Bible: Old Testament: English Standard Version

While in some cases, numbers simply represent quantifiable amounts, certain numbers in the Old Testament also carry symbolic significance; particularly the numbers seven, twelve, and forty. Seven carries connotations of perfection or fulfillment, especially concerning God’s purposes for an item or event. This connotation likely has a linguistic derivation because the consonant pattern in the word for seven is identical to the pattern in the word for “complete” or “full,” and as ancient Hebrew was often written without its vowels, the two words would look indistinguishable in writing. The symbolic significance of seven can be seen in the seven days of creation, the seven-year calendrical pattern leading up to the Year of Jubilee, the Israelites being told to march around the walls of Jericho seven times, and the seven major Jewish festivals.

The number 12 is likewise significant, symbolizing perfection in authority or governance. The most prominent example of its use is the 12 sons of Jacob, who became the patriarchs of the 12 tribes of Israel. The number 12 also appears elsewhere, including in the number of minor prophets (whose collected works were called “the Book of the Twelve” in Jewish tradition), the number of Israelite spies sent to scout the land of Canaan, the number of governors appointed by Solomon, and the number of priests appointed by Ezra.