Significance of the Number 717 in Scripture
The number 717 is not a significant number in Scripture; instead, its components, 7 and 17, have individual meanings. The number 7 is a recurring symbolic number in the Bible, often representing perfection or completion [1, 2]. It is associated with various significant events and objects, such as the seven days of creation, the seven branches of the golden candlestick, and the seven trumpets.
In biblical numerology, the number 7 is considered a symbol of rest and perfection. For example, God rested on the seventh day and hallowed it (Gen. 2:2, 3) [1]. The number 7 is also used in various contexts to convey completeness or fullness, such as in the seven years of Jacob's service to Laban and the seven fat oxen and seven lean ones in Pharaoh's dream.
The number 17, on the other hand, is less frequently discussed in biblical numerology. However, it appears in various contexts, such as in Psalm 7:17, where it is part of a verse describing the punishment of the wicked [3]. In Job 7:17, the number 17 is part of a rhetorical question about God's attention to humanity.
Some biblical interpretations suggest that numbers like 7 have significance beyond their literal meaning. For instance, Augustine interprets the number 7 as denoting spirituality, as seen in his discussion of the Church as a "well of satisfaction" [5]. Similarly, the Reformed tradition, as represented by Calvin, emphasizes the significance of the number 7 in relation to the Sabbath, seeing it as a sign of God's sanctification [4].
In contrast, a Jewish rationalist interpretation, as represented by Abraham Ibn Ezra, views the number 7 as a literary device used to convey the idea of "many" or completeness, rather than a literal or mystical significance [6].
While the number 717 is not a significant biblical number, understanding its components can provide insight into biblical numerology and the symbolic meanings associated with certain numbers. The significance of the number 7, in particular, is a common thread throughout Scripture, representing perfection, rest, and completion [1, 2, 7].
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Seven — This number occurs frequently in Scripture, and in such connections as lead to the supposition that it has some typical meaning. On the seventh day God rested, and hallowed it (Gen. 2:2, 3). The division of time into weeks of seven days each accounts for many instances of the occurrence of this number. This number has been called the symbol of perfection, and also the symbol of rest. "Jacob's seven years' service to Laban; Pharaoh's seven fat oxen and seven lean ones; the seven branches of the golden candlestick; the seven trumpets and the seven priests who s”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Seven — The frequent recurrence of certain numbers in the sacred literature of the Hebrews is obvious to the most superficial reader, but seven so far surpasses the rest, both in the frequency with which it recurs and in the importance of the objects with which it is associated, that it may fairly be termed the representative symbolic number. The influence of the number seven was not restricted to the Hebrews; it prevailed among the Persians, ancient Indians, Greeks and Romans. The peculiarity of the Hebrew view consists in the special dignity of the seventh, and not ”
- Psalms “Convertetur dolor ejus in caput ejus, et in verticem ipsius iniquitas ejus descendet. -- Psalms 7:17”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 44: does any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever,” ( Exodus 31:13–17 ). Ezekiel is still more full, but the sum of what he says amounts to this: that the sabbath is a sign by which Israel might know that God is their sanctifier. If our sanctification consists in the mortification of our own will, the analogy between the e”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 4: Augustine — Anti-Manichaean, Anti-Donatist — BOOK XXII. (part 82): the saying of the apostle: "Bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."(14) The Church becomes a well of satisfaction by this gift of the Spirit, the number seven denoting its spirituality; for it is in her a fountain of living water springing up unto everlasting life, and he who has it shall never thirst.(15) Uriah, Bersabee's husband, must, 308 from the meaning of his name, be understood as representing the devil. It is in union to the devil that all are bo”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Rationalist)) “Abraham Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 28:7: AND…SEVEN. This means many. 15 Seven is not to be taken literally. The number seven is employed because of the continuous cycle of seven days of the week. 16 It is the maximum number of days in the week. Scripture did not use a month because there are not the same number of days in each month. It 17 The week. has a set number of days because is contingent on the bodies which are on high. 18 Each day of the week is connected to one of the seven moving heavenly bodies, namely, the sun, the moon, and the five visible planets.”
- Deuteronomy (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Deuteronomy 28:7: 28:7 In the Bible, the number seven generally conveys fullness or completion. Here, the number indicates that Israel’s enemies would be completely removed from the land (see study note on Deut 2:34).”