The number 86 is associated with God's name Elohim (אלהים), which has the numerical value of 86 in Hebrew gematria.
In Jewish tradition, gematria is used to find numerical values in Hebrew words. The letters in Elohim (אלהים) sum up as follows: Alef (1) + Lamed (30) + He (5) + Yod (10) + Mem (40) = 86. Elohim is God's name associated with creation and nature, representing God's role as judge and ruler over the laws of nature. The name Elohim is the first divine name appearing in the Bible, in the opening verse "In the beginning God (Elohim) created the heavens and the earth" (Gen 1:1). In the Bible it is mentioned that Abram was 86 years old when Hagar gave birth to Ishmael (Gen 16:16) – Abram's first son, born before the promised child Isaac, at a time when Abram still acted according to human reasoning rather than in full trust in God's promise. The Hebrew word for 'nature' (הטבע, ha-teva) also has the numerical value of 86 in gematria (He=5, Tet=9, Bet=2, Ayin=70 = 86). In Kabbalistic tradition, this is interpreted to mean that God's work through Elohim is hidden within the laws of nature – God is present in creation, but concealed behind the order of nature. Elohim is grammatically a plural form, but is consistently used with singular verbs when referring to the God of Israel. Rabbinic tradition explains this as an expression of God's majesty and diverse power united in one will. The fact that Abram was exactly 86 years old – corresponding to the gematria value of Elohim – when Ishmael was born, has been noted by several commentators as a hint that the event took place under God's providence, even though it was marked by human impatience.*