Meaning of “seven”

1. Seven — 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 (Gen. 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 Lev. 25:4; 1 Sam. 2:5; Ps. 12:6; 79:12; Prov. 26:16; Isa. 4:1; Matt. 18:21, 22; Luke 17:4). The feast of Passover (Ex. 12:15, 16), the feast of Weeks (Deut. 16:9), of Tabernacles (13:15), and the Jubilee (Lev. 25:8), were all ordered by seven. Seven is the number of sacrifice (2 Chr. 29:21; Job 42:8), of purification and consecration (Lev. 42:6, 17; 8:11, 33; 14:9, 51), of forgiveness (Matt. 18:21, 22; Luke 17:4), of reward (Deut. 28:7; 1 Sam. 2:5), and of punishment (Lev. 26:21, 24, 28; Deut. 28:25). It is used for any round number in such passages as Job 5:19; Prov. 26:16, 25; Isa. 4:1; Matt. 12:45. It is used also to mean "abundantly" (Gen. 4:15, 24; Lev. 26:24; Ps. 79:12).

2. Seventy weeks — a prophetic period mentioned in Dan. 9:24, and usually interpreted on the "year-day" theory, i.e., reckoning each day for a year. This period will thus represent 490 years. This is regarded as the period which would elapse till the time of the coming of the Messiah, dating "from the going forth of the commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem" i.e., from the close of the Captivity.

2 results from Easton's Bible Dictionary

You may wish to look at these similar words...
Seven Shaphan Shebaniah Shebna Shepham Shibmah Shophan Sibmah Sivan Spain

Bible Search for “seven”

1. Genesis Chapter 2 Verse 2 — And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

2. Genesis Chapter 2 Verse 3 — And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

3. Genesis Chapter 4 Verse 15 — And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.

4. Genesis Chapter 4 Verse 24 — If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.

5. Genesis Chapter 5 Verse 7 — And Seth lived after he begat Enos eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters:

6. Genesis Chapter 5 Verse 12 — And Cainan lived seventy years and begat Mahalaleel:

7. Genesis Chapter 5 Verse 25 — And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech.

8. Genesis Chapter 5 Verse 26 — And Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, and begat sons and daughters:

9. Genesis Chapter 5 Verse 31 — And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died.

10. Genesis Chapter 7 Verse 2 — Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female.

11. Genesis Chapter 7 Verse 3 — Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth.

12. Genesis Chapter 7 Verse 4 — For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth.

13. Genesis Chapter 7 Verse 10 — And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.

14. Genesis Chapter 7 Verse 11 — In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.

15. Genesis Chapter 8 Verse 4 — And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.

16. Genesis Chapter 8 Verse 10 — And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark;

17. Genesis Chapter 8 Verse 12 — And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the dove; which returned not again unto him any more.

18. Genesis Chapter 8 Verse 14 — And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dried.

19. Genesis Chapter 11 Verse 21 — And Reu lived after he begat Serug two hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters.

20. Genesis Chapter 11 Verse 26 — And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

21. Genesis Chapter 12 Verse 4 — So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.

22. Genesis Chapter 21 Verse 28 — And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.

23. Genesis Chapter 21 Verse 29 — And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves?

24. Genesis Chapter 21 Verse 30 — And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.

25. Genesis Chapter 23 Verse 1 — And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah.

26. Genesis Chapter 25 Verse 17 — And these are the years of the life of Ishmael, an hundred and thirty and seven years: and he gave up the ghost and died; and was gathered unto his people.

27. Genesis Chapter 29 Verse 18 — And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.

28. Genesis Chapter 29 Verse 20 — And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.

29. Genesis Chapter 29 Verse 27 — Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.

30. Genesis Chapter 29 Verse 30 — And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.

31. Genesis Chapter 31 Verse 23 — And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days' journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead.

32. Genesis Chapter 33 Verse 3 — And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

33. Genesis Chapter 37 Verse 2 — These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.

34. Genesis Chapter 41 Verse 2 — And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favored kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow.

35. Genesis Chapter 41 Verse 3 — And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favored and leanfleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river.

36. Genesis Chapter 41 Verse 4 — And the ill favored and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favored and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke.

37. Genesis Chapter 41 Verse 5 — And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good.

38. Genesis Chapter 41 Verse 6 — And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them.

39. Genesis Chapter 41 Verse 7 — And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream.

40. Genesis Chapter 41 Verse 18 — And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fatfleshed and well favored; and they fed in a meadow:

41. Genesis Chapter 41 Verse 19 — And, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill favored and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness:

42. Genesis Chapter 41 Verse 20 — And the lean and the ill favored kine did eat up the first seven fat kine:

43. Genesis Chapter 41 Verse 22 — And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good:

44. Genesis Chapter 41 Verse 23 — And, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them:

45. Genesis Chapter 41 Verse 24 — And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears: and I told this unto the magicians; but there was none that could declare it to me.

46. Genesis Chapter 41 Verse 26 — The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one.

47. Genesis Chapter 41 Verse 27 — And the seven thin and ill favored kine that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine.

48. Genesis Chapter 41 Verse 29 — Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt:

49. Genesis Chapter 41 Verse 30 — And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land;

50. Genesis Chapter 41 Verse 34 — Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years.

50 results from Bible Search