The symbolic meaning of 7 is the number of Perfection of Purpose (whether good or bad). Purpose refers to the will of a person (e.g., to swear an oath). Please view the video below or continue with the study below.
Often people believe that the number 7 is the number of perfection and / or completeness. This creates confusion creating with the symbolic meaning of 10, which truly is completeness, which is different that perfection. In addition to perfection, the symbolic meaning of 7 has an additional dimension concerning the purpose or will of a person. In the Old Testament, we find that the Hebrew word for oath or swearing is a cognate (or based upon) the number 7. Therefore, the symbolic meaning of 7 is the perfection of purpose (e.g., will, oath, etc.), not just perfection. Also, it is important to understand that the symbolic meaning of 7 includes either a good purpose (e.g., God’s will) or a bad purpose (e.g., Satan’s will).
The number 7 is used extensively in the Bible. It is even present in the creation of the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1 and 2). We find that the 7th day was special. It was the day in which God rested from all His works in creating (Gen 2:1-3). We also see the number 7 repeated over and over in the Bible. In many cases it is used in a symbolic manner. For example, we find in the Book of Revelation, the following references to the number 7:
- 7 churches – Rev 1:4, Rev 1:20, Rev 2-3
- 7 Spirits – Rev 1:4, Rev 4:5
- 7 candlesticks – Rev 1:20
- 7 stars – Rev 1:20
- 7 Lamps of fire – Rev 4:5
- 7 seals on the scroll – Rev 5:1
- 7 angels – Rev 8:2, Rev 15:1
- 7 trumpets – Rev 8;2
- 7 thunders – Rev 10:3-4
- 7 heads – Rev 12:3, Rev 13:1, Rev 17:3
- 7 plagues – Rev 15:6-8
- 7 bowls (vials) – Rev 15:7
- 7 mountains – Rev 17:9
- 7 kings – Rev 17:10
The number 7 represents the Perfection of Purpose (whether good or bad). In a good sense, God uses the number 7 to represent the perfection of His purpose in salvation. For example the 7th day of rest is a type of salvation of God’s people. 7 is also extensively related to the feast days of the Old Testament, which all represent important truths about salvation and the work of God.
In a bad sense, we find that 7 also relates to things of Satan. For example, the dragon of Revelation 12 and the scarlet-colored beast of Revelation both have 7 heads. These beasts represent Satan and the purpose of his kingdom. Also, in Revelation 13, we find that the beast (antichrist) also has 7 heads, referring once again to the evil purpose of that entity.
Another very compelling reason that 7 represents the purpose (a.k.a., will) of a person is that in the Old Testament, the Hebrew words for ‘swear’ and ‘oath’ are cognates of the Hebrew word for 7. These words ‘swear’ and ‘oath’ literally mean ‘to seven oneself’. We find confirmation of this, for example, in Jesus statement that one must forgive his brother not only seven times, but seventy times. Please consider studying the following notes regarding 7 in the Bible.
- The Number 7
- H7651 (sheba / shibah, 395 occurrences, the number 7)
- Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments. (Psa 119:164)
- These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him (Pro 6:16)
- Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars (Pro 9:1)
- The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason. (Pro 26:16)
- When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart. (Pro 26:25)
- And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach. (Isa 4:1)
- H7655 (shibah, Aramiaic, the number 7, 6 occurrences – Ezra 7:14, Dan 3:19, Dan 4:16, Dan 4:23, Dan 4:25, Dan 4:32)
- H7658 (shibanah, 1 occurrence, prolonged form of number 7 – Job 42:13)
- G2033 (hepta, 87 occurrences)
- Mat 12:45 – 7 other spirits more wicked
- Mat 18:22 – forgiveness
- Mat 22:25-28, Luke 20:29-33 – 7 brothers with 1 wife
- Rev 1:11-20 – 7 stars, 7 golden candlesticks, 2 churches
- Acts 13:19 – 7 nations in the land of Canaan – land give to Israel
- Acts 6:3 – 7 original deacons
- Churches (Rev 1:4), Spirits (Rev 1:4), Candlesticks (Rev 1:12, 20), stars (Rev 1:16, 20, lamps (Rev 4:5), seals (Rev 5:1,5), angels (Rev 8:2, Rev 15:1, Rev 17:1, Rev 21:9), trumpets (Rev 8:2), thunders (Rev 10:3‑4), plagues (Rev 15:6-8, Rev 21:9), bowls (Rev 15:7, Rev 21:9), mountains (Rev 17:9), kings (Rev 17:10), heads of the scarlet beasts (Rev 17:3-11), heads of Satan (dragon) (Rev 12:3), heads of Beast (Rev 13:1)
- Seven oneself (swear / take oath) – H7650 / H7621
- H7650 (shaba, 186 occurrences) – to sware
- H7621 (shebuah, 30 occurrences) – to take oath
- The Lord swears – Promised Land – Deut 8:1, Gen 24:7, Ex 13:5, Ex 13:11, Ex 33:11, Deut 1:8
- The Lord swears – the Covenant – Deut 7:12, Deut 8:18
- Lord swears – salvation – Heb 6:16-18; Gen 22:15-18 (see verses 16); Psa 105:9-10; Isa 45:23; Jer 22:5; Jer 49:13; Mic 7:20; Luk 1:73, Gen 50:24, Exo 13:5, Exo 13:11, Exo 33:1, Num 14:16, Num 14:23, Num 32:10-11 (2), Deu 1:8, Deu 1:34-35 (2), Deu 2:14, Deu 4:21, Deu 4:31, Deu 6:10, Deu 6:18, Deu 6:23, Deu 7:12-13 (2), Deu 8:1, Deu 8:18, Deu 9:5, Deu 10:11, Deu 11:9, Deu 11:21, Deu 26:3, Deu 28:11, Deu 31:20-21 (3), Deu 31:23, Deu 34:4, Josh 5:6, Ps 89:3, Amo 6:8, Isa 14:24, Isa 45:23
- That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. (Heb 6:12-20)
- The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand: (Isa 14:24)
