716、“七对”表示它们是神圣的。这从前面关于第七日，或安息日的阐述（84-87节）清楚可知。也就是说，主是第七日，每一个属天教会，或属天人都来自祂，并凭祂而是一个第七日，事实上是属天品质本身，因为属天品质唯独属于主，是最神圣的。因此，在圣言中，“七”表示神圣；事实上，如此处，就内义而言，“七”绝没有数字的任何概念。因为拥有内义的人，如天使和天使灵，根本不知道数字是什么，因而不知道七是什么。所以，此处根本不是说所有洁净的牲畜都要取七对，或说好牲畜和坏牲畜的比率是七比二；而是说，该教会成员所装备的意愿的事物是良善，这些良善是神圣的，他能通过它们重生，如前所述（677，679-680节）。
“七”表示神圣或神圣事物，这一点从代表性教会的仪式明显看出来，其中数字七屡次出现，例如用血和油弹了七次，如利未记中所记载的：
摩西拿膏油膏帐幕和其中所有的，使它们成为圣。他用膏油在坛上弹了七次，又膏了坛和它的一切器皿，使它们成为圣。（利未记8:10-11）
此处“七次”若不以这种方式代表神圣之物，则毫无意义；“油”表示爱的神圣。在另一处，当亚伦进入圣所时，利未记上说：
他要取些小公牛的血，用手指弹在施恩座的东面，又用手指在施恩座的前面弹血七次。（利未记16:14）
坛也一样：
他要用手指把血弹在坛上七次，洁净了坛，使坛成圣。（利未记16:19）
此处每一个细节都表示主自己，因而表示爱的神圣；也就是说，“血”，“施恩座”，“坛”，“东面”，即血所弹的方向，以及“七”都表示主。
在献祭时也一样，对此，利未记上说：
若有灵魂无意中犯了罪，或是受膏的祭司犯了罪，给百姓带来罪责，他就要把小公牛宰于耶和华面前。祭司要把手指蘸于血中，在耶和华面前对着圣所的帷帐弹血七次。（利未记4:2-4，6）
此处“七”同样表示神圣之物，因为所论述的主题是赎罪，因而是主，因为赎罪唯独属于主。在洁净大麻风时也制定了类似的仪式，对此，利未记上说：
祭司要取些鸟的血和香柏木、染过两次的朱红色线并牛膝草，在那要从麻风病中得洁净的人身上洒七次，使他洁净。同样把左手掌里的油，在耶和华面前弹七次。同样在有大麻风的房子里，他要取些香柏木、牛膝草并染过两次的朱红色线，要弹些鸟血七次。（利未记14:6-7，27，51）
谁都能看出，此处香柏木、染过两次的朱红色线、牛膝草、油、鸟血，因而数字七，若不代表神圣事物，将毫无意义。若把神圣事物从它们那里拿走，剩下的就是死物，或亵渎的偶像崇拜之物。但当它们表示神圣事物时，在这种情况下，它们所包含的敬拜就是一种神性敬拜，这种敬拜是内在的，只是由外在事物来代表。然而，犹太人不知道这些事物表示什么；如今谁也不知道香柏木、牛膝草、染过两次的朱红色线和鸟都表示什么。不过，只要犹太人愿意认为这些东西的确体现了他们所不知道的神圣事物，从而敬拜主，就是那即将到来，医治他们的大麻风，也就是说，使他们免于亵渎神圣事物的弥赛亚，他们就能得救。因为凡如此思考并相信的人若愿意，都会在来世立刻接受教导，从而知道每一个细节都代表什么。
同样，在论述“红母牛”的地方，经上吩咐：
祭司要用手指蘸红母牛的血，将它的血向会幕前面弹七次。（民数记19:4）
由于“第七日”或安息日表示主，并因祂而表示属天人和属天本身，所以在犹太教会，第七日是所有宗教仪式中最神圣的。因此，每七年都要有一个安息年（利未记25:4）。七个安息年，就是七七年之后要宣告一个禧年（利未记25:8-9）。在至高意义上，数字“七”表示主，由此表示爱的神圣。这一点也可从金灯台及其七个灯盏（出埃及记25:31-33，37；37:17-19，23；民数记8:2-3；西番雅书4:2）明显看出来；论到它，启示录上如此记着说：
七个金灯台；七灯台中间有一位好像人子。（启示录1:12-13）
此处很明显，“金灯台和七个灯盏”表示主，“灯盏”是指爱的神圣事物，或属天事物，这也是为何它们有七盏。
又：
从宝座中发出的七盏火灯在宝座前点着，这七灯就是神的七灵。（启示录4:5）
此处从主的宝座中发出的“七个火把”就是七盏灯，或七光。这同样适用于先知书中凡出现数字七的地方，如以赛亚书：
当耶和华包扎祂百姓的创口的日子，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“光加七倍，像七日的光一样”根本不表示七倍，而是表示“日”所表示的爱的神圣。也可参看前面关于数字七的阐述和说明（创世记4:15，395节）。由此也很清楚地看出，圣言中用到的所有数字（在内义上）从来不表示数字，如前所示（创世记6:3，575-578节）。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]716. The symbolism of seven each as things that are holy can be seen from what was said about the seventh or Sabbath day above at 84-87. Those sections say that the Lord is the seventh day and that from him comes the entire heavenly church, or the heavenly person, and in fact the heavenly quality itself, which, because it belongs to the Lord alone, is very sacred. In the Word, accordingly, seven symbolizes holiness.{*1} Indeed the inner meaning contains absolutely no suggestion of numbers in places like this, since people absorbed by the inner meaning (angels and angelic spirits, for example) do not even know what a number is and so what seven is. As a result, the present verse makes no implication whatever that they took seven pairs of every clean animal or in other words, that they possessed goodness in a seven-to-two ratio to evil. The meaning is that the qualities of will with which the member of the church was being supplied were good ones, holy ones, which as noted [677, 679-680] make regeneration possible.
