History is full of traditions and superstitions that still affect our lives. One of those superstitions is the belief in certain “lucky” or “unlucky” numbers and the actions people take to either look for them or avoid them.
In all cultures, numbers have always had specific significance. Hidden meanings behind them would often impact the choices people make in life. The only surprising thing is that what’s considered unlucky in one culture may have a completely different meaning in another.
People are still afraid of some numbers because of historical tragedies or their connection with ancient beliefs about death, misfortune, or the supernatural.
In this article, we will talk about 5 of the most feared numbers from around the world and explain why people believe they bring bad luck.
Number 13
Perhaps not surprisingly, the number 13 is leading the list. It is one of the most common unlucky numbers in so many countries, particularly in the West. People try to avoid having any relation to this number at any cost, especially those involved in important financial decisions, travel, or high-stake activities like gambling. For example, gamblers always prefer to avoid the number 13 while playing slots online and prefer to aim for luckier numbers.
The idea that 13 is cursed is linked to Christian history. For example, 13 people were sitting at the table during the Last Supper, and the 13th person to sit at the table was Judas, who later betrayed Jesus.
Moreover, in 1307 Philip, the king of France, arrested so many Knights of Templar and tortured them in the most cruel ways. This day was Friday, October 13th, and this is where the belief of misfortune on a Friday, the 13th, came from as well.
Number 666
This is another number that is recognized as unfortunate, specifically among Christian countries. In Christianity, the number 666 is referred to as the devil’s number, and most Christians are extremely scared whenever it pops up somewhere, believing some terrible event is about to happen to them.
The meaning of this number is mentioned in the Bible by John, who indicates it as “the beast,” meaning the devil. However, there is a debate if the devil’s number is 666 or 616 because some scholars think that the bible was translated incorrectly by King James.
Number 4
Number 4 is famous for being an unlucky one in many countries in Eastern Asia, including China and Japan, where people pronounce it like “sì” which sounds almost identical to the word for “death” in Japanese and Mandarin.
This number is thought to be jinxed and as a result, in these countries, it is always a number that is excluded, for example, in the number of floors, seats, or even sports teams. On top of that, in extreme cases, people in these countries are even afraid to ever mention this number. This kind of fear is called tetraphobia.
Number 39
Even though it is not very familiar, the number 39 is actually a cursed number in Afghanistan. It is considered so bad that Afghans never mention 39. For the people of Afghanistan, number 39 translates as “morda gow.”. It has the meaning of “dead cow,” with the same definition as a pimp. A pimp is slang for a prostitute, so this number is not welcomed in Afghanistan.
Number 39 is repulsive to Afghans on a level that they never sell items that are numbered 39 or they tend to cover it to prevent bad luck.
Number 17
Number 17 is thought to be unlucky in Italy. Italians believe this number brings misfortune because while Italy was still the Roman Empire, the Roman number XVII could also be indicated as an anagram for VIXI, which is translated from Latin as the words “I have lived,” and by definition it meant “I am dead.” Therefore, as Italians believe, 17 is a malicious number.
In addition, when biblical Genesis is discussed, it is pointed out that this event happened on the 17th. Furthermore, in ancient times, the number 17 was considered to be a symbol of both love and and peace or evil and sin.
Bottom Line
Although many consider that numbers mean nothing more than numbers, the traditions and values of various countries disagree. After reading this article, you’re probably aware that if we go deep into the concepts and the events that have happened involving these 5 numbers, maybe there is an amount of truth in it. Nevertheless, if you would like to have a more lucky and peaceful life, maybe you should actually avoid these unlucky numbers.
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