Meaning of Numbers: The Number 80
The English word "fourscore" (a "score" is twenty), used for the number 80, is recorded 36 times in 35 King James Bible verses.
Part of the meaning of the number 80 in the Bible comes from the fact that it can represent the start or duration of freedom from oppressors.
Moses was 80, and his older brother Aaron was 83, when they challenged Pharaoh to free the children of Israel from their bondage.
And Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron was eighty-three years old, when they spoke to Pharaoh (Exodus 7:7, HBFV).
Moses, whom God blessed by not having his strength or eyesight diminish as he aged, lived to the age of 120 without entering the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 34:7).
Ehud was a rare left-handed warrior in ancient Israel. He freed the people from eighteen years of Moabite oppression by killing their king and rallying the Israelites around his cause. After his victory, he was Israel's Judge for 80 years, the longest person to serve in the position (Judges 3:12 - 4:1).
So Moab was subdued under the hand of Israel that day. And the land had rest eighty years (Judges 3:30, HBFV).
Appearances of the Number Eighty
King Solomon, according to the Bible, used 80,000 (80 x 1000) aliens living in Israel to dig stones out of quarries that would be used to build God's temple in Jerusalem (1Kings 5:15, 2Chronicles 2:17 - 18).
Solomon states that a particular woman he loved was more precious than 60 queens, 80 concubines and an innumerable number of virgins (Song of Solomon 6:8).
A man named Ishmael, after he murdered Babylon's governor over Judah, killed 80 men who came to Jerusalem to mourn its destruction.
Some men from Shechem came from Shiloh, and from Samaria, even eighty men, with their beards shaved, and their clothes torn, and having cut themselves, with offerings and incense in their hand, to bring them to the house of the Lord . . .
And it came to pass when they came into the middle of the city (Jerusalem), Ishmael the son of Nethaniah killed them (Jeremiah 41:5, 7, HBFV).
Barzillai the Gileadite was a wealthy and influential man who at one time had provided financial support to David and his family when they were in Mahanaim. Now, at the age of 80, he had the pleasure of escorting the king across the Jordan River. Wanting to thank the old man for his generosity, David offered him the honor of eating at his table (2Samuel 19:31 - 34). Barzillai's response was gracious and generous.
"I am eighty years old today . . . Can I any more hear the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant still be a burden to my lord the king? . . .
"Please let your servant return so that I may die in my own city by the grave of my father and of my mother. But behold your servant Chimham, let him go over with my lord the king. Now do to him what shall seem good to you." (2Samuel 19:35, 37, HBFV).
Chimham was one of Barzillai's sons. David not only fulfilled the old man's request to have his son as part of his court, he commanded Solomon to also include him in his court as well (1Kings 2:7)!
Lifespans and the Number 80
The only Psalm which credits Moses for writing it is Psalm 90 (see verse 1). In his prayerful hymn to God, he declares that humans live an average of 70 years. If, however, they are strong, they can live to be the ripe old age of 80.
For all our days pass away in Your wrath; we finish our years as with a sigh. The days of our years are threescore years and ten (70); and if by reason of strength they are fourscore years (80), yet their span is but trouble and sorrow . . . (Psalm 90:9 - 10).
Moses' statement that humans live 70 to 80 years, even though made more than 3,500 years ago, is surprisingly accurate today!
According to the CIA Factbook, the life expectancy in the world is almost 70 years (69.8). Men live an average of close to 68 years and women average living to 72. In the United States, a male can expect to live almost 78 years with females living to 82. The average for those in America is 80.
The two countries in the world with the highest average life expectancy are Japan and Singapore. Their citizens can expect to live 5.5 more years than the U.S. average of 80!
Becoming a Christian
The Greek word baptizo, Strong's Concordance #G907, is found 80 times in 65 Greek New Testament verses. It is recorded the most in the book of Acts (21 times) followed by the gospels of John (13) and Mark (12). The word, which means "to make fully wet," is usually translated as "baptized," or "baptize" in the King James.
Baptism is a simple Christian ceremony whereby a person who has repented of their sins is immersed completely in water. After they come out of the water they have hands laid on them, by mature Christians, who ask that God give the person the Holy Spirit.
The simple but holy ceremony known as baptism is a requirement of salvation (Mark 16:16, Titus 3:5). It symbolizes, in part, a person "washing away" or leaving behind their past sinful life and committing to live a new life in obediance to God and Jesus Christ.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing (baptizo) them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (Spirit) (Matthew 28:19, KJV).
For as many of you as have been baptized (baptizo) into Christ have put on Christ (Galatians 3:27, KJV).
More Info on Biblical Meaning of 80
There are 9 words and phrases in the Bible's original languages that are recorded exactly 80 times.
The English word "fourscore" used for the number 80 is recorded the most in 2Chronicles (7 times) followed by 2Kings and 1Chronicles (3 each).
The number 80 in the Hebrew alphabet is represented by its 17th letter Pe. In the Greek alphabet it is represent by the letter Pi.
80 is the product of 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 (2 to the fourth power) x 5. Both 2 and 5 are prime numbers.
King Uzziah of Judah, after winning several battles against his enemies, became a strong and respected leader who was well-known abroad (2Chronicles 26:1 - 15). He soon, however, became filled with vanity and pride. In an impulsive act, he attempted to offer incense at Jerusalem's temple, a ceremony only priests could perform.
Azariah the High Priest, along with 80 other priests, confront Uzziah in the temple over his intentions. The king, as he grew angry with the priests, was struck with leprosy (2Chronicles 26).
Then Uzziah was angry. And he had a censer in his hand to burn incense. And while he was angry with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord, who were standing beside the incense altar (2Chronicles 26:19, HBFV).
One of Jesus' many parables was of an unjust steward who was told he would be fired (Luke 16). Before leaving his position, he reduced the debt of several who owed his boss. One person had their debt lessened from 100 to 80 measures of wheat.
Then to another he (the unjust steward) said, "And how much do you owe?" And he said, "A hundred measures of wheat." And he said to him, "Take your bill and write eighty." (Luke 16:7, HBFV).
The parable was given to underscore a Christian's responsibility to use, as wisely as possible, the resources he has been given (Luke 16:10 - 13).