Lexical Summary
sheba or shibah: seven, seventh, seven times
Original Word:שֶׁבַע
Part of Speech:Noun
Transliteration:sheba`
Pronunciation:sheh-BAH or shih-BAH
Phonetic Spelling:(sheh'-bah)
KJV: (+ by) seven(-fold),-s, (-teen, -teenth), -th, times)
NASB:seven, seventh, seven times, sevens
Word Origin:[fromH7650 (שָׁבַע - swore)]
1. a primitive cardinal number
2. seven (as the sacred full one)
3. (also, adverbially) seven times
4. (by implication) a week
5. (by extension) an indefinite number
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
by sevenfold, teen
Or (masculine) shibrah {shib-aw'}; fromshaba'; a primitive cardinal number; seven (as the sacred full one); also (adverbially) seven times; by implication, a week; by extension, an indefinite number -- (+ by) seven(-fold),-s, (-teen, -teenth), -th, times). Compareshib'anah.
see HEBREWshaba'
see HEBREWshib'anah
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origina prim. card. number
Definitionseven
NASB Translation1,017* (2), 1,247* (2), 1,700* (3), 1,760* (1), 1,775* (2), 127* (3), 14,700* (1), 157,600* (1), 16,750* (1), 17,200* (1), 2,067* (1), 2,700* (1), 2,750* (1), 27,000* (1), 3,700* (1), 307,500* (1), 337,500* (2), 37,000* (1), 43,730* (1), 44,760* (1), 52,700* (1), 57,400* (2), 6,720* (2), 601,730* (1), 603,550* (1), 62,700* (2), 667* (1), 67* (1), 7,000* (8), 7,100* (1), 7,337* (4), 7,500* (1), 7,700* (4), 700* (5), 721* (1), 725* (1), 730* (1), 736* (2), 743* (2), 745* (1), 760* (2), 77* (1), 775* (1), 87,000* (1), forty-seven* (1), seven (270), seven times (6), sevens (2), seventeen* (6), seventeenth* (6), seventh (8), thirty-seven* (4), thirty-seventh* (3), twenty-seven* (1), twenty-seventh* (6).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
I. ,
394 and (Late Hebrewid., MI16 Assyriansibi,sibittu (DlGr. § 65, 6;s = ), Arabic
,
, Sabean HomChr 47, 124, Ethiopic
Phoenician (Punic) Nabataean , Palmyrene ; Aramaic , ,
,
; on etymology compare LagBN 37 f.); — (c. ) absoluteGenesis 41:2 115t.; constructGenesis 5:26 47t., especially P (15 t.) and Chronicles (20 t.),1 Kings 14:21 (c.
) absoluteGenesis 4:24 100t.; constructGenesis 7:10 120t.; suffix2 Samuel 21:9 Qr (so Vrss and modern; see Dr; > Kt ; —seven:
without other number:
, before feminine plural nounGenesis 21:28 (J),Judges 16:13;Isaiah 4:1 80t., especiallyGenesis 29:18 (E) + 32 t. (but read for2 Samuel 24:13a, compare vb, c, also and ""1 Chronicles 21:12; so Th We Dr Bu HPS Now),Genesis 33:3 (J),Leviticus 4:6 (P) + 17 t.;1 Kings 6:6; after nounEzekiel 40:20,26; noun omittedJob 5:19;Proverbs 6:16, + (= )Leviticus 26:18,21,24,28 (H),Psalm 119:64;Proverbs 24:16
before masculine plural nounNumbers 23:1 (3 t. in verse) (E) + 40 t. +Job 42:19 (read for Ges§ 97c and most); + (distributive)Zechariah 4:2; after nounGenesis 7:4 (J),Exodus 25:37 (P) + 12 t. (P Chronicles Daniel Proverbs); noun omitted1 Samuel 2:5 9t., including as ordinal, see below; but read for1 Kings 7:17 (twice in verse) Th Kmp Klo Benz Kit Bur; also distributive = 7eachGenesis 7:2,3(J); as predicateGenesis 46:25 (P),
, before plural nounNumbers 23:4 (E),Numbers 8:2 (P),Ezekiel 45:23 (twice in verse);Job 2:13 (twice in verse) + 97 t., inclGenesis 8:10 (J), + 88 t. +Ezekiel 45:21 (read for Vrss and modern),
= ordinal, Deuteronomy 15:2;2 Kings 12:2 3t.,Ezekiel 30:20, compareEzekiel 45:20;Genesis 7:10 (J),1 Chronicles 9:25
17yearsGenesis 37:2 3t. +1 Kings 14:21, also as ordinal1 Kings 22:52,2 Kings 16:1.
