Bible Word Study
שִׁבְעָה
shibʻâh · null
שִׁבְעָה
Definition
The word שִׁבְעָה is the Aramaic form of the number seven, used in the biblical Aramaic portions of Daniel and Ezra. It functions identically to its Hebrew counterpart (שֶׁבַע, H7651), denoting the numeral seven, often with symbolic or literal numerical significance. In Daniel 3:19, it specifies a literal quantity ('seven times more'), while in Daniel 4:16, 23, 25, 32, it is part of the prophetic phrase 'seven times' or 'seven periods,' indicating a divinely appointed duration of judgment. In Ezra 7:14, it refers to the seven counselors of the Persian king, emphasizing completeness in royal wisdom.
Biblical Usage
This word appears exclusively in the Aramaic sections of the Old Testament: the book of Daniel (chapters 2-7) and Ezra 4:8-6:18, 7:12-26. It is used both for simple counting (Daniel 3:19) and, more prominently, within prophetic or decreed timeframes. In Daniel 4, it is repeated four times in Nebuchadnezzar's dream, describing the 'seven times' of his madness, establishing a pattern of its use for periods of divine discipline or fulfillment.
Etymology
שִׁבְעָה is the Aramaic cognate of the Hebrew שֶׁבַע (sheba', H7651), both meaning 'seven.' It derives from a common Semitic root for the number seven, shared with languages like Akkadian and Ugaritic. The Aramaic form appears in the biblical texts due to the historical context of the Jewish exile in Babylon, where Aramaic was the lingua franca.
Semantic Range
The number seven in Scripture consistently symbolizes completeness, perfection, and divine fulfillment. In its Aramaic form in Daniel, 'seven times' (שִׁבְעָה) underscores God's sovereign control over time and kingdoms, even in a foreign context. It marks a complete period of God's judgment (as with Nebuchadnezzar) and the perfection of His decrees, enriching the reader's view of God's universal authority as revealed to pagan rulers. In the ancient Near East, the number seven held widespread symbolic meaning associated with wholeness and sacred order, seen in Babylonian and Canaanite cultures as well as Israel. The use of the Aramaic term reflects the Jewish exile experience, where God's messages were delivered in the language of the empire, showing His relevance to all nations. שֶׁבַע (sheba', H7651) — The Hebrew equivalent, used throughout most of the Old Testament. שְׁבִיעִי (shebîʻîy, H7637) — The ordinal form 'seventh,' denoting sequence or position.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]