SEVEN. The Number Seven is consecrated in the holy Books, and in the Religion of the Jews, by a great Number of Events and mysterious Circumstances. God created the World in the Space of seven Days, and consecrated the seventh Day to Repose. This Rest of the seventh Heb. iv. 4.Day, according to St. Paul, intimates eternal Rest. And not only the seventh Day is honour’d among the Jews, by the Repose of the Sabbath, but every seventh Year is also consecrated to the Rest of the Earth, by the Name of a Sabbatical Year; as also the seven times seventh Year, or forty-nine Years, is the Year of Jubilee. In the Prophetick Style, a Week often stands Dan. ix. 24, 25, 26. Numbers xxvii. 11. xxix. 17, 21, &c. Josh. vi. 4, 6, 8.for seven Years. Jacob served his Father-in-law Laban seven Years for each of his Daughters. Pharaoh’s mysterious Dream represented to his Imagination seven fat Oxen, and seven lean ones; seven full Ears of Corn, and as many that were empty and shrivell’d. These stood for seven Years of Plenty, and seven of Scarcity. The Number of seven Days is observed in the Octaves of the great Solemnities of the Passover, of Tabernacles, of the Dedication of the Tabernacle and the Temple, the seven Branches of the golden Candlestick, the Number of seven Sacrifices appointed on several Occasions: Seven Trumpets, seven Priests that founded them, seven Days to surround the Walls of Jericho. In the Revelations, are the seven Churches, seven Candlesticks, seven Spirits, seven Stars, seven Lamps, seven Seals, seven Angels, seven Phials, seven Plagues, &c. In a word, we may say we find the Number seven in every Page of Scripture.
Isa. iv. 1. 1 Kings ii. 5. Jer. xv. 9.In certain Passages the Number Seven is put for a great Number. Isaiah says, that seven Women should lay hold on one Man, to ask him to marry them. Hannah the Mother of Samuel says, that she who was barren should have seven Children: Or, according to the Vulgate, hath had several Children: Peperit plurimos. Jeremiah makes use of the same Expression. God threatens his People, to smite them seven Lev. xxvi. 24.times for their Transgressions; that is to say, several times. The Psalmist, speakspeaking of very pure Silver, says it is purify’d seven times. And elsewhere; Render unto our Neigbbours sevenfold into their Bosom. Punish them severely, and as often as they deserve it. The Slayer of Cain was to be punish’d seven times; but of Lamech seventy times seven times. The Wiseman Ecclus. vii. 3.says; Sow not upon the Furrows of Unrighteousness, and thou shalt not reap them sevenfold; that is, many times. The slothful Prov. xxvi. 16.Man thinks himself wiser than seven Men, that set forth Proverbs. He thinks himself of more Worth than seven wise Men. St. Peter asks our Saviour, How Mat. xvii. 21, 22.many times shall I forgive my Neighbour? Till seven times? And Christ answers him, I say not only seven times, but seventy times seven times. Amos often repeats, Super Amos i. 3, 6, 9. ii. 13.tribus sceleribus, & super quartam non parcam. I will not pardon the seven Sins of Damascus, of Edom, of Gaza, of Tyre, of Ammon, &c. but I will punish them with the utmost Rigour.
See the Articles WEEK, SABBATH, SABBATICAL YEAR, JUBILEE, &c.
The seventy Weeks of Daniel. We have spoke of them sufficiently under the Article Prideaux Conexion. t. 1. p. 13, 14, &c.WEEK. Dr. Prideaux, in the new History of the Jews lately publish’d, begins them from the seventh Year of King Artaxerxes Longimanus, the Year of the Decree, which he made in favour of Esdras, for his returning to Jerusalem. He treats of this Matter very amply.