(that islot)1 Chronicles 24:15;1 Chronicles 25:24 (compare also, + other number,1 Chronicles 7:11;Ezra 2:30;Nehemiah 7:42), + 17th dayGenesis 7:11;Genesis 8:4; unusual isJeremiah 32:97shekels and 10 the silver
= 700Judges 8:26 39t. (butNehemiah 7:68 omitted by Masora Baer Gi q. v.).
= 70001 Kings 20:30 2t.; =id.1 Kings 20:15+ 15 t.; 57,000 is 7 50x 1000Numbers 1:31;Numbers 2:8,31.
+ other number:
follows 18 t.: (1) singular noun afterJudges 8:14; also (= ordinal number)Ezekiel 29:17 2t.,2 Kings 13:10, compare2 Kings 15:1; (2) plural noun before other numberEzra 8:35;Nehemiah 7:1:[72];Nehemiah 7:71; (3) singular noun construct precedes1 Kings 16:10,15 (ordinal); (4) noun after each numberGenesis 23:1;Genesis 23:25 (both P), etc.
precedes 10 t. (P and Esther): (1) noun singular after other numberGenesis 8:14;Exodus 6:16,20 3t. Esther; (2) noun repeatedGenesis 5:7;Genesis 11:21;Genesis 47:28, compareGenesis 5:25,31.
100017Ezra 2:39 =Nehemiah 7:42 — often with sacred significance:Genesis 21:28ff. (J),Exodus 37:23;Leviticus 4:6,17;Leviticus 8:11;Leviticus 14:27 + (P); as round numberGenesis 4:24 (song in J),Genesis 29:18ff;Genesis 31:23;Genesis 41:2ff (all E), etc.; on bowing 7 t.Genesis 33:3 (J; in great humility), compare WklTelAm. nos. 143, 230, 246 NeMar,11 f.; all these probably originating with week of seven days; compare especially KöHast. DB NUMBER, 562 f., 565.
Job 42:13 read Ges§ 97c and most.
Topical Lexicon
Concept Summaryשֶׁבַע (seven) functions in Scripture as the number of divine completion and covenantal fullness. Its 394 appearances span the Law, Prophets, and Writings, shaping Israel’s calendar, worship, and prophetic hope.
Foundational Role in Creation
“By the seventh day God had completed His work that He had done, and He rested on the seventh day” (Genesis 2:2-3). The creation week establishes seven as the rhythm of time itself. Everything that follows—Sabbath, sabbatical years, Jubilee—echoes this inaugural pattern of work crowned by rest and blessing.
Sabbath and Israel’s Worship Life
1. Weekly Sabbath (Exodus 20:8-11) marks Israel as a people who trust God’s provision.
2. Sabbatical year: “In the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of complete rest for the land” (Leviticus 25:4).
3. Jubilee after “seven Sabbaths of years, forty-nine years” (Leviticus 25:8-10) emancipates slaves and restores inheritance—an economic gospel preview.
Sacred Festivals and Rituals
• Passover-Unleavened Bread: “Seven days you must eat unleavened bread” (Exodus 12:15).
• Feast of Weeks stems from “seven full weeks” after Firstfruits (Leviticus 23:15-16).
• Feast of Booths lasts seven days (Leviticus 23:34).
Ritual blood and oil are sprinkled seven times (Leviticus 4:6; 8:11), portraying perfect purification.
Covenant and Oath Language
The root of שֶׁבַע intertwines with the verb “to swear.” Abraham set apart “seven ewe lambs” so that the well was named Beer Sheba, “well of the oath” (Genesis 21:28-31). Seven thus seals agreements and underscores God’s faithfulness to His word.
Judgment and Completion
• Protection: “Whoever kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over” (Genesis 4:15).
