The number seven is consecrated, in the holy books and in the religion of the Jews, by a great number of events and mysterious circumstances. God created the world in the space of seven days, and consecrated the seventh day to repose. The rest of the seventh day, according to St. Paul, Heb 4:4, intimates eternal rest. And not only the seventh day is honoured among the Jews, by the repose of the Sabbath, but every seventh year is also consecrated to the rest of the earth, by the name of a sabbatical year; as also the seven times seventh year, or forty- ninth year is the year of jubilee. In the prophetic style a week often stands for seven years, Dan 9:24-26. Jacob served his father-in-law Laban seven years for each of his daughters. Pharaoh’s mysterious dream represented to his imagination seven fat oxen, and seven lean ones; seven full ears of corn, and as many that were empty and shrivelled. These stood for seven years of plenty, and seven of scarcity. The number of seven days is observed in the octaves of the great solemnities of the passover, of tabernacles, and of the dedication of the tabernacle and the temple; the seven branches of the golden candlestick, the number of seven sacrifices appointed on several occasions, Num 27:11; Num 29:17-21, &c. Seven trumpets, seven priests that sounded them, seven days to surround the walls of Jericho, Jos 6:4; Jos 6:6; Jos 6:8. In the Revelation, are the seven churches, seven, candlesticks, seven spirits, seven stars, seven lamps, seven seals, seven angels, seven phials, seven plagues, &c. In certain passages, the number seven is put for a great number. Isa 4:1, says that seven women should lay hold on one man, to ask him to marry them. Hannah, the mother of Samuel, says, 1Sa 2:5, that she who was barren should have seven children. Jer 15:9, makes use of the same expression. God threatens his people to smite them seven times for their transgressions, Lev 26:24, that is to say, several times. The Psalmist, speaking of very pure silver, says it is “purified seven times,”
Psa 12:6. And elsewhere, “Render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom,” Psa 79:12; punish them severely, and as often as they deserve it. The slayer of Cain was to be punished seven times; but of Lamech seventy times seven times, Gen 4:15; Gen 4:24. The slothful man thinks himself wiser than seven men, that set forth proverbs, Pro 26:16; he thinks himself of more worth than many wise men. St. Peter asks our Saviour, Mat 18:21-22, How many times should he forgive his brother? till seven times? And Christ answers him, I say not only seven times, but seventy times seven; meaning, as often as he may offend, however frequent it may be.
This word is used to express the number 6+1. The Lexicons generally, both ancient and modern, also assign to the word and its derivatives the further office of a round or indefinite number, to express a small number, in the sense of several (as we use ten or a dozen). It appears to us possible to resolve the passages quoted in support of this view into the idea of sufficiency, satisfaction, fullness, completeness, perfection, abundance, etc. intimated in the Hebrew root, from which the numeral in question is derived. For instance, 1Sa 2:5, ’The barren hath born seven,’ that is, hath been blessed with an ample family; Rth 4:15, ’Better to thee than seven sons,’ i.e. an abundance of them; Pro 26:25, ’There are seven abominations in his heart,’ i.e. completeness of depravity. Thus also the phrase, ’To flee seven ways’ (Deu 28:7), denotes a total overthrow; to ’punish seven times’ (Lev 26:24), to punish completely; ’Six and seven troubles,’ a very great and entire calamity (Job 5:19); ’Give a portion to seven, also to eight,’ be not only duly liberal, but abundant; ’Silver purified seven times,’ perfectly purified (Psa 12:6). The word is used in the New Testament to express the same idea of abundance or completeness. Thus ’the seven spirits before the throne’ would seem to be a periphrasis of perfection, denoting the Holy Spirit (Rev 1:4). It is most likely that the idea of sufficiency and completeness became originally associated with the number seven, from the Creator having finished, completed, or made sufficient, all his work on the seventh day; and that hence also it was adopted as a sacred number, or a number chiefly employed in religious concerns, in order to remind mankind of the creation and its true author. Thus there were seven offerings in making a covenant (Gen 21:28); seven lamps in the golden candlestick (Exo 37:23); the blood was sprinkled seven times (Lev 4:16-17); every seventh year was sabbatical, seven sabbaths of years in the jubilee (Lev 25:8); seven trumpets, seven priests that sounded them seven days round Jericho, seven lamps, seven seals, etc. etc. Seven was considered a fortunate number among the Persians (Est 1:10-14; Est 2:9). Cicero calls it the knot and cement of all things, as being that by which the natural and spiritual world are comprehended in one idea. Nor is this subject devoid of practical utility. The references which occur in the patriarchal history to the number seven, as denoting a week or period of seven days, sufficiency, etc. and a sacred number, afford a minute, indirect, but not an inconsiderable argument, that the institution of the Sabbath was both established and observed from the commencement; and not, as Paley thinks, during the wandering in the wilderness: an argument abundantly confirmed by the regard to the seventh day, which has prevailed too far and wide among various nations, to be attributed to their comparatively late intercourse with the Jews.
