9228.“七”表示从开始到结束的一个完整时期，因而表示完整之物，这一点从圣言中的许多经文明显看出来，如以赛亚书：
当耶和华包扎祂百姓的伤口的日子，月光必像日光，日光必加七倍，像七日的光一样。（以赛亚书30:26）
此处论述的主题是忠信者得救，以及他们在主国度的聪明和智慧。“月”是指从主领受的信，因而是指对主之信；“日”是指源于主的爱，因而是指对主之爱（参看30-38，1521，1529，1531，2441，2495，3636，3643，4060，4321e，4696，5377，7078，7083，7171，8644节）。“日光必加七倍，像七日的光一样”表示由于对主之爱和信的聪明和智慧的一个完整状态。
以西结书：
住以色列城邑的人必出去点火烧武器，就是小盾大牌、弓箭、梃杖、枪矛；用它们来烧火，直烧七年，甚至他们不必从田野捡柴，也不必从森林伐木。他们要用七个月洁净这地。（以西结书39:9，12）
此处论述的主题是对虚假的摧毁。此处列举的“武器”是指恶人与教会的真理争战所用的虚假；“用它们来烧火，直烧七年”表示由爱自己爱世界的欲望所导致的彻底毁灭；“他们不必从田野捡柴，也不必从森林伐木”表示直到良善荡然无存，无论在内在人还是在外在人中；“要用七个月洁净这地”表示教会里面良善和真理的完全恢复。在很多地方已经说明，“武器”是指与虚假争战的真理，在反面意义上是指与真理争战的虚假；“弓箭”是指真理的教义，在反面意义上是指虚假的教义；“梃杖”（handstaff）表示真理的能力，在反面意义上表示虚假的能力；“点火烧”表示通过爱自己爱世界的欲望而荒废；“田野的柴”表示教会的内层良善，“森林的木”表示良善和真理的记忆知识；“地”表示教会。谁能看出，此处所表示的，是其它不同的事物，而不是字面上所呈现的，如经上说“他们要烧武器，点火烧七年，甚至他们不必从田野捡柴，也不必从森林伐木”。人们的确知道所表示的，必是神圣和神性事物，因为圣言是神性的，来自神。但他们绝无可能知道这些话中包含了如此神圣和神性事物，除非他们知道“武器”表示什么，“七年”和“七个月”表示什么，“田野的柴和森林的木”又表示什么。由此明显可知，若藉着内义有所了解，这些预言完全无法理解。
大卫诗篇：
我因你公义的典章，一天七次赞美你。（诗篇119:164）
又：
愿你加七倍归到我们邻邦的怀中！（诗篇79:12）
“七倍”表示完整或完全。在摩西五经的意思也一样，在那里，经上说，他们若犯诫命和律例，就要受“七倍惩罚”（利未记26:18，21，24，28）。人若不知道“七”表示从开始到结束的一个完整时期，因而表示完整之物，必以为下列经文中的“七个七”表示时间上的七个时期：
你当知道、当明白，从圣言发出直到重新建造耶路撒冷，甚至到有君王弥赛亚的时候，必有七个七。（但以理书9:25）
但“到君王弥赛亚的七个七”表示论及主的话，即祂要在“时期满了”的时候到来，因此“七个七”表示一个完整时期。由此明显可知“神宝座前的七灵”（启示录1:4）、“用七印封严了的书卷”（启示录5:1）、“掌管末了七灾的七位天使拿着七个香瓶”（启示录15:1，6，7；21:9）并非表示七个灵人，七个封印，或七位天使，七个香瓶，以及七灾，而是表示完整的一切事物。所以“不生育的，生了七个”（撒母耳记上2:5）并非表示七个，而是表示大量，直到一个完整数目。
由于“七”具有这种含义，所以经上规定，祭司在供职的时候，要穿圣衣七天（出埃及记29:30）；他的手要承接圣职的礼七天（出埃及记29:35）；要洁净坛七天（出埃及记29:37）；那些承接祭司职分的人七天不可出会幕（利未记8:33）。经上提到的“污灵从人里面出来，另带了七个来”（马太福音12:43-45；路加福音11:24-26）也是如此；“倘若一个弟兄一天七次得罪你，又七次回转，他就要饶恕他”（路加福音17:4）；“尼布甲尼撒的心改变，不是人心，给他一个兽心，使他经过七个时期” （但以理书4:16，23，25）同样如此。出于同样的原因，约伯的朋友们“就同他七天七夜坐在地上，也不向他说句话”（约伯记2:13）。“七十”同样表示完整之物（参看6508节）；“七天”也就是一周也是（2044，3845节）。由此可见“第八天”表示下一个状态的初始阶段。
Potts(1905-1910) 9228
9228. That "seven" signifies an entire period from beginning to end, thus what is full, is evident from many passages in the Word. In Isaiah:
The light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that Jehovah shall bind up the breach of His people (Isa. 30:26);
the subject here treated of is the salvation of the faithful, and their intelligence and wisdom in the Lord's kingdom. The "moon" denotes faith from the Lord, thus faith in the Lord; and the "sun," love from the Lord, thus love to the Lord (see n. 30-38, 1521, 1529, 1531, 2441, 2495, 3636, 3643, 4060, 4321, 4696, 5377, 7078, 7083, 7171, 8644); "the light of the sun being sevenfold, as the light of seven days" denotes a full state of intelligence and wisdom from love and faith in the Lord. [2] In Ezekiel:
They that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shield and the buckler, with the bow and with the arrows, and with the handstaff and with the spear; they shall kindle fire with them seven years; so that they shall bring no wood out of the field, neither cut down any out of the forests; and they shall cleanse the land seven months (Ezek. 39:9, 12);
the subject here treated of is the destruction of falsity. The "weapons" here enumerated denote the falsities by means of which the evil fight against the truths of the church; "to kindle fire with them seven years" signifies complete destruction through the cupidities of the loves of self and of the world; that "they shall bring no wood out of the field, neither cut down any out of the forests" signifies until nothing of good remains, either in the interior or in the exterior man; "to cleanse the land seven months" signifies the complete restoration of good and truth in the church. It has already been shown in many places that "weapons" denote truths fighting against falsities, and in the opposite sense falsities fighting against truths; that "bows with arrows" denote doctrinal things of truth, and in