One, Three, and Seven: Sacred and Symbolic Numbers

There are three uses of numbers in the Bible:

1. Conventional. Conventional use relates to the actual counting of people, animals, things, and so on—the conventional use of numbers constitutes the most frequent manner of referring to numbers in scripture.
2. Rhetorical. Rhetorical use is employed occasionally in poetry and prophecy (e.g., Prov. 30:18–19, 20–23, 29–31; Amos 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 13).
3. Symbolic. In symbolic use, the number means something beyond its conventional value.[1]

This chart deals with the third use of numbers, their symbolism. According to one biblical scholar, “Few doubt that in certain contexts in the Bible numbers take on symbolic overtones. . . . It is not that the number has symbolic meaning every time it appears, but through literary and cultural convention symbolic use is possible in some and without doubt in other passages.”[2]

The numbers one, three, seven, and twelve have symbolic values that are directly related to the lord. One is the principal component of the word atonement (at-one-ment), three points directly to the Godhead, seven is used in dozens of contexts with regard to the lord and His Atonement, and twelve is the number of the lord’s specially empowered disciples—the Twelve Apostles: “And when [Jesus] had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these . . .” (Matt. 10:1–2).

This chart presents several numbers that are used symbolically, together with their possible meanings and some representative passages. Readers of the scriptures should use caution and not attempt to apply symbolic values to all numbers or even to most numbers. As stated above, the conventional use in scriptures is by far the most frequent employment of numbers. Applying a symbolic meaning to a number when none is intended will negatively affect one’s understanding of the scriptural passage that is being studied.