As from the beginning this was the number of days in the week, so it often has in Scripture a sort of emphasis attached to it, and is very generally used as a round or perfect number. Clean beasts were taken into the ark by sevens, Gen 7:1-24 . The years of plenty and famine in Egypt were marked by sevens, Gen 41:1-57 . With the Jews, not only was there a seventh day Sabbath, but every seventh year was a Sabbath, and after every seven times seven years came a jubilee. Their great feasts of unleavened bread and of tabernacles were observed for seven days; the number of animals in many of their sacrifices was limited to seven. The golden candlestick had seven branches. Seven priests with seven trumpets went around the walls of Jericho seven days, and seven times on the seventh day. In the Apocalypse we find seven churches mentioned, seven candlesticks, seven spirits, seven stars, seven seals, seven trumpets, seven thunders, seven vials, seven plagues, and seven angels to pour them out.\par Seven is often put for any round or whole number, just as we use "ten" or "a dozen;" so in Mat 12:45 1Sa 2:5 Job 5:19 Pro 26:16,25 Isa 4:1 Jer 15:9 . In like manner, seven times, or sevenfold, means often, abundantly, completely, Gen 4:15,24 Lev 26:24 Psa 12:6 79:12 Mt 18:21. And seventy times seven is a still higher superlative, Mat 18:22 .\par
Seven. The frequent recurrence of certain numbers, in the sacred literature of the Hebrews, is obvious to the most superficial reader, but seven so far surpasses the rest, both in the frequency with which it recurs, and in the importance of the objects with which it is associated, that it may fairly be termed the representative symbolic number. The influence of the number seven was not restricted to the Hebrews; it prevailed among the Persians, ancient Indians, Greeks and Romans. The peculiarity of the Hebrew view consists in the special dignity of the seventh, and not simply in that of seven.
The Sabbath, being the seventh day, suggested the adoption of seven as the coefficient, so to say, for their appointment of all sacred periods; and we, thus find, the 7th month ushered in by the Feast of Trumpets, and signalized by the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles, and the Great Day of Atonement; 7 weeks as the interval between the Passover, and the Pentecost; the 7th year as the Sabbatical Year; and the year succeeding 7X7 years as the Jubilee Year.
Seven days were appointed as the length of the Feast of Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles; 7 days for the ceremonies of the consecration of priests, and so on; 7 victims to be offered on any special occasion, as in Balaam’s sacrifice; Num 23:1; and especially at the ratification of a treaty, the notion of seven being embodied in the very term signifying to swear, literally meaning to do so seven times. Gen 31:28. Seven is used for any round number, or for completeness, as we say a dozen, or as a speaker says, he will say two or three words.
