Difference between revisions of "Seven"

<p> '''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. </p> <p> 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''' . </p> <p> 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; &nbsp;Numbers 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'' . &nbsp;Genesis 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. </p>