- I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. (Isa 45:23)
- Seventh
- H7637 (shebiyiy, 98 occurrences, seventh)
- Gen 2:1, Ex 20:10-11, Ex 23:12, Ex 31:15-17, Ex 34:21, Ex 35:2 – God rested on the 7th day, the Sabbath (the promise of salvation by God’s grace)
- Lev 25:4, Ex 23:11 – 7th year Sabbath for the Land
- Ex 12:15-16, Ex 13:6 – 7th day of Feast of Unleavened bread is holy convocation of rest
- Ex 16:26-30 – Manna not to be gathered 7th day of rest
- Ex 21:2 – Slaves are freed
- Ex 24:16 – 7th day the Lord called out to Moses
- G1442 (hebdomeos, 9 occurrences) – Joh 4:52, Heb 4:4, Jud 1:14, Rev 8:1, Rev 10:7, Rev 11:15, Rev 16:17, Rev 21:20
- Heb 4:4 – 7th day was a day of rest (salvation)
- People’s Names tied to the number 7
- H7652 (Sheba, 10 occurrences, a name tied to 7)
- H7656 (shibah, 1 occurrence – Gen 26:33, well called Shebah, source of city name Beersheba)
- H7614 / H7615 (Sheba, 24 occurrences. e.g., queen of Sheba, Ethiopia)
- Not satisfied with enough
- H7653 (sibah, 1 occurrence – fullness) – Eze 16:49
- H7654 (sobah, 8 occurrences – not satisfied / not sufficient) – Psa 88:3, Psa 104:16, Eze 39:19, Isa 56:11, Hag 1:6, Isa 55:2, Isa 23:18, Eze 16:28
- Sevenfold (seven times)
- H7659 (shibathayim, 6 occurrences, seven-fold)
- Gen 4:15, Gen 4:24 – Vengeance on whoever slays Cain (Lamech 70 times 7)
- Ps 79:12 – Vengeance seven fold; Restoration of a thief (Pr 6:31)
- Is 30:26 – Sun 7 times brighter – Day of Salvation / Restoration
- Ps 12:6 – Word of God pure as a silver refined in fire 7 times
- G2034 (heptakis, seven times, 4 occurrences) – Forgive 7 times (Lk 17:4, Mat 18:21-22)
- Week (Sevened) – Symbolizes perfect commitment of rest
- H7620 (shabua, 19 occurrences, ‘sevened’ / week) – Dan 9:24-27 , Dan 10:2-3 (literal weeks of Daniel’s mourning)
- Different word than H7659 (sevenfold)
- H7620 points to the 7 days of a week, which is tied to sabbath rest
- Feast of weeks (Pentecost) – Exo 34:22, Num 28:26, Deu 16:9-10, Deu 16:16, 2 Ch 8:13
- Fulfill her (Rachel’s) week (refers to 7 years) – Gen 29:27-28; One day = 1 year – Eze 4:4-6, Num 14:33-34
- G4521 (sabbaton, 9 occurrences as ‘week’ (sabbaths), 59 occurrences as sabbath) – Mar 16:1-2, Mar 16:9, Luk 18:12, John 20:1, John 20:19, Acts 20:7, 1Co 16:2
- Seven Times
- And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. (Ge 33:3)
- And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the LORD, before the vail of the sanctuary. (Lev 4:6)
- And the priest shall dip his finger in some of the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD, even before the vail. (Lev 4:17)
- And he sprinkled thereof upon the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all his vessels, both the laver and his foot, to sanctify them. (Lev 8:11)
- And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the open field. (Lev 14:7)
- And the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand, and shall sprinkle of the oil with his finger seven times before the LORD: (Lev 14:16)
- And the priest shall sprinkle with his right finger some of the oil that is in his left hand seven times before the LORD: (Lev 14:27)
- 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: (Lev 14:51)
- And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times. (Lev 16:14)
- And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel. (Lev 16:19)
- And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years. (Lev 25:8)
- And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. (Lev 26:18)
- And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins. (Lev 26:21)
- Then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins. (Lev 26:24)
- Then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins. (Lev 26:28)
- And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood directly before the tabernacle of the congregation seven times: (Num 19:4)
- And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. (Jos 6:4)
- And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times. (Jos 6:15)
- And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is And he said, Go again seven times. (1Ki 18:43)
- Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. (2Ki 4:35)
- And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. (2Ki 5:10)
- Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. (2Ki 5:14)
- The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. (Psa 12:6)
- Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments. (Psa 119:164)
- For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. (Pro 24:16)
- Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. (Dan 3:19)
- Let his heart be changed from man’s, and let a beast’s heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him. (Dan 4:16)
- And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him; (Dan 4:23)
- That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. (Dan 4:25)
- And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. (Dan 4:32)
- Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. (Dan 9:25)
- Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. (Mat 18:21-22)
- And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him. (Luk 17:4)
- H7620 (shabua, 19 occurrences, ‘sevened’ / week) – Dan 9:24-27 , Dan 10:2-3 (literal weeks of Daniel’s mourning)
- H7650 (shaba, 186 occurrences) – to sware
- H7651 (sheba / shibah, 395 occurrences, the number 7)