• Plagues: Egypt’s hail struck “from the seventh to the first” (Exodus 9:24); Leviticus threatens punishment “seven times over” (Leviticus 26:18, 21, 24, 28).
• Cleansing: Naaman is told, “Wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored” (2 Kings 5:10). Judgment and restoration alike reach their appointed completeness in sevenfold measure.
Historical Narrative Emphasis
Joshua’s conquest hinges on sevens: “Seven priests shall carry seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day you are to march around the city seven times” (Joshua 6:4). Victory flows from patterned obedience rather than military might. Solomon dedicates the temple with a seven-day feast (1 Kings 8:65), underscoring that God’s house crowns Israel’s history with covenantal wholeness.
Wisdom and Worship
• “The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times” (Psalm 12:6).
• “Seven times a day I praise You” (Psalm 119:164) models continual devotion.
• Proverbs uses the number to frame moral completeness: “There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him” (Proverbs 6:16); “for though a righteous man falls seven times, he will rise again” (Proverbs 24:16).
Prophetic and Eschatological Foreshadowing
Isaiah envisions a future in which “the light of the sun will be sevenfold” (Isaiah 30:26), signaling consummate glory. Zechariah’s lampstand bears “seven lamps with seven spouts” (Zechariah 4:2), the Spirit’s perfect illumination later echoed in Revelation’s seven churches and seven Spirits of God. Daniel’s seventy weeks (Daniel 9:24-27) multiply sevens toward Messiah’s advent, affirming God’s sovereign timeline.
Liturgical and Poetic Usage
Seven strengthens acrostic structures (Psalm 119), chiasms, and parallelism, aiding memorization and worship. Repeated sevens in lament or praise assure readers of God’s ordered governance even amid chaos (for example,Lamentations 1-4’s acrostic dirges).
New Testament Echoes
While Greek ἑπτά bears the load, New Testament writers lean on the established symbolism. Jesus instructs forgiving “seventy-seven times” (Matthew 18:22), an escalation ofGenesis 4:24’s vengeance; He multiplies bread from “seven loaves” (Mark 8:6-9), embodying covenant provision. Revelation’s cascades of sevens (churches, seals, trumpets, bowls) consummate the biblical motif of complete redemption and judgment.
Pastoral and Discipleship Applications
1. Rhythm of Rest: Weekly Sabbath principles encourage ministry pace modeled on God’s own rest.
2. Integrity of Oaths: Seven’s link to covenant underscores truthful speech and promise-keeping.
3. Hope of Completion: The prevalence of seven assures believers that God finishes what He begins (Philippians 1:6), anchoring perseverance.
4. Worship Pattern: “Seven times a day I praise You” invites structured yet heartfelt devotion.
Summary
שֶׁבַע threads through Scripture as the divine signature of completion, rest, and covenant faithfulness. From Genesis creation to Revelation consummation, it reinforces that God’s works are perfectly ordered, His promises sure, and His redemptive plan unwaveringly complete.
