Ninety = צ The exchange of his righteousness for our sin.

Nine = ט marriage of the Son of God and his bride

The word for ‘marriage’ also means ‘teaching’

Abram was being given a new name, and becoming a new man.

Parables have two meanings. A ‘literal’ meaning as a parable, and a hidden meaning as a riddle (dark saying).

Ps 49:4 I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.

Ps 78:2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:

The shepherds left the sheep in the field to find Jesus. The sheep were really already lost until Jesus was found. He was the ‘long-awaited’ (lost) Messiah. As a prophetic riddle, the world was lost until Jesus was found, and there is more rejoicing in finding him …

For the meaning of letters see Pneumnemonic Hebrew for Beginners