the opposite sense doctrinal things of falsity; that a "handstaff" denotes the power of truth, and in the opposite sense the power of falsity; that "to set on fire and burn" denotes to lay waste through the cupidities of the loves of self and of the world; that "wood out of the field" denotes the interior goods of the church, and "wood out of the forests" the memory-knowledges of good and truth; and that "the land" denotes the church. Everyone can see that other things are here signified than those which appear in the letter, as that they should burn the weapons and kindle a fire with them seven years, and that they should bring no wood out of the field, neither cut down any out of the forests. Yet we know that holy and Divine things must be signified, because the Word is holy and from the Divine; but what holy and Divine things are contained in these words cannot possibly be known, unless it is known what is signified by "weapons," what by "seven years" and by "seven months," and what by "wood out of the field and wood out of the forests." It is clear therefore that these prophetic words cannot in the least be apprehended without some acquaintance with the internal sense. [3] In David:
Seven times a day do I praise Thee, because of the judgments of Thy righteousness (Ps. 119:164). Render unto our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom (Ps. 79:12). "Sevenfold" denotes to the full. In like manner in Moses, that they should be "punished sevenfold if they transgressed the commandments and the statutes" (Lev. 26:18, 21, 24, 28). He who does not know that "seven" signifies an entire period from beginning to end, consequently what is full, must believe that "seven weeks" signify seven periods of time in the following passage in Daniel:
Know thou and perceive that from the going forth of the Word even unto the restoring and building of Jerusalem, even to Messiah the Prince, shall be seven weeks (Dan. 9:25);
but the "seven weeks even to Messiah the Prince," signify that which is said of the Lord, that He will come "in the fullness of the times," thus they signify an entire period. From this it is evident that "the seven spirits before the throne of God" (Rev. 1:4); the "book sealed with seven seals" (Rev. 5:1); and the "seven angels having seven vials which are the seven last plagues" (Rev. 15:1, 6, 7; 21:9), do not mean seven spirits, nor seven seals, nor seven angels, nor seven vials, nor seven plagues; but all things in fullness. So by "the barren one bearing seven" (1 Sam. 2:5) is not meant seven, but much, even to fullness. [4] Because "seven" had such a signification, it was therefore ordained that a priest, at his initiation, should "put on the garments seven days" (Exod. 29:30); that "his hands should be filled seven days" (verses 24, 35); that "the altar should be sanctified seven days" (verse 37); and that "those who were initiated into the priesthood should not go out from the tent for seven days" (Lev. 8:33). In like manner, "when the unclean spirit goeth out of a man and returneth with seven others" (Matt. 12:43-45; Luke 11:24-26); "if a brother sin seven times in the day, and seven times turn again, he should be forgiven" (Luke 17:4); and that "the heart of Nebuchadnezzar should be changed from a man's, and a beast's heart be given to him, until seven times had passed over him" (Dan. 4:16, 23, 25). From this also it was that Job's friends "sat down with him upon the earth seven days and seven nights, and spoke nothing unto him" (Job 2:13). (That "seventy" in like manner signifies what is full, see n. 6508; and also a "week," that is, seven days, n. 2044, 3845.) From all this it can now be seen that by "the eighth day" is signified the beginning of the following state.