Forms and Transliterations
בְּשִׁבְעָ֛ה בְּשִׁבְעָ֣ה בְּשִׁבְעָ֧ה בְּשִׁבְעָֽה־ בְּשִׁבְעָה־ בְּשֶׁ֖בַע בַּשְּׁבִיעִ֡י בע בשביעי בשבע בשבעה בשבעה־ הַשִּׁבְעָ֗ה הַשֶּׁבַע֮ השבע השבעה וְ֝שֶׁ֗בַע וְשִׁבְעַ֣ת וְשִׁבְעַ֤ת וְשִׁבְעַ֥ת וְשִׁבְעַ֨ת וְשִׁבְעָ֑ה וְשִׁבְעָ֔ה וְשִׁבְעָ֖ה וְשִׁבְעָ֣ה וְשִׁבְעָ֤ה וְשִׁבְעָ֥ה וְשִׁבְעָ֧ה וְשִׁבְעָ֨ה וְשִׁבְעָֽה׃ וְשִׁבְעָה֙ וְשֶׁ֣בַע וְשֶׁ֤בַע וָשֶׁ֔בַע וָשֶׁ֙בַע֙ וָשֶׁ֜בַע וּֽשֲׁבַ֨ע וּבְשִׁבְעָ֥ה וּבְשֶׁ֓בַע ׀ וּשְׁבַ֣ע וּשְׁבַ֤ע וּשְׁבַ֥ע וּשְׁבַ֨ע וּשְׁבַע־ ובשבע ובשבעה ושבע ושבע־ ושבעה ושבעה׃ ושבעת לְשִׁבְעַ֖ת לְשִׁבְעַ֣ת לְשִׁבְעַ֧ת לְשִׁבְעָ֖ה לְשִׁבְעָ֣ה לְשִׁבְעָ֤ה לְשִׁבְעָ֥ה לְשֶׁ֙בַע֙ לשבע לשבעה לשבעת מִ֝שִּׁבְעָ֗ה מִשִּׁבְעָ֖ה משבעה שְׁבַ֣ע שְׁבַ֤ע שְׁבַ֥ע שְׁבַֽע־ שְׁבַע־ שִֽׁבְעַ֨ת שִׁבְעַ֖ת שִׁבְעַ֞ת שִׁבְעַ֣ת שִׁבְעַ֤ת שִׁבְעַ֥ת שִׁבְעַ֨ת שִׁבְעַת֙ שִׁבְעַת־ שִׁבְעָ֑ה שִׁבְעָ֔ה שִׁבְעָ֖ה שִׁבְעָ֗ה שִׁבְעָ֛ה שִׁבְעָ֜ה שִׁבְעָ֣ה שִׁבְעָ֤ה שִׁבְעָ֥ה שִׁבְעָ֧ה שִׁבְעָ֨ה שִׁבְעָֽה־ שִׁבְעָֽה׃ שִׁבְעָה֙ שִׁבְעָה֩ שִׁבְעָה־ שֶֽׁבַע שֶֽׁבַע־ שֶׁ֕בַע שֶׁ֖בַע שֶׁ֙בַע֙ שֶׁ֚בַע שֶׁ֛בַע שֶׁ֣בַע שֶׁ֤בַע שֶׁ֥בַע שֶׁ֧בַע שֶׁ֨בַע שֶׁ֨בַע ׀ שְׁבַעְתָּ֖ם שבע שבע־ שבעה שבעה־ שבעה׃ שבעת שבעת־ שבעתם ḇa‘ baš·šə·ḇî·‘î bashsheviI baššəḇî‘î bə·še·ḇa‘ bə·šiḇ·‘āh bə·šiḇ·‘āh- bəšeḇa‘ beSheva beshivah bəšiḇ‘āh bəšiḇ‘āh- haš·še·ḇa‘ haš·šiḇ·‘āh hashsheVa hashshivAh haššeḇa‘ haššiḇ‘āh lə·še·ḇa‘ lə·šiḇ·‘āh lə·šiḇ·‘aṯ ləšeḇa‘ leSheva leshivAh leshivAt ləšiḇ‘āh ləšiḇ‘aṯ miš·šiḇ·‘āh mishshivAh miššiḇ‘āh še·ḇa‘ šə·ḇa‘ še·ḇa‘- šə·ḇa‘- šə·ḇa‘·tām šeḇa‘ šəḇa‘ šeḇa‘- šəḇa‘- šəḇa‘tām Sheva shevaTam shivAh shivAt šiḇ‘āh šiḇ‘āh- šiḇ‘aṯ šiḇ‘aṯ- šiḇ·‘āh šiḇ·‘āh- šiḇ·‘aṯ šiḇ·‘aṯ- ū·ḇə·še·ḇa‘ ū·ḇə·šiḇ·‘āh ū·šă·ḇa‘ ū·šə·ḇa‘ ū·šə·ḇa‘- ūḇəšeḇa‘ ūḇəšiḇ‘āh ūšăḇa‘ ūšəḇa‘ ūšəḇa‘- ushaVa usheVa uveSheva uveshivAh va vaSheva veSheva veshivAh veshivAt wā·še·ḇa‘ wāšeḇa‘ wə·še·ḇa‘ wə·šiḇ·‘āh wə·šiḇ·‘aṯ wəšeḇa‘ wəšiḇ‘āh wəšiḇ‘aṯ
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