symbologyBibleNumbers

After the slaying of his brother, “Absalom fled and went to
Geshur, he stayed there three years” (2 Sam 13:38).
During David’s reign a three-year famine caused the king to
seek “the face of the LORD” (2 Sam 21:1).
David’s adversary Shimei (2 Sam 16:5-14) was spared by
Solomon on condition that he was permanently confined to
the city of Jerusalem (1 Kgs 2:36-38).
Shimei obeyed this restriction for three years, but when two
of his slaves fled from him, he left the city to retrieve them, an
action that was to cost him his life (vv. 39-46).
Every three years King Solomon’s trading fleet returned
“carrying gold, silver and ivory, and apes and baboons” (1
Kgs 10:22).
Appropriately, the third year is also singled out for special
mention. The third year was special in that it was the “year of
the tithe” (Deut 14:28; cf. Amos 4:4), which was to be
collected for the needs of the Levites and the underprivileged
members of society such as the alien, the widow, and the
poor (Deut 26:12).
During the reign of King Jehoshaphat of Judah because “his
heart was devoted to the ways of the LORD,” in his third year
of reign he sent officials to “teach in the towns of Judah” (2
Chron 17:6-7). \
The third year was also the year that Jehoshaphat went to
meet King Ahab of Israel with regard to their joining forces in
an effort to regain Ramoth Gilead from the Arameans (1 Kgs
22:1-5).
Still later, during the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem God gave
to Hezekiah a sign of deliverance and renewed activity (2
Kgs 19:29; cf. Isa 37:30).
“For the third year … there was a direct divine command:
‘Sow and reap, plant vineyards and eat fruit.’ Here was direct
assurance that the people might resume normal agricultural
activities with full expectation of eating the fruits of their labor.
When in the harvest of the third year the people ate in