Seven. Among the Hebrews this was a kind of complete or sacred number. It was noted also among the Persians, ancient Indians, Greeks and Romans. The peculiarity of the Hebrew view consists in the special dignity of the seventh, and not simply in that of seven. The Sabbath being the seventh day suggested the adoption of seven as the coefficient, so to say, for the appointment of all sacred periods, and we thus find the seventh month ushered in by the Feast of Trumpets, and signalized by the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles and the Great Day of Atonement; seven weeks as the interval between the Passover and the Pentecost; the seventh year as the sabbatical year; and the year succeeding 7 × 7 years as the Jubilee year. Seven days were appointed as the length of the feasts of Passover and Tabernacles; seven days for the ceremonies of the consecration of priests, and so on; seven victims to be offered on any special occasion, as in Baalam’s sacrifice, Num 23:1, and especially at the ratification of a treaty, the notion of seven being embodied in the very term signifying to swear, literally meaning to do seven times. Gen 21:28. As to the reason of the fact, three is the signature of God, in the ever-blessed Trinity; four of the world—four elements, four seasons, four winds, etc., etc. There are reasons, then, amply sufficient, why seven, being thus, as it is, made up of three and four, should be itself the signature of the covenant. No mere accident or caprice dictated the selection of it. Seven is used for any round number, or for completeness, as we say a dozen, or as a speaker says he will say two or three words. Notice, the animals went into the ark by sevens; the years of plenty and famine were marked by sevens, Gen 7:2; Gen 41:2-3; the golden candlestick had seven branches, and there were "seven stars" and seven churches. Rev 1:20; Rev 2:1. In the same book we read of seven spirits, seven seals, seven trumpets, seven thunders, seven vials, seven plagues, and seven angels. Rev 8:1; Rev 15:1.
See NUMBERS AS SYMBOLS.
See NUMBERS AND NUMERALS:
SEVEN.—See Number, § 7.
See Numbers.
(c) This number is used to represent GOD’s complete provision both in CHRIST and in His dealings with men.
- the seven days make a perfect week.
- the seven colors make a perfect spectrum.
- the seven notes on the piano make a perfect scale.
- the seven articles of furniture in the tabernacle make a perfect picture of the Christian life.
- the seven "eyes" describe the perfect omniscience of the Holy Spirit (Zec 3:9).
The number seven occurs very frequently throughout the book of Revelation, and in each case it indicates the perfect character of GOD, His perfect integrity, equity and justice in all His dealings with men.
One obvious feature of the Bible is the frequent occurrence of the number ‘seven’. The number seems to have been used to indicate one complete unit – fulness, completion, perfection (e.g. Gen 2:2).
This unit of seven features prominently in the organization of Israel’s religious and community life. One day in seven was a holy day of rest, and this weekly unit provided the framework for various religious festivals (Exo 20:8-11; Lev 23:5-6; Lev 23:15; Lev 23:34; see SABBATH). The details of many of Israel’s rituals were based on a unit of seven (Lev 4:6; Lev 8:33; Lev 13:4; Lev 14:7-8; Lev 14:51; Lev 23:18). Every seventh year was a year of rest for the land and release for debtors (Lev 25:1-4; Deu 15:1-2; see SABBATICAL YEAR). The symbolic ‘seven’ gave to ordinary events a special religious significance (Jos 6:4).
The expression ‘seven times’ seems to have been used as a figure of speech to indicate fulness or finality (Gen 4:15; Gen 4:24, Lev 26:18; Lev 26:21; 1Ki 18:43-44; 2Ki 5:10; Psa 12:6; Psa 119:164; Isa 30:26; Dan 3:19; Mat 18:21-22; cf. Luk 8:2; Luk 11:26; Luk 20:29). A similar symbolic usage of the number ‘seven’ is common in the book of Revelation (Rev 1:20; Rev 4:5; Rev 5:1; Rev 5:6; Rev 8:2; Rev 10:3; Rev 12:3; Rev 13:1; Rev 15:1).