The number 31 has no prominent or well-established symbolic meaning in biblical and Jewish tradition.
The number 31 is mentioned in the Bible primarily in concrete, historical contexts. The most well-known occurrence is the list of the 31 Canaanite kings who were defeated by Joshua during the conquest of the Promised Land (Joshua 12:24). The number also appears in chronological references, such as the 31st year of King Asa's reign over Judah, when Omri became king over Israel (1 Kings 16:23). Despite these occurrences, the number 31 has not received a deeper symbolic or mystical interpretation in biblical tradition, like the numbers 7, 12, or 40. In Jewish numerology (gematria), the number 31 has an interesting connection: the Hebrew word 'El' (אל), meaning 'God', consists of the letters alef (numerical value 1) and lamed (numerical value 30), which together equal 31. This gives the number some theological resonance, especially in Kabbalistic tradition, even though it has not become a prominent symbolic number in broader biblical context.*