One obvious feature of the Bible is the frequent occurrence of the number ‘seven’. The number seems to have been used to indicate one complete unit – fulness, completion, perfection (e.g. Gen 2:2). This unit of seven features prominently in the organization of Israel’s religious and community life. One day in seven was a holy day of rest, and this weekly unit provided the framework for various religious festivals (Exod 20:8-11; Lev 23:5-6,15,34; see SABBATH). The details of many of Israel’s rituals were based on a unit of seven (Lev 4:6; 8:33; 13:4; 14:7-8,51; 23:18). Every seventh year was a year of rest for the land and release for debtors (Lev 25:1-4; Deut 15:1-2; see SABBATICAL YEAR). The symbolic ‘seven’ gave to ordinary events a special religious significance (Josh 6:4). The expression ‘seven times’ seems to have been used as a figure of speech to indicate fulness or finality (Gen 4:15,24, Lev 26:18,21; 1 Kings 18:43-44; 2 Kings 5:10; Ps 12:6; 119:164; Isa 30:26; Dan 3:19; Matt 18:21-22; cf. Luke 8:2; 11:26; 20:29). A similar symbolic usage of the number ‘seven’ is common in the book of Revelation (Rev 1:20; 4:5; 5:1,6; 8:2; 10:3; 12:3; 13:1; 15:1).