or שָׁבֻעַ; also (feminine) שְׁבֻעָה; properly, passive participle of שָׁבַע as a denominative of שֶׁבַע; literally, sevened, i.e. a week (specifically, of years); seven, week.
### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **shâbûwaʻ**, represented by `{{H7620}}`, literally means "sevened" and refers to a **week**. It appears 20 times across 17 verses in the Bible. Derived from the word for seven `{{H7651}}`, it signifies a complete cycle or period of seven, which can apply to days or, significantly, to years.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In scripture, `{{H7620}}` is used in several distinct ways. It can refer to a literal seven-day period, as when Jacob **fulfilled** her **week** [[Genesis 29:28]] or when Daniel was **mourning** three full **weeks** [[Daniel 10:2]]. It is also used to establish periods of ceremonial purity, such as the **two weeks** a woman is considered **unclean** after bearing a female **child** [[Leviticus 12:5]]. The term is central to Israel's agricultural and religious calendar in the "Feast of **Weeks**" [[Deuteronomy 16:16]], which was to be observed with a **freewill offering** [[Deuteronomy 16:10]]. Most significantly, it is used prophetically in the book of Daniel to denote "weeks of years," as in the seventy **weeks** determined upon the people and the holy **city** [[Daniel 9:24]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words clarify the meaning and application of a "week":
* `{{H7651}}` **shebaʻ** (seven): This is the cardinal number from which **shâbûwaʻ** is derived. It underpins the entire concept, as seen in the instruction to **number** **seven** weeks from the start of the **harvest** [[Deuteronomy 16:9]].
* `{{H2282}}` **chag** (festival, feast): This word is frequently paired with `{{H7620}}` to form the title "Feast of **Weeks**," one of the three major pilgrimage festivals commanded in the law [[Deuteronomy 16:16]].
* `{{H8141}}` **shâneh** (a year): This term is essential for interpreting prophetic passages. In Genesis, a **week** of service is contrasted with seven additional **years** of service [[Genesis 29:27]], while in Daniel, **weeks** are understood to be periods of **years** [[Daniel 9:24]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H7620}}` is tied to its representation of divinely ordered time and completion.
* **Cycles of Worship and Provision:** The command to observe the Feast of **Weeks** [[Exodus 34:22]] and God's reservation of the "appointed **weeks** of the **harvest**" [[Jeremiah 5:24]] establish a rhythm of life centered on God's provision and scheduled worship. This seven-based cycle reflects a divine ordering of time.
* **Prophetic Fulfillment:** The concept of "weeks" is central to understanding God's redemptive plan. The prophecy of Daniel outlines seventy **weeks** to **finish** transgression, make reconciliation for **iniquity** `{{H5771}}`, and **anoint** the most Holy [[Daniel 9:24]]. This sets a divine timetable for the coming of the **Messiah** `{{H4899}}`.
* **Completion and Covenant:** A "week" signifies a period that must be completed or **fulfilled** [[Genesis 29:28]]. In [[Daniel 9:27]], a **covenant** `{{H1285}}` is confirmed for one **week**, linking the measurement of time directly to God's binding agreements with humanity.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H7620}}` moves from a simple denotation of a seven-day period to a profound theological concept. It structures personal life [[Genesis 29:27]], national worship through the Feast of **Weeks** [[Deuteronomy 16:10]], and the very timeline of salvation history. The prophetic use of "weeks" in Daniel [[Daniel 9:25]] reveals that God operates according to a divinely appointed schedule, marking out eras with the same precision He uses to appoint the **weeks** of the **harvest** [[Jeremiah 5:24]].
TRV