(c). Seven is a favourite number with the writers of the O. and N. T. At the outset, we have the six days of creation completed by a seventh (Gen. ii.) ; Noah took clean beasts into the ark by sevens (Gen. vii. 2, 3) ; Noah waited seven days between each sending forth of the raven and the dove (Gen. viii. 8-12) ; seven Sabbaths were to intervene between the offering of the first-fruits and the day of Pentecost (Lev. xxiii. is, etc.) ; the day of atonement was on the seventh day of the tsnth month (Lev. xxiii. 27) ; the passover and feast of tabernacles lasted each seven days (Num. xxviii. 24, 25 ; Lev. xxiii.• 41) ; the blood of propitiation was to be sprinkled seven times (Lev. xvi. 14, 15) ; and the golden candlestick had seven lamps (Exod. xxv. 37). In the N. T. we have seven spirits before the throne (Rev. i. 4) ; seven candlesticks, seven stars, seven angels, and seven churches (Rev. i. 16, 2o) ; seven lamps of fire (Rev. iv. 5) ; seven eyes and seven horns of the Lamb (Rev. v. 6) ; seven seals (Rev. v. I) ; seven angels with seven trumpets (Rev. viii. 2) ; seven vials (Rev. xv. 7), etc.
(a'). Ten occurs frequently, but not so frequently as the preceding, nor in the same marked way, viz., ten plagues of Egypt ; ten commandments ; ten mighty men (Eccles. vii. 19) ; ten virgins (Matt. xxv. t); ten pieces of silver (Luke xv. 8) ; ten pounds (Luke xix. 13) ; ten horns of the dragon (Rev. xii. 3). In the O. T., the tenth of the pro duce of the land was assigned to the Levites, and the tenth of that to the priests.
(e). Forty appears pretty often. Moses was forty days and nights in the mount (Exod. xxiv. 18) ; Israel wandered forty years in the desert (Num. xiv. 33) ; Elijah went forty clays and nights to Horeb (1 Kings xix. 8) ; Jesus fasted forty days in the wildei-ness (Matt. iv. t).
(f). Seventy occurs in some very marked in stances. Seventy souls out of the loins of Jacob (Exod. i. 5) ; seventy elders of Israel (Exod. xxiv. 1) ; Abimelech's seventy brethren (Judg. ix. 56) ; Ahab's seventy sons (2 Kings x. I) ; Tyre forgotten seventy years (Is. xxiii. 15) ; seventy years' capti vity in Babylon (jer. xxv. 11) ; Daniel's seventy weeks (Dan. ix. 24) ; seventy disciples (Luke x. I); seventy times seven (Gen. iv. 24 ; Matt. xviii. 22).
(g). Instances of one hundred are as follow : one hundred cubits, the length of the court of the tabernacle (Exod. xxvii. 18) ; one hundred stripes (Prov. xvii. to) ; one hundred years old (Is. lxv. 20) ; one hundred sheep (Matt. xviii. 20) ; one hundred measures (Luke xvi. 6, 7).
(h). One thousand occurs often. One thousand pieces of silver (Gen. xx. 16) ; of every tribe, one thousand (Num. xxxi. 4, 5) ; one thousand times (Deut. i. t I) ; one thousand generations (Deut. vii. 9) ; one of a thousand (Job ix. 3 ; xxxiii. 23) ; one thousand hills (Ps. 1. to) ; one thousand years (Eccles. vi. 6 ; 2 Pet. iii. 8 ; Rev. xx. 2, etc.); etc.
(i). Twelve is found in many instances. Twelve princes of Ishmael (Gen. xvii. 20; xxv. 16) ; twelve sons of Jacob (Gen. xxxv. 22) ; twelve tribes (Gen. xlix. 28); twelve wells of water at Elim (Exod. xv. 27) ; twelve pillars (Exod. xxiv. 4) ; twelve precious stones (Exod. xxviii. 21 ; xxxix. 14) ; twelve apostles (Luke vi. 13) ; twelve thousand sealed of each tribe of Israel (Rev. vii. 5) ; a crown of twelve stars (Rev. xii. t) ; the heavenly city had twelve gates, twelve angelic porters, and twelve foundations (Rev. xxi. 12, 14, zt) ; the Tree of Life bare twelve manner of fruit (Rev. xxii. 2) ; We may add that 144,0oo comes into notice (Rev.
vii. 4; xiv. 1) only as the sum of the 12 times 12,000, the number of the sealed of each of the tribes of Israel, and therefore, as the signature of the per fected church of God, the length of whose wall was 144 cubits, the square of twelve, the signature of the church under the old dispensation and the new.
A few other numbers are also used pretty fre quently, but with no very marked prominence ; ex. gr., five and six, usually as numbers of conve nience, although the latter occurs sometimes in connection with seven, with the idea of multipli city, yet non-completeness ; the full or complete idea being conveyed by seven; ex. gr., ' six troubles, yea seven' (Job v. 19) ; six things the Lord hates, yea seven' (Prov. vi. 16), etc. Two is also used to denote competency, or sufficiency ; e. g., two or three witnesses, Deut. xvii. 6; John v. 30) ; two olive trees and two golden pipes (Zech. iv. 3, I) ; and the two witnesses of the Apocalypse (xi. 3).
Of the various numbers quoted above, there can be little question that some must be regarded as re presentative or round numbers, being used where it is desired to put a definite number for an indefinite, or to express a large number ; ex. gr., io, 4o, 7o, ioo, moo. In later times the Jews have attached great importance to ten. Examples of this are given by Otho ; ex. gr., A synagogue is not consti tuted except there be ten persons at least present ;' where ten sit and read the law, the Divinity rests among them.' The denary number,' says Fa gius, is certainly almost sacred to the Hebrews ; hence they circumcise no child, confirm no mar riages, give no writing of divorcement, nor do they offer some of the more solemn kinds of prayers, unless ten persons are present' (Othonis Lex. Rob. Phil., Art. Numerus). Why the Jews came so to regard this number it is hard to say, but cer tainly they did not derive the custom from the O. T. The frequent use of the number naturally took its rise from the fingers of the human hands, But, having set off some of the above numbers in the way indicated, there remain others which cannot be thus disposed of. As to four, it is so obviously the signature of the world, with its four cardinal points, that the meaning of the number is apparent everywhere it occurs. The significance of three and seven is not so obvious, while their origin is much more obscure. Both these numbers have a very extended use among profane as well as sacred writers (see Stuart's Com, on the Apo calypse, Excursus ii.) Bahr supposes that three has obtained this wide-spread use, because, pos sessing a beginning, and middle, and end, and being non-divisible, it is the first number which. expresses perfect composite unity ; and was there fore adopted as a symbol of the Godhead. Stuart regards it as a symbol of the all-perfect and in finite One, 'who is, and was, and is to come,' but derives it from ' some leading and striking features of the universe'—its threefoldness in a variety of aspects, which therefore naturally became a symbol of the Divine Being. It is difficult to decide this point ; but it is to be remembered, that if three be the symbol of Deity, it is also the symbol of the very opposite. Thus, we have the three great enemies of God—the Dragon, the Beast, and the False Prophet ; and the three unclean spirits, like frogs, proceeding out of their mouth (Rev. xvi. 13). But here, no doubt, the design is, to exhibit these in opposition to the sacred Trinity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.