Reference: Seven
American
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, Ge 7. The years of plenty and famine in Egypt were marked by sevens, Ge 41. 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.
Seven is often put for any round or whole number, just as we use "ten" or "a dozen;" so in Mt 12:45; 1Sa 2:5; Job 5:19; Pr 26:16,25; Isa 4:1; Jer 15:9. In like manner, seven times, or seven-fold, means often, abundantly, completely, Ge 4:15,24; Le 26:24; Ps 12:6; 79:12; Mt 18:21. And seventy times seven is a still higher superlative, Mt 18:22.
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And LORD said to him, Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And LORD appointed a sign for Cain, lest any who finds him should smite him.
If Cain shall be avenged seven fold, truly Lamech seventy-seven fold.
then I also will walk contrary to you, and I will smite you, even I, seven times for your sins.
He will deliver thee in six troubles. Yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee.
The words of LORD are pure words, as silver tried in a furnace on the earth, purified seven times.
and render to our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom their reproach with which they have reproached thee, O LORD,
The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men who can render a reason.
When he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart.
And seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel. Only let us be called by thy name; take thou away our reproach.
She who has borne seven, languishes. She has given up the spirit. Her sun has gone down while it was yet day. She has been put to shame and confounded. And the residue of them I will deliver to the sword before their enemies, says
Then it goes, and takes with itself seven other spirits more evil than itself, and having enter in, they dwell there. And the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. So it will also be to this evil generation.
Then Peter having come to him, he said, Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times? Jesus says to him, I say to thee, not until seven times, but until seventy times seven.
Easton
This number occurs frequently in Scripture, and in such connections as lead to the supposition that it has some typical meaning. On the seventh day God rested, and hallowed it (Ge 2:2-3). The division of time into weeks of seven days each accounts for many instances of the occurrence of this number. This number has been called the symbol of perfection, and also the symbol of rest. "Jacob's seven years' service to Laban; Pharaoh's seven fat oxen and seven lean ones; the seven branches of the golden candlestick; the seven trumpets and the seven priests who sounded them; the seven days' siege of Jericho; the seven churches, seven spirits, seven stars, seven seals, seven vials, and many others, sufficiently prove the importance of this sacred number" (see Le 25:4; 1Sa 2:5; Ps 12:6; 79:12; Pr 26:16; Isa 4:1; Mt 18:21-22; Lu 17:4). The feast of Passover (Ex 12:15-16), the feast of Weeks (De 16:9), of Tabernacles (De 13:15), and the Jubilee (Le 25:8), were all ordered by seven. Seven is the number of sacrifice (2Ch 29:21; Job 42:8), of purification and consecration (34/type/acv'>Le 27:34,34; 8:11,33; 14:9,51), of forgiveness (Mt 18:21-22; Lu 17:4), of reward (De 28:7; 1Sa 2:5), and of punishment (Le 26:21,24,28; De 28:25). It is used for any round number in such passages as Job 5:19; Pr 26:16,25; Isa 4:1; Mt 12:45. It is used also to mean "abundantly" (Ge 4:15,24; Le 26:24; Ps 79:12).
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And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had made, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it, because in it he rested from all his work which God had created and made.
And LORD said to him, Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And LORD appointed a sign for Cain, lest any who finds him should smite him.
If Cain shall be avenged seven fold, truly Lamech seventy-seven fold.
Seven days ye shall eat unleavened bread, even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses, for whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel. And in the first day there shall be to you a holy convocation, and in the seventh day a holy convocation, no manner of work shall be done in them, except that which every man must eat, that only may be done by you.
And he sprinkled of it upon the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all its vessels, and the laver and its base, to sanctify them.
And ye shall not go out from the door of the tent of meeting seven days, until the days of your consecration be fulfilled, for he shall consecrate you seven days.
And it shall be on the seventh day, that he shall shave all his hair off his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair he shall shave off. And he shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and he sh
And he shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird, and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times.
but in the seventh year shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a Sabbath to LORD. Thou shall neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.
And thou shall number seven Sabbaths of years to thee, seven times seven years, and there shall be to thee the days of seven Sabbaths of years, even forty-nine years.
And if ye walk contrary to me, and will not hearken to me, I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins.
then I also will walk contrary to you, and I will smite you, even I, seven times for your sins.
then I also will walk contrary to you, and I will smite you, even I, seven times for your sins.
then I will walk contrary to you in wrath, and I also will chastise you seven times for your sins.
These are the commandments, which LORD commanded Moses for the sons of Israel on mount Sinai.
These are the commandments, which LORD commanded Moses for the sons of Israel on mount Sinai.
thou shall surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, and all that is in it, and the cattle in it, with the edge of the sword.
