the lying spectacles used by those who wish to deceive humanity.
And the Lord shewed signs and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his household, before our eyes (Deuteronomy 6:2, KJV).
For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect (Mark 13:22, KJV).
A man named Nebo had fifty-two descendants during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah (Ezra 2:29, Nehemiah 7:33). These descendants, led by Zerubbabel and others (Nehemiah 7:7), returned to the land of Judah after being in Babylonian captivity.
Seven of these returning 52 captives, when they finally arrived home, were encouraged by Ezra the prophet to get rid of their foreign wives (Ezra 10:43, see also Ezra 9 - 10). God did not want his people marrying non-Israelite mates so that they would not be led away from solely worshipping him and committing idolatry (Exodus 34:12 - 16, Deuteronomy 7:1 - 4, 17:17).
The prophetic book of Jeremiah has 52 chapters, 1,364 verses and 42,659 words. Jeremiah has the third most chapters of any Biblical book (the Psalms has 150) and the third most total verses (the Psalms has 2,461). It has, however, the second most words of any book, as the Psalms contains 43,743 of them!