A Study in Seven: Hebrew Numerology in the Book of Mormon

The subject of Hebrew numerology in the Book of Mormon has been identified as a promising field of study still open to fruitful exploration. Meaning is found in many ways, and one way is in the symbolism of numbers. Previous studies have discussed significant uses of the numbers ten, twenty-four, and fifty in the Book of Mormon, beginning with explanations of the symbolic importance of such numbers in ancient literatures, and then pointing out similar usages in the Nephite record. This article adds to those discussions by drawing attention to the number seven and things that occur seven times in the narratives in the Book of Mormon. As will be seen, seven is an important number in the Book of Mormon, just as it was in the biblical world and also in pan-Mesoamerican lore that traced their origins to seven tribes.