Numerology: the study of the occult meanings of numbers and their influence on human affairs
In numerology, 40 is the number of probation or trial.
The Israelites wandered 40 years in the desert (Deut 8:2-5).
Moses spent 40 years as an Egyptian prince, 40 years as a shepherd, and the last 40 years in the exodus.
The perfect lifespan is 40 X 3 years: "his days shall be a hundred and twenty years" (Gen 6:3). Special personages are exceptions: Noah was 40 X 3 X 5 (the number of grace; God's gifts and blessings) or 600 years old when the rain started.
40 days Moses spent on the mountain (Exodus 24:18, 34:28).
And another 40 days after the Golden Calf brouhaha (Deut 9:18,25).
40 days of rain to flood the planet.
40 days Noah waited to open a window in the ark.
40 days Jonah gave Nineveh to repent (Jonah 3:4).
40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness (Matt 4:2).
40 days the 12 spies searched Canaan; found milk, honey (Num 13:25). This led somehow to . . .
. . . 40 years of punishment (Num 14:34).
40 days Goliath came out to vex the Israelites with challenges to close combat, before a shot by sniper David shut him up.
40 days Elijah spent on Horeb mountain (1 Kings 19:8).
40 days between resurrection and ascension to heaven (Acts 1:3).
40 days was the period of embalming (Gen 50:3).
40 days Ezekiel lay on his right side, symbolizing the . . .
. . . 40 years of Judah's transgression (Ezekiel 4:6).
40 days after the crucifixion, Jerusalem was destroyed (http://www.the-way-of-life.org/Biblical_Numbers2.html).
A woman was unclean for 40 days after the birth of a son (Lev 12). (After a daughter, 70 days. Even then, for either sex, the woman still had to lug a lamb and either a pigeon or a turtledove to the church door to be killed. It's tough being a woman. Tougher being a pigeon.)
Caleb was 40 years old when sent to spy (Josh 14:7).
40 years of peace in Israel (Judges 3:11, etc.).
40 years Israelites spent with the Philistines (Judges 13:1).
40 years of desolation in Egypt (Ezekiel 29:11).
40 years to restore Egypt (Ezekiel 29:13).
40 stripes from a whip (Deut 25:3; 2 Cor 11:24). Paul was given 39 to ensure that the limit of 40 was not exceeded. To those who insist that 40 means many... Pfft.
Saul reigned for 40 years (Acts 13:21).
David reigned for 40 years (2 Samuel 5:4).
Solomon reigned for 40 years (1 Kings 11:42).
Jeho'ash reigned for 40 years (2 Kings 12).
Ish-bo'sheth was 40 when he began to reign over Israel (2 Sam 2).
Solomon began to build the temple "in the 480th year" after the exodus (1 Kings 6:1). The factors of 480 include 40 (40 X 12), 4 (things made), 8 (regeneration), 10 (ordinal perfection), and 2 (a witness). The digits 4 + 8 + 0 add up to 12 (govt. perfection).
A temple 40 X 20 cubits (Ezekiel 41).
An Israelite population of 40,000 (Judges 5).
Grieved for 40 years (Psalms 95).
A gift amounting to 40 camels' burdens (2 Kings 8).
Isaac was 40 years old when he married Rebekah (Gen 25).
40 sockets of silver in a tabernacle design (Exodus 26).
40 shekels (Neh 5:15)
While Israel was governed by judges, each sat for 40 years: "And he had judged Israel forty years" (1 Sam 4).
Soloman had 12,000 (40 X 300) horsemen (1 Kings 4).
David slew 40,000 Syrian footmen (1 Chron 19).
Esau was 40 when he married Judith (Gen 26).
Asher's army was 40,000 (1 Chron 12).
JC's conception/birth came 1440 years after the exodus. 1440 = 40 X 36. 1440 = 3 (divine perfection) X 3 (divine perfection) X 5 (God's gifts) X 8 (regeneration) X 4 (creation). 1440 = 9 (the conclusion of a matter) X 10 (ordinal perfection) X 8 (regeneration) X 2 (duality). 1440 = 12 (govt. perfection) X 12 (govt. perfection) X 10 (ordinal perfection). The digits 1 + 4 + 4 + 0 add up to 9 (the number of completion).
400 men came with Esau (Gen 32, 33).
400,000 footmen that drew sword (Judges 20:2).
Ephron paid Abraham 400 shekels of silver (Gen 23:14-15).
Armies of 400,000 and 800,000 men (2 Chron 13:2).
"There were with him about 400 men" (1 Sam 22:2).
The king gathered about 400 prophets (1 Kings 22:6, 2 Chron 18).
"And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years" (Acts 7:6).
David and 400 men pursued (1 Sam 30:10).
David smote all but 400 young men (1 Sam 30:17).
74,600 = 40 X 1865 (Num 1:27).
54,400 = 40 X 1360 (Num 1:29).
57,400 = 40 X 1435 (Num 1:31).
32,200 = 40 X 805 (Num 1:35).
35,400 = 40 X 885 (Num 1:37).
53,400 = 40 X 1335 (Num 1:43).
A host of 54,400 = 40 X 1360 (Num 2).
A host of 57,400 = 40 X 1435 (Num 2).
the 400 prophets of Asherah (1 Kings 18:19).
Solomon sent 1,400 (40 X 35) chariots and 12,000 (40 X 300) horsemen (2 Chron 1:14, 1 Kings 10:26).
They shall afflict them 400 years (Gen 15:13).
They found 400 young virgins (Judges 21:12).
400 pomegranates on the two wreaths (2 Chron 4:13).
400 lambs (Ezra 6:17).
An army of 44,760 (40 X 1119) (1 Chron 5:18)
About 400 men joined Theu'das and were slain (Acts 5:36).
Number of fighting men in Israel: either 800,000 (40 X 20,000) (2 Samuel 24:9) or 1,100,000 (40 X 27,500) (I Chronicles 21:5).
Number of fighting men found in Judah: either 500,000 (40 X 12,500) (2 Samuel 24:9) or 470,000 (40 X 11,750) (I Chronicles 21:5).
800 (40 X 20) men killed by David's tough guy (2 Samuel 23:8).
"And David took from him a thousand [40 X 25] chariots, and seven thousand [40 X 174] horsemen, and twenty thousand [40 X 500] footmen" (I Chronicles 18:4).
Number of Soloman's horse stalls: either 40,000 (I Kings 4:26) or 4,000 (40 X 100) (2 chronicles 9:25).
Soloman appointed 3,600 (40 X 90) overseers, 80,000 (40 X 40 X 50) hewers, and 70,000 (40 X 1750) carriers of loads (2 Chronicles 2:2).
Number of baths in facility Soloman built: either 2,000 (40 X 50) or 3,000 (40 X 75) (2 Chronicles 4:5).
200 (40 X 5) singers (Ezra 2:65).
Number of Israelites who died in a God-sent plague: 24,000 (40 X 40 X 5 X 3) (Numbers 25:9).