Elliott(1983-1999) 9228
9228. The fact that 'seven' means a whole period from start to finish, thus what is complete, is clear from a large number of places in the Word, as in Isaiah,
The light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, on the day when Jehovah will bind up the hurta of His people. Isa 30:26.
This refers to the salvation of faithful believers and their intelligence and wisdom in the Lord's kingdom. 'The moon' is faith received from the Lord, thus belief in the Lord, and 'the sun' is love derived from the Lord, thus love to the Lord, 30-38, 1521, 1529-1531, 2441, 2495, 3636, 3643, 4060, 4321 (end), 4696, 5377, 7078, 7083, 7171, 8644. 'The light of the sun will be sevenfold, as the light of seven days' means a complete state of intelligence and wisdom because of love to and belief in the Lord.
[2] In Ezekiel,
The inhabitants of the cities of Israel will go out, and they will set alight and burn the weapons, both shield and buckler, together with bow and arrows, and hand-staff, and spear; they will set fire to them for seven years, that they may not bring wood from the field nor cut down any from the forests. And they will cleanse the land in seven months. Ezek 39:9, 10, 12.
This refers to the destruction of falsity. 'The weapons' that are listed here are falsities used by those who are evil to fight against the Church's truths. 'Setting fire to them for seven years' means complete destruction brought about by the desires of self-love and love of the world. 'In order that they may bring no wood from the field or cut down any from the forests' means when no good at all survives, neither in the internal man nor in the external. 'Cleansing the land in seven months' means the complete restoration of goodness and truth within the Church. It has been shown in very many places that 'weapons' are truths fighting against falsities, and in the contrary sense falsities fighting against truths; that 'bow and arrows' means teachings that present truth, and in the contrary sense teachings that present falsity; that 'hand-staff' means the power of truth, and in the contrary sense the power of falsity; that 'setting alight and burning' means laying waste through the desires of self-love and love of the world; that 'wood from the field' means the Church's forms of interior good, and 'wood from the forests' factual knowledge of goodness and truth; and that 'the land' means the Church. Anyone can see that different things are meant here from those which present themselves in the letter, as when it says that they will burn the weapons, and set them alight for seven years, in order that they may bring no wood from the field or cut down any from the forests. People do indeed know that things of a holy and Divine nature are meant, because the Word is holy and comes from God. But they cannot by any means know which things of a holy and Divine nature are contained in these words unless they know what the meaning is of 'weapons', 'seven years' and 'seven months', 'wood from the field' and 'wood from the forests'. From this it is evident that without knowledge gained from the internal sense those prophetic utterances are completely unintelligible.
[3] In David,
Seven times in the day I praise You over the judgements of Your righteousness. Ps 119:164.
In the same author,
Repay [our] neighbours sevenfold into their bosom. Ps 79:12.
