ἕβδομος

Pronunciation Guide: HEB-do-mos (ˈhɛb.dəʊ.mɒs)

Basic Definition

Strong’s G1442: The Greek word ἕβδομος (hebdomos) means “seventh” and refers to the ordinal number seven in sequence. It appears in Scripture to mark the seventh position in time, order, or rank, and carries special significance in biblical numerology. This ordinal number frequently connects to ideas of completion, perfection, and divine ordering throughout Scripture.

Etymology and Morphology

• Part of speech: Adjective (ordinal numeral)
• Root: From ἑπτά (hepta, “seven”)
• Language origin: Ancient Greek
• Primary usage: Narrative sections, chronological sequences, and apocalyptic literature
• Grammatical function: Typically functions as an attributive adjective modifying nouns

ἕβδομος Morphology:

• ἕβδομος (masculine nominative singular) – seventh
• ἑβδόμου (masculine/neuter genitive singular) – of the seventh
• ἑβδόμῳ (masculine/neuter dative singular) – in/with the seventh
• ἕβδομον (masculine accusative singular) – the seventh
• ἑβδόμη (feminine nominative singular) – seventh
• ἑβδόμης (feminine genitive singular) – of the seventh
• ἑβδόμῃ (feminine dative singular) – in/with the seventh
• ἑβδόμην (feminine accusative singular) – the seventh

Origin & History

The term ἕβδομος (hebdomos) derives from the cardinal number ἑπτά (hepta, “seven”), one of the most symbolically significant numbers in ancient Near Eastern cultures. In classical Greek literature, the concept of “seven” and “seventh” held considerable importance, as evidenced in Hesiod’s “Works and Days” where he designated the seventh day of the month as sacred to Apollo. Herodotus, in his “Histories,” frequently used ordinal numbers including ἕβδομος to structure his chronological accounts of historical events.

In the Septuagint (LXX), ἕβδομος gained profound theological significance primarily through its connection to the seventh day of creation in Genesis 2:2-3, where God completed His work and rested. This established the pattern for the Sabbath observance. The term appears numerous times in the Torah’s festival calendar, particularly regarding the seventh month (Tishri) which contained multiple appointed festivals. In the writings of Philo of Alexandria, the seventh day became a philosophical symbol of perfection and completion, representing the divine ordering of the cosmos.

Expanded Definitions & Translation Options

• The seventh in a sequence or order
• Marking the completion of a divinely ordained cycle
• Indicating a position of special significance in biblical chronology
• Connected to rest, fulfillment, and divine satisfaction

ἕβδομος Translation Options:

• “Seventh” – The most direct translation emphasizing ordinal position in a sequence
• “Sabbatical” – When contextually connected to the concept of rest or cessation
• “Completing” – When the emphasis is on the culmination of a process or series
• “Perfecting” – In contexts where the seventh position signifies the completion of divine work

Biblical Usage

The term ἕβδομος appears 9 times in the New Testament, most prominently in Hebrews and Revelation. In Hebrews, the author draws upon the Old Testament Sabbath tradition, connecting ἕβδομος to God’s rest on the seventh day as a theological type for believers entering into spiritual rest through faith in the Messiah. In Revelation, ἕβδομος designates the completion of divine judgment sequences, particularly in the seven trumpets and seven bowls narratives, where each seventh element signifies the culmination of God’s purposes.

In the Septuagint, ἕβδομος appears extensively in connection with the seventh day (Sabbath), the seventh month (containing Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot), the seventh year (Sabbatical year), and the seven times seventh year (Jubilee). These usages established patterns of divine timing and sacred rhythms in Israel’s religious and agricultural life.

• “Then he inquired of them the hour when he began to get better. So they said to him, ‘Yesterday at the seventh [ἑβδόμην] hour the fever left him.’” John 4:52
• “For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh [ἑβδόμης] day in this way: ‘And God rested on the seventh [ἑβδόμῃ] day from all His works.’” Hebrews 4:4
• “And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth… In the seventh [ἑβδόμῳ] month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark rested upon the mountains of Ararat.” Genesis 7:6, 8:4 LXX
• “By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death… for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. And these all died in faith… But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country… These all died in faith, not having received the promises… Enoch was the seventh [ἕβδομος] from Adam.” Hebrews 11:5-13, Jude 1:14
• “Then the seventh [ἕβδομος] angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Messiah, and He shall reign forever and ever!’” Revelation 11:15
• “Then the seventh [ἕβδομος] angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, ‘It is done!’” Revelation 16:17

Cultural Insights

The concept of the seventh day as sacred transcended multiple ancient Near Eastern cultures but found its fullest expression in Hebrew practice. While other cultures observed special days based on lunar cycles, the Hebrew seven-day week with its culminating Sabbath day was distinctively disconnected from lunar observation. This unique pattern established by יהוה (Yahweh) Himself set Israel apart and provided a continuous reminder of creation’s divine origin and purpose.

