שְׁבִיעִי (she.vi.i)
she.vi.i
seventh
H:AQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 89 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:A
Word Overview
The Hebrew adjective shᵉbîyʻîy denotes the ordinal number seventh, marking a specific position in a sequence rather than just a quantity. It appears frequently in the Pentateuch, particularly in Exodus and Leviticus, where it structures religious observance and legal codes. The word functions as both masculine and feminine forms to agree with the noun it modifies, anchoring time and ritual in precise numerical order.
Its theological significance is profound because it often marks the culmination of a cycle. In Genesis 2:2-3, it describes the seventh day of creation, establishing the Sabbath as holy ground in time. This usage extends into Levitical law, such as the seven-day purification rites for skin diseases (Leviticus 13:51) and the sevenfold sprinkling of blood on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:14-19). The number signals completeness or the end of a process.
The term is rooted in the word for seven (shĕbâ), reinforcing its connection to fullness. Translators consistently render it as "seventh," preserving the exact chronological marker required by the text. Whether referring to the seventh day of Passover (Exodus 12:15) or the seventh year of release, the word emphasizes that God’s order operates in defined, completed periods.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word shᵉbîyʻîy marks the seventh position in a sequence, anchoring time in God’s precise order. It appears frequently in the Pentateuch to structure religious observance and legal codes. This ordinal number signals completeness or the end of a process, reminding us that God’s work is never rushed or incomplete.
In Genesis 2:3, God blessed the seventh day and made it holy because He rested from His creation. This establishes the Sabbath as sacred time, a pattern repeated in Levitical law for purification rites and festivals. The number seven reinforces fullness, showing that divine cycles reach their intended goal.
When we encounter this word, we are invited to trust in God’s timing. Whether referring to the seventh day of Passover or the seventh year of release, it emphasizes that His order operates in defined periods. This offers comfort that every season has its appointed end and rest.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 89 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- <the>/ seventh80×
- the/ seventh5×
- the/ seventh [month]1×
- in the/ seventh [month]1×
- at the/ seventh [time]1×
- and/ the/ seventh [year]1×
- and/ in the/ seventh [year]1×
- and/ in the/ seventh [month]1×
- [was] the/ seventh1×
- <of the>/ seventh1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הַ/שְּׁבִיעִ֔י19×
- הַ/שְּׁבִיעִ֗י15×
- הַ/שְּׁבִיעִ֖י10×
- הַ/שְּׁבִיעִֽי\׃6×
- הַ/שְּׁבִיעִ֜י5×
- הַ/שְּׁבִעִֽי\׃4×
- הַ/שְּׁבִיעִ֑י4×
- הַ/שְּׁבִיעִי֙3×
- הַ/שְּׁבִעִ֔י2×
- הַ/שְּׁבִיעִי֒2×
- הַ/שְּׁבִיעִ֛י2×
- הַ/שְּׁבִיעִ֔ת2×
Key Verses
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Genesis 2:3
God blessed the seventh day, and made it holy, because he rested in it from all his work of creation which he had done.
This verse establishes the Sabbath as holy ground by marking the completion of creation with the seventh day.
-
Exodus 20:10
but the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yahweh your God. You shall not do any work in it, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your livestock, nor your stranger who is within your gates;
Here the word defines the Sabbath rest, extending the command to all household members and livestock.
-
Leviticus 13:6
The priest shall examine him again on the seventh day. Behold, if the plague has faded and the plague hasn’t spread in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean. It is a scab. He shall wash his clothes, and be clean.
The seventh day serves as the critical examination point for determining if a skin plague has faded.
-
Exodus 23:11
but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave the animal of the field shall eat. In the same way, you shall deal with your vineyard and with your olive grove.
This occurrence links the seventh year to social justice, allowing the land to rest for the poor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does shᵉbîyʻîy mean in Hebrew?
Why is the seventh day significant in Scripture?
How is this word used in Levitical law?
Does this word appear in the New Testament?
Every Occurrence (89 verses across 18 books)
Genesis 3 verses
On the seventh day God finished his work which he had done; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he…
Genesis 2:3God blessed the seventh day, and made it holy, because he rested in it from all his work of creation which he had done.
Genesis 8:4The ship rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on Ararat’s mountains.