Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1871-05-17
The Number Seven.

to notice the frequent occurrence of certain
numbers and in both the Old and New
Testaments we find that unusual promi
nence is given to the number seven.
The Old Testament opens with the crea
ton of the world, which is said to have oc
cupied six days, and the seventh was devo
ted to repose and among the Jews the
seventh year is also consecrated to the rest
of the year, and is called the sabbatical
year, and the seven times seventh year is
styled the year of jubilee.
1t would be almost impossible to mention
all the instances in which the number seven
occurs in the Scriptures, but we will briefly
notice few of them, and perhaps some of
our readers may be interested to search for
themselves for number which figures so
conspicuously in the sacred writings, and to
whose religious significance many scholarly
minds have given much time and thought.
In the Old Testament We have the seven
days of the week we End also that in GER
tain sacrifices the sprinkling of blood was
repeated seven times; that a leprous house
was closed for seven days, and afterward
sprinkled seven times; the consecrat;ol of
the priests continued sever days the teas t
of the tabernacle lasted seven days, and
children were not circumcised until they had
reached their seventh day. All are familiar
with the story of Jacob. who served seven
years each for Leah and R1chel. In Phar-
aoh's dreams, of which Joseph was the in
terpreter the number Of seven as applied
to the kline and the ears of corn, signifed
the seven years of plenty and of famine
tha. were to come upon the land of Egypt
Seven years were required to conquer
Canaan, and the temple was seven years in
building. Naaman was commanded to wash
seven time in Jordan. In comprising the
city Of Jericho, seven priests, bearing seven
trumpets of rams horns, preceded the ark;
they thus marched about the city seven
days, and on the seventh day seven times.
As magical charm, Samson was bound
with seven green withcs, and seven locks of
his hair were woven with the web.
In the New Testament we have the seven
baskets OF fragments In Matthew xviii.
81, %, we read Then came Peter to him,
and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother
sin against me, and | forgive him e? Till
seven times ?' Jesus saith unto him,
say not unto thee until seven times, but un
til seventy times seven"
In the book of Revelation the number
seven is used very frequently. There are
seven churches of Asia, seven stars. seven
golden candesticks, seven spirits of God
the lamb with seven horns and seven eyes
the book vsitIi seais, seven angel.
with seven trumpets, seven thunders, seven
vi ais with seven last plaques, the earthquake
destroying seven thousand men. and the
beast and the dragon having each sever
heads. The witnesses proph hesy in sackclotl
the half of seven years, and lie unburied
the half of seven years.
From sacred history we pass to profane
and s,iions a large number of examples, We
will mention the seven ages the seven ch an,
pions, the seven hills, the seventh son Of
the seventh son, the seven sleepers, the sew
en- wonders Of the world, the seven stages
of life (Shakespeare), ana the seven wise
mer. In astronomy we have the sever
stars called Pleiades, situated in the neck Of
the constellation Taurus We read of the
seven fold shield of Ajax; OF seven fold
rage and Milton says:
"Of every beast. and bird, and insect sm all,
Came sevens and pairs"
There is an ancient couplet, by Thouia:
Haywood, who lived in the seventeenth cen
| tury, which runs thus
"Seven cities warred for Homer, being dead
Who, living had no ROOF to shield his head
1t has been frequently stated that seven
is the number Of hours that should be devo-
ted to sleep. I've remember little couplct
on this point which amused US in our child
| hood:
| Mature reaui.es Ave custom takes seven,
| Laziness nine, and wickedness eleven"
Sir William Jones gives the safest coua.
sel in regard to this matter:
Seven hours to care. to soothing stunt her seven
| Ten to the world allot, and ali to Heaven"
Seven is often used to indicate a grea
number-as seven times as many, - ''Sev-
| en- score, and double seven times ;" and
to refer to the Bible once more, we find il
Proverbs this passage: The sluggard i:
wiser il his own conceit than seven mel
! that can render a reason.
! Leaving the sober paths of sacred an(
profane history, we find that the number
seven has also been popularity adopted il
! the field of wit and humor; however We
will give but one example, and that is al
ancient riddle
| t.As was going to st. Ives,
met seven wives;
Each wife had seven sacks,
Each sack had seven cats.