Seven in Biblical History

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Schaff's Bible Dictionary

Definitions in Biblical History
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What is Seven?
SEVEN
Gen 2:2. As from the beginning this was the number of days in the week, so it has ever in Scripture a sort of emphasis attached to it, and is very often and generally used as a round number, or, as some would say, a perfect number. Clean beasts were taken into the ark by sevens. Gen 7:2. The years of plenty and famine in Egypt were marked by sevens. Gen 41:2-3. With the Jews not only was there a seventh-day Sabbath, but every seventh year was a Sabbath, and every seven times seventh year was 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 addressed, 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 1 Sam 2:5; Job 5:19; Prov 26:16, Gal 4:25; Isa 4:1; Jer 15:9; Matt 12:45. "In like manner "seven times," or "seven-fold," means "often," "abundantly," "completely." Gen 4:15, Jud 6:24; Lev 26:24; Ps 12:6; Ps 79:12; Matt 18:21. And seventy times seven is still a higher superlative. Matt 18:21-22.

Bibliography Information
Schaff, Philip, Dr. "Biblical Definition for 'seven' in Schaffs Bible Dictionary".
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