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שִׁבְעָה

𐤔𐤁𐤏𐤄

Shibʻâh

H7656 adjective

SILEX Entry

Root שבע to be full, to be satisfied, to swear an oath

Definition

Masculine form of the numeral 'seven,' functioning as the cardinal number 'seven' within various grammatical constructions. Also appears as a proper noun, the name 'Sheba,' used for locations or persons in certain texts. The word's semantic range includes enumeration, ordering (as seventh), and proper names. The word primarily denotes the number seven but may also be part of names or formulas highlighting completeness or oath.

Semantic Range

seven (the cardinal number), the seventh (with definite article or ordinal forms), completeness or fullness (symbolic), as a personal or place name: Sheba/Shebah

Root / Etymology

From the root שׁ-ב-ע (שבע), meaning 'to be full, to be satisfied, to swear an oath.' The root conveys the ideas of fullness or completion, which lend nuance to the significance of the numeral seven. שִׁבְעָה is a masculine noun form derived directly from the root, parallel to the feminine form שֶׁבַע (shevaʻ).

Historical & Contextual Notes

שִׁבְעָה occurs primarily as the cardinal number 'seven,' most often used in legal, liturgical, or genealogical contexts, and frequently in enumerative lists. It sets apart periods—such as days (the week), years (Sabbatical years), or units in ritual acts—underscoring a sense of completeness or fulfillment. In some cases, especially in genealogies or toponyms, שִׁבְעָה functions as a proper noun (Sheba), for example as the name of a location (Genesis 26:33) or a person. The distinction between the masculine form שִׁבְעָה and the more common feminine form שֶׁבַע arises from Hebrew grammatical gender agreement. Some English translations use 'Shebah' or 'Sheba' for the proper noun but may conflate the uses. The broader ancient Near Eastern context also regards seven as symbolically significant, evident in its association with oaths (cf. the verb שָׁבַע, 'to swear'), completeness, and sacred cycles. The word should not be confused with the Sheba associated with the Sabaean peoples of southwest Arabia. In later Israelite history and post-exilic periods, the ritual and liturgical importance of seven remains prominent, especially in texts shaped during or after the Persian period (e.g., seven days of Passover or Sukkot, seven-branched menorah).

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

masculine of שֶׁבַע; seven(-th); Shebah, a well in Palestine; Shebah.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

שבע (š-b-ʿ) — fullness, completeness, satisfaction, oath-binding

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1339 בַּת־שֶׁבַע seven
H3090 יְהוֹשַׁבְעַת YHWH-has-sworn
H7620 שָׁבוּעַ in your seven-cycles
H7621 שְׁבוּעָה by oath-of
H7637 שְׁבִיעִי in the seventh

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7656-01 שִׁבְעָ֑ה shiveah HAcmsa Shibah seven 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7656-01 Genesis 26:33 שִׁבְעָ֑ה shiveah HAcmsa Shibah seven
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