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ἑπτά

heptá

G2033 determiner

SILEX Entry

Definition

The cardinal number 'seven,' used primarily to enumerate quantities, designate order in a sequence (as in 'the seventh'), or to refer to a set or collective of seven entities. In specific literary and cultural contexts, 'seven' may also convey the idea of completeness or totality, though its main function is quantitative.

Semantic Range

seven (the cardinal number), a group or set of seven, the seventh (ordinal by context), symbolic use representing completeness or fulfillment

Root / Etymology

From the Greek root ἑπτ- (hept-), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *septm̥ (cf. Latin septem, Sanskrit saptá). The form is used in Greek as the basic term for the number seven.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The term ἑπτά is the standard Greek word for 'seven,' attested from the earliest periods of the language, including Homeric Greek. Its primary and consistent use is purely numerical, for counting and enumerating (e.g., seven persons, seven days). In the Septuagint and New Testament, 'seven' often appears in symbolic contexts (such as the seven days of creation or the seven seals in Revelation), reflecting Near Eastern and Israelite literary traditions where seven signifies completeness, fulfillment, or divinely instituted order. However, the word itself always fundamentally means 'seven,' and associations with fullness or perfection derive from context rather than lexical meaning. The Greek ἑπτά corresponds to Hebrew שֶׁבַע (shevaʽ), with similar associations in Israelite tradition. English translations uniformly render it as 'seven.' There is no significant development or narrowing of meaning in Koine usage compared to earlier Greek.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primary number; seven:--seven.

Root Family

ἑπτά (hepta) — seven, to number seven, a set of seven

Root ἑπτ- to be seven, to number seven

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G2033-01 ἑπτὰ epta DET ACC N PL seven seven seven 88

Occurrences in Scripture

88 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G2033-01 Matthew 12:45 ἑπτὰ epta DET ACC N PL seven seven seven
G2033-01 Matthew 15:34 ἑπτά epta ADJ.S ACC M PL Seven seven seven
G2033-01 Matthew 15:36 ἑπτὰ epta DET ACC M PL seven seven seven
G2033-01 Matthew 15:37 ἑπτὰ epta DET ACC F PL seven seven seven
G2033-01 Matthew 16:10 ἑπτὰ epta DET ACC M PL seven seven seven
G2033-01 Matthew 18:22 ἑπτά epta ADJ.S GEN N PL seven seven seven
G2033-01 Matthew 22:25 ἑπτὰ epta DET NOM M PL seven seven seven
G2033-01 Matthew 22:26 ἑπτά epta ADJ.S GEN M PL seven seven seven
G2033-01 Matthew 22:28 ἑπτὰ epta ADJ.S GEN M PL seven seven seven
G2033-01 Mark 8:5 ἑπτά epta ADJ.S ACC M PL Seven seven seven
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