### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **shibʻîym**, represented by `{{H7657}}`, is the numeral for **seventy**. As a multiple of `{{H7651}}` **shebaʻ** (seven), it appears 92 times across 90 unique verses. Its usage frequently marks significant periods of time, designates important groups of people, and functions as a key number in prophecy and national identity.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{H7657}}` is used in several key contexts. It defines crucial timeframes, most notably the **seventy** years of Babylonian captivity prophesied by Jeremiah [[Jeremiah 25:11]], a period that would be accomplished for the desolations of Jerusalem [[Daniel 9:2]]. The number also designates foundational groups, such as the **seventy** elders of Israel whom God appointed to share the spirit with Moses [[Numbers 11:25]], and the **seventy** souls of the house of Jacob who went down into Egypt [[Exodus 1:5]]. In prophecy, Daniel speaks of **seventy** weeks determined upon the people to make reconciliation for iniquity [[Daniel 9:24]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words provide context for the use of **seventy**:
* `{{H7651}}` **shebaʻ** (seven): This is the primitive cardinal number from which **shibʻîym** is derived. Its sense of fullness is seen in [[Genesis 4:24]], where Lamech's vengeance is declared to be "seventy and **seven**fold."
* `{{H8141}}` **shâneh** (year): This word is frequently paired with **shibʻîym** to define significant historical and prophetic periods, such as the **seventy years** of captivity [[Jeremiah 29:10]] and the typical human lifespan [[Psalms 90:10]].
* `{{H2205}}` **zâqên** (elder): This term is specifically linked to the group of **seventy elders** chosen to assist Moses and upon whom God's spirit rested ([[Numbers 11:16]], [[Numbers 11:25]]).
* `{{H505}}` **'eleph** (thousand): This numeral is often used as a multiplier with seventy to denote large numbers, such as the **seventy thousand** men who bore burdens for Solomon [[1 Kings 5:15]] or the **seventy thousand** who died in a pestilence [[2 Samuel 24:15]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H7657}}` is significant, highlighting God's sovereign control over time and governance.
* **Periods of Judgment and Restoration:** The number **seventy** is used to frame divinely appointed periods of judgment. The **seventy** years of captivity serve as punishment for Judah's iniquity [[Jeremiah 25:12]], after which God promises to visit and restore His people [[Jeremiah 29:10]]. Similarly, Tyre was to be forgotten for **seventy** years before being visited by the LORD [[Isaiah 23:15]].
* **Prophetic Timetables:** **shibʻîym** is a cornerstone of biblical prophecy. Daniel's vision of **seventy** weeks sets a divine timeline for finishing transgression, making an end of sins, and bringing in everlasting righteousness [[Daniel 9:24]].
* **Divine Order and Leadership:** God establishes order using this number. The selection of **seventy** elders to share in the spirit given to Moses demonstrates a divine pattern for delegated authority and governance within Israel [[Numbers 11:16-25]].
* **National Foundation:** The number **seventy** marks the origin of the Israelite nation in Egypt, with the house of Jacob numbering **seventy** souls [[Deuteronomy 10:22]]. It also appears in patriarchal contexts, such as Gideon having **seventy** sons [[Judges 8:30]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H7657}}` **shibʻîym** is far more than a simple number. It is a figure of theological importance, representing divinely decreed periods of time, from the span of a human life [[Psalms 90:10]] to years of national exile [[Jeremiah 25:11]]. It is used to structure leadership, as with the **seventy** elders, and to establish the foundational size of Jacob's family. From prophecy and punishment to governance and lineage, **seventy** serves as a key numeral for understanding God's measured and sovereign work in the biblical narrative.
TRV