[2] The symbolism of seven as holiness or holy elements can be seen from the rituals of the representative church,{*2} in which the number seven crops up so many times. One example is the sevenfold spattering of some of the blood and oil [used in a ritual], as, for instance, in Leviticus:
Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the dwelling place and everything that was in it and consecrated them, and he spattered some of it on the altar seven times and anointed the altar and all its utensils to consecrate them.{*3} (Leviticus 8:10-11)
Seven times would have had no meaning here at all had holiness not been represented by it. The oil symbolizes the holy quality of love. From another place:
When Aaron enters the holy place, he shall take some of the young ox's blood and spatter it with his finger on the face of the appeasement cover, toward the east, and he shall spatter some of the blood with his finger before the face of the appeasement cover seven times. Likewise, at the altar, he shall spatter some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, and he shall cleanse it and consecrate it. (Leviticus 16:14, 19)
Each and every item here symbolizes the Lord himself and consequently the holiness of love — the blood, the appeasement cover, the altar, the east toward which the blood was to be spattered, and so the number seven as well.
[3] It was similar with the sacrifices, discussed in another place:{*4} If a soul sins by mistake, or if an anointed priest sins, to the people's guilt, he shall slaughter a young ox before Jehovah, and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood and spatter some of the blood seven times before Jehovah toward the veil of the holy place. (Leviticus 4:1, 3, 5, 6)
Here again seven symbolizes holiness, because the verses are describing atonement, which is exclusively the Lord's function, and as a result they are describing the Lord. Similar rituals were also established for the healing of leprosy as described in another place:
Using the blood of a flying creature, cedar wood, scarlet cloth, and hyssop, seven times the priest shall spatter the person to be cleansed of leprosy and cleanse the person. Again, seven times [he shall spatter] some of the oil that is on his left palm before Jehovah. And again, using the cedar wood and hyssop and scarlet cloth and flying creature's blood, seven times he shall spatter a house where there is leprosy. (Leviticus 14:6-7, 27, 51)
Anyone can see that there is absolutely nothing meaningful in the cedar wood, scarlet cloth, hyssop, oil, or flying creature's blood, or consequently in the number seven, unless it comes from their function in representing what is holy. If you remove all holy import from them, what remains is a lifeless triviality or something profane and idolatrous. When they symbolize something holy, on the other hand, the worship bound up in them is divine worship, which takes place deep within and is merely represented by the outward acts.
Certainly the Jews had no way of knowing what these things symbolized — the cedar wood, the hyssop, the scarlet cloth, the bird — so no one today does either. Still, if they had only cared to, they could have considered that something holy but beyond their ken was involved. So they could have worshiped the Lord, or in other words, the Messiah who was to come and cure them of their leprosy, that is, of profaning what is holy. Then they could have been saved.{*5} As soon as those who think this way and believe these things arrive in the other world, they learn (if they so desire) what every single detail represented.
[4] Something similar is said about the red cow:
The priest would take some of its blood on his finger and spatter some of its blood toward the face of the meeting tent seven times. (Numbers 19:4)
As the seventh day or Sabbath symbolized the Lord and (because of him) the heavenly person and heavenliness itself, in the Jewish religion the seventh day was far more sacred than any ritual. That was the reason for the absolute Sabbath every seventh year (Leviticus 25:4) and for the jubilee that was to be proclaimed after seven Sabbaths of years, that is, after seven times seven years (Leviticus 25:8-9).
The symbolism of seven at the highest level as the Lord and so as the holiness of love can also be seen from the golden lampstand with its seven lamps, which are described in Exodus 25:31, 32, 33, 37; 37:17, 18, 19, 23; Numbers 8:2-3; Zechariah 4:2. This is what John says about them:
... seven golden lampstands; in the middle of the seven lampstands was one like the Son of Humankind. (Revelation 1:12-13)
It is obvious that the lampstand with its seven lamps symbolizes the Lord and that lamps stand for holy love — a heavenly thing — which is why there were seven of them.
[5] In the same author:
From the throne came seven fiery lanterns burning before the throne, which are God's seven spirits. (Revelation 4:5)
The seven lanterns that came from the Lord's throne are seven lamps. The number seven has a similar meaning where it comes