Thou shall number to thee seven weeks. From the time thou begin to put the sickle to the standing grain thou shall begin to number seven weeks.
LORD will cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thee. They shall come out against thee one way, and shall flee before thee seven ways.
LORD will cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies. Thou shall go out one way against them, and shall flee seven ways before them. And thou shall be tossed to and fro among all the kingdoms of the earth.
And they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven he-goats, for a sin-offering for the kingdom and for the sanctuary and for Judah. And he commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to offer them on the altar
He will deliver thee in six troubles. Yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee.
Now therefore, take to you seven bullocks and seven rams. And go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt-offering. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for him I will accept, that I not deal with you after your fol
The words of LORD are pure words, as silver tried in a furnace on the earth, purified seven times.
and render to our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom their reproach with which they have reproached thee, O LORD,
and render to our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom their reproach with which they have reproached thee, O LORD,
The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men who can render a reason.
The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men who can render a reason.
When he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart.
And seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel. Only let us be called by thy name; take thou away our reproach.
And seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel. Only let us be called by thy name; take thou away our reproach.
Then it goes, and takes with itself seven other spirits more evil than itself, and having enter in, they dwell there. And the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. So it will also be to this evil generation.
Then Peter having come to him, he said, Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?
Then Peter having come to him, he said, Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times? Jesus says to him, I say to thee, not until seven times, but until seventy times seven.
Jesus says to him, I say to thee, not until seven times, but until seventy times seven.
And if he should sin against thee seven times in the day, and seven times in the day turn back, saying, I repent, thou will forgive him.
And if he should sin against thee seven times in the day, and seven times in the day turn back, saying, I repent, thou will forgive him.
Fausets
(See NUMBER.) The Semitic has the word in common with the Indo-European languages; Hebrew sheba answering to Latin septem, Greek hepta.
Hastings
Morish
See NUMBERS AS SYMBOLS.
Smith
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 seen. 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 feasts of Passover and 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.
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.
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.
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and did not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now thou have done foolishly.
And Balaam said to Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.
Watsons
SEVEN. 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, Da 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, Nu 27:11; 29:17-21, &c. Seven trumpets, seven priests that sounded them, seven days to surround the walls of Jericho, 6/4/type/acv'>Jos 6:4,6,8. 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, Le 26:24, that is to say, several times. The Psalmist, speaking of very pure silver, says it is "purified seven times," Ps 12:6. And elsewhere, "Render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom," Ps 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, Ge 4:15,24. The slothful man thinks himself wiser than seven men, that set forth proverbs, Pr 26:16; he thinks himself of more worth than many wise men. St. Peter asks our Saviour, Mt 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.
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And LORD said to him, Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And LORD appointed a sign for Cain, lest any who finds him should smite him.
If Cain shall be avenged seven fold, truly Lamech seventy-seven fold.
then I also will walk contrary to you, and I will smite you, even I, seven times for your sins.
And if his father has no brothers, then ye shall give his inheritance to his kinsman who is next to him of his family, and he shall possess it. And it shall be to the sons of Israel a statute [and] ordinance, as LORD commanded Mose
And on the second day, twelve young bullocks, two rams, fourteen he-lambs a year old without blemish, and their meal-offering and their drink-offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the ordinance, read more. and one he-goat for a sin-offering, besides the continual burnt-offering, and the meal-offering of it, and their drink-offerings. And on the third day, eleven bullocks, two rams, fourteen he-lambs a year old without blemish, and their meal-offering and their drink-offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the ordinance,
And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark. And the seventh day ye shall encompass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets.
And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said to them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of LORD.
And it was so, that, when Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns before LORD passed on, and blew the trumpets. And the ark of the covenant of LORD followed them.
Those who were full have hired out themselves for bread, and those who were hungry have ceased [to hunger]. Yea, the barren has borne seven, and she who has many sons languishes.
The words of LORD are pure words, as silver tried in a furnace on the earth, purified seven times.
and render to our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom their reproach with which they have reproached thee, O LORD,
The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men who can render a reason.
And seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel. Only let us be called by thy name; take thou away our reproach.
She who has borne seven, languishes. She has given up the spirit. Her sun has gone down while it was yet day. She has been put to shame and confounded. And the residue of them I will deliver to the sword before their enemies, says
Seventy weeks are decreed upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up vision and pr Know therefore and discern, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem to the anointed one, the Prince, shall be seven weeks, and sixty-two weeks. It shall be built again, with street and moat, e read more. And after the sixty-two weeks the anointed one shall be cut off, and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary, and the end of it shall be with a flood. And even to the
Then Peter having come to him, he said, Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times? Jesus says to him, I say to thee, not until seven times, but until seventy times seven.
For he spoke somewhere about the seventh this way, And God rested during the seventh day from all his works,