The Hebrew idiom “to seventh” (לְשַׁבֵּת, leshabet) meant not merely to rest passively but to cease from creative activity in celebration of completion. This concept directly connects to the Greek ἕβδομος as seen in Hebrews 4:4-10, where the author employs the term to describe not just chronological sequence but qualitative difference—the seventh represents not merely another day but a different kind of day. Similarly, the rabbinical concept of “מעין עולם הבא” (me’ein olam haba, “a taste of the world to come”) viewed the Sabbath as a microcosm of eternal rest, paralleling how the seventh elements in Revelation point toward the ultimate fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan.

Theological Significance

The repeated use of ἕβδομος throughout Scripture reveals God’s character as a God of order, pattern, and completion. The divine establishment of the seventh day as holy (Genesis 2:3) demonstrates יהוה’s sovereignty over time itself and His intention for humanity to participate in sacred rhythms that reflect His perfect work. Unlike pagan deities who were portrayed as capricious and unpredictable, the God of Israel works according to established patterns that humans can recognize and trust.

The appearance of ἕβδομος in apocalyptic literature, particularly Revelation, underscores God’s control over history’s culmination. The seventh trumpet and seventh bowl represent not arbitrary endings but the precise fulfillment of divine purpose. This provides profound theological assurance for believers facing persecution or uncertainty—God’s timing is neither premature nor delayed but perfect in its execution. As Peter would later affirm, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise… but is patient” (2 Peter 3:9).

In the Messianic context, Yeshua’s (Jesus’) statement about fulfilling rather than abolishing the Law (Matthew 5:17) gains special significance when we consider ἕβδομος. The Messiah didn’t eliminate the concept of sacred sevens but rather fulfilled their deepest meaning, offering the ultimate rest (Matthew 11:28-30) that the seventh day merely foreshadowed. Hebrews develops this theme extensively, showing how the seventh day Sabbath pointed toward the greater spiritual rest available through faith in Messiah.

Personal Application

Understanding ἕβδομος invites us to examine our own relationship with time and completion. In our hurried culture that rarely experiences true cessation from work, the biblical concept of the seventh challenges us to embrace regular rhythms of rest as part of our spiritual formation. Just as God pronounced His creation “very good” and then rested, we too can learn to recognize boundaries, celebrate completion, and trust God enough to pause.

Consider establishing your own meaningful “seventh” practices—perhaps a weekly Sabbath observance, a monthly day of reflection, or even small daily pauses to acknowledge God’s sovereignty over your time. When we honor these sacred rhythms, we declare our trust in God’s provision rather than our own ceaseless striving. As you contemplate the divine significance of ἕβδομος, ask yourself: “What would it mean to truly enter God’s rest, not just physically but spiritually?” The answer might transform not just your schedule but your entire approach to life in the Messiah.

Related Words

• ἑπτά (hepta, hep-TAH) – The cardinal number “seven,” which forms the root of ἕβδομος and appears 88 times in the New Testament, often in symbolic contexts like the seven churches of Revelation. See G2033
• σάββατον (sabbaton, SAB-ba-ton) – The Sabbath day, derived from Hebrew שַׁבָּת (shabbat), explicitly connected to the seventh day of the week and the concept of rest. See G4521
• καταπαύω (katapauó, ka-ta-POW-oh) – To cause to rest, to give rest, used in Hebrews in connection with God’s seventh day rest and the spiritual rest believers enter. See G2664
• τέλος (telos, TEL-os) – End, completion, fulfillment—conceptually related to ἕβδομος in that the seventh often represents the completion or culmination of a divine sequence. See G5056
• πλήρωμα (plérōma, PLAY-roh-ma) – Fullness, completion, fulfillment—sharing the conceptual field of completion with ἕβδομος but focusing on qualitative fullness rather than sequential position. See G4138

Did you Know?

• Did you know that in John 4:52, the “seventh hour” when the nobleman’s son was healed likely refers to 1:00 PM according to Roman time-keeping (counting from 6:00 AM), which would be a striking contrast to the “sixth hour” (noon) when Yeshua met the Samaritan woman at the well earlier in the same chapter? This timing detail suggests that while Yeshua was ministering to the outcast Samaritan woman, His healing power was simultaneously extending to the nobleman’s household, demonstrating His ability to work in multiple social spheres at once.
• Did you know that in Greek medical literature, particularly in the Hippocratic corpus, the “seventh day” (ἡμέρα ἑβδόμη) was considered a critical turning point in febrile illnesses? This medical observation adds depth to the nobleman’s son’s healing in John 4:52, as the fever breaking at the “seventh hour” would have been recognized by ancient readers as signifying not just any healing but a decisive, critical moment of recovery—exactly at the moment Yeshua had spoken the word of healing.
• Did you know that the modern week with its seven-day cycle has become the most universally accepted time unit across diverse cultures and religions, despite not being connected to any astronomical cycle (unlike the day, month, and year)? This remarkable global adoption of the seven-day pattern, originating in the Hebrew Scriptures with ἕβδομος as its culmination, stands as perhaps the most widespread cultural influence of biblical timekeeping on human civilization—a silent witness to creation’s divine pattern embedded in our everyday lives.

Remember This

The biblical concept of ἕβδομος reveals that in God’s divine economy, the seventh doesn’t merely mark an end but a purposeful completion—a sacred threshold where divine work transitions to divine rest, and where human striving yields to faith-filled trust in the perfect work of our Creator and Redeemer.