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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Why does the child sneeze 7 times? | 2 Kin 4:1 | rabban | 192048 | ||
Certain numbers were often seen by ancient peoples as having a special significance. This was because numeracy in numbers above ten was limited to the more educated. People on the whole had no need for counting in large numbers. The number seven was seen in many civilizations as a number related to the divine. This especially comes out in early Sumerian literature, which is especially interesting as they were the most advanced mathematicians in the ancient world. Even in recent times there have been numerous tribes in the world that could not count beyond three in, for example, South America, Indonesia and Australia. Numbers therefore gained a special significance. Thus three could indicate completeness, five could indicate covenant and seven could indicate divine activity and perfection. Ten could indicate a full set ('you have changed my wages ten times.') It is possible that the writer saw in the 'seven' sneezes an indication that God was at work, but we must not read more into it than that. (Compare the series of seven activities in Revelation). In Him |
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2 | Why does the child sneeze 7 times? | 2 Kin 4:1 | Searcher56 | 192088 | ||
Raban, I like the fact that you use "could" and "possible" ... because one could find an expection to the special significance of most, if not all numbers. Your post sounds good, but I think we need to cite sources, to back up the facts ... even if you knew this off the top of your head. We need to take care in refering to extra-Biblical data and sources. This is a Bible based forum. Searcher |
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