'Sevenfold' means completely. The meaning is similar in Moses, where it says that they would be punished sevenfold if they went against commandments and statutes, Lev 26:18, 21, 24, 28. Anyone who does not know that 'seven' means a whole period from start to finish, and therefore what is complete, will suppose that 'seven weeks' in Daniel means seven lengths of time,
Know and perceive that from the going forth of the Word to restore and to build Jerusalem until the Messiah, the Prince, there will be seven weeks. Dan 9:25.
But 'seven weeks until the Messiah, the Prince' means what is said of the Lord, namely that He will come in the fullness of time, so that 'seven weeks' means a whole period. From this it is evident that the seven spirits before God's throne, Rev 1:4, the book sealed with seven seals, Rev 5:1, and the seven angels holding 'the seven bowls, which are the seven last plagues, Rev 15:1, 6, 7: 21:9, do not mean seven spirits, seven seals, or seven angels, bowls, and plagues, but all things even to completeness. The statement in 1 Sam 2:5 that the barren has borne seven in like manner does not mean seven but a great amount, even to a complete amount.
[4] Because 'seven' had this meaning it was stipulated that a priest at his initiation should wear the garments for seven days, Exod 29:30; that his hands should be filled for seven days,b Exod 29:35; that the altar should be sanctified for seven days, Exod 29:37; and that those initiated into the priesthood should not depart from the tent [of meeting] for seven days, Lev 8:33, 34. So too with the reference to the unclean spirit going out of a person and returning with seven others, Matt 12:43-45; Luke 11:26; also where it says that if a brother sins seven times in a day and is seven times converted he is to be forgiven, Luke 17:4; and that the heart of Nebuchadnezzar was changed from [that of] a human being and the heart of a beast was given to him while seven times passed by, Dan 4:15, 25, 32. For the same reasons also Job's friends sat down with him on the earth seven days and seven nights and spoke nothing to him, Job 2:13. Seventy in a similar way means that which is complete, see 6508, as also does a week, 2044, 3845. From all this it now becomes clear that 'the eighth day' means the initial phase of the following state.
Latin(1748-1756) 9228
9228. Quod `septem' significent integram periodum a principio ad finem, ita plenum, constat a pluribus locis in Verbo, ut apud Esaiam, Erit lux lunae sicut lux solis, et lux solis erit septupla, sicut lux septem dierum, in die quo obligabit Jehovah fracturam populi Sui, xxx 26;agitur ibi de salvatione fidelium ac de intelligentia et sapientia eorum in regno Domini; `luna' est fides a Domino, ita fides in Dominum, et `sol' est amor a Domino, ita amor in Dominum, n. 30-38, 1521, 1529-1531, 2441, 2495, 3636, 3643, 4060, 4321 fin., 4696, 5377, 7078, 7083, 7171, 8644; `lux solis septupla, sicut lux septem dierum' est status plenus intelligentiae et sapientiae ex amore et fide in Dominum:
apud Ezechielem, 2 Exibunt habitatores urbium Israelis, et incendent (c)ac comburent arma, et scutum et clypeum, cum arcu et cum telis, et cum baculo manus, et cum hasta; (x)accendent illis ignem septem annis, ut non adferant ligna ex agro, neque excidant ex silvis: et mundabunt terram septem mensibus, xxxix 9, [10,] 12;
agitur ibi de destructione falsi; `arma' quae ibi recensentur sunt falsa per quae pugnant mali contra vera Ecclesiae, `accendere illis ignem septem annis' significat destructionem {1} plenariam per cupiditates amorum sui et mundi, `ut non adferant ligna ex agro, neque excidant e silvis' significat {2}dum nihil boni supersit, neque in interiore homine neque in exteriore, `mundare terram septem mensibus' significat plenariam restitutionem boni et veri in Ecclesia; quod `arma' sint vera pugnantia contra falsa, et in opposito sensu falsa pugnantia contra vera, (d)quod `arcus cum telis' sint doctrinalia veri, et in opposito sensu doctrinalia falsi, {3}quod `baculus manus' sit potentia veri, et in opposito sensu potentia falsi, {4}quod `incendere et comburere' sit vastare per cupiditates amorum sui et mundi, {5}quod `ligna ex agro' sint bona interiora Ecclesiae, et `ex silvis' scientifica boni et veri, et (t)quod `terra' sit Ecclesia, ostensum est plurimis in locis; (m)quisque videre potest quod {6}ibi alia significentur quam quae in littera exstant, sicut quod {7}comburerent arma, et incenderent ignem septem annis, ut non adferant ligna ex agro, {8}nec excidant ex silvis; {9}quod usque {10}significentur sancta ac Divina scitur, quia Verbum est sanctum et ex Divino; sed quae sancta (c)ac Divina in illis verbis continentur, nullatenus sciri potest nisi sciatur quid significant `arma,' quid `septem anni,' {11}et `septem menses', quid `ligna ex agro' et {12} `ligna ex silvis'; inde patet quod prophetica {13}illa absque notitia ex sensu interno 3 {14}prorsus non capiantur:(n) apud Davidem, Septies in die laudo Te super judiciis justitiae Tuae, Ps. cxix (x)164:
apud eundem, Retribue vicinis septuplum in sinum eorum, Ps. lxxix 12; 'septuplum' est ad plenum: similiter apud Moschen, Quod septuplum punirentur si transgrederentur praecepta et statuta, Lev. xxvi 18, 21, 24, 28. Qui non scit quod `septem' significent integram periodum a principio ad finem, et inde plenum, credet quod `septem septimanae' significent septem tempora apud Danielem, Scito et percipito, ab exitu Verbi ad usque restituendum et ad aedificandum Hierosolymam, usque ad Messiam Principem, septimanae septem, ix 25;
sed `(t)septimanae septem usque ad Messiam Principem' significant id quod dicitur de Domino, quod venturus in plenitudine temporum, ita {5}significant integram periodum {6}. Inde patet quod septem spiritus coram throno Dei, Apoc. i 4, liber obsignatus septem sigillis, Apoc. v i, et septem angeli habentes septem phialas, quae sunt plagae septem ultimae, Apoc. xv 1, 6, 7, xxi 9, non sint septem spiritus, nec septem sigilla, nec septem angeli, septem phialae, (c)ac septem plagae, quae significantur, sed quod sint omnia usque ad plenum; (m)pariter quod sterilis pareret septem, I Sam. ii 5, non sint septem sed multum usque ad plenum.(n) 4 Quia `septem' talia significabant, ideo statutum est quod sacerdos septem diebus indutus esset vestibus cum initiaretur, Exod. xxix 30, quod septem diebus implerentur manus ejus, ibid. vers. 35, septem diebus sanctificaretur altare, ibid. vers. 37, quod initiati in sacerdotium non (x)decederent a tentorio septem diebus, Lev. viii 33, 34; {7}similiter, spiritus immundus exiens ex homine, et revertens cum septem aliis, Matth. xii 43-45; Luc. xi 26, tum si frater septies in die peccaverit et septies conversus fuerit, quod ei remittetur, Luc. xvii 4, quod cor Nebuchadnezaris mutaretur ab homine, et cor bestiae daretur ei, dum septem tempora transiverint, Dan. iv 12, 22, 29 [A.V. 15, 25, 32]; inde quoque erat quod amici Hiobi in terra septem dies et septem noctes sederint cum illo, et nihil locuti ad illum, Hiob. ii 13. (m)Quod septuaginta similiter significent plenum, videatur n. 6508, tum quoque septimana, n. 2044, 3845.(n) Ex his nunc constare potest quod per 'octavum diem' significetur principium status sequentis. @1 i eorum$ @2 ut$ @3 After manus$ @4 After comburere$ @5 After agro$ @6 haec significent alia$ @7 accenderent armis ignem$ @8 d et i nec A, et IT$ @9 quid$ @10 significent$ @11 quid ignis$ @12 i quid$ @13 Verbi$ @14 parum$ @15 significat AI$ @16 i quae intercedit$ @17 pariter quod amici Hiobi in terra septem dies et septem noctes sederint cum illo, et nihil loquuti ad illum, Job ii 13, ut et quod cor Nebuchadnezaris mutaretur ab homine, et cor bestiae daretur ei dum septem tempora transiverint super eum, Dan. iv 12, 22, 29, sic et perpluries alibi septem non significant septem, sed plenam periodum, ut et abstracte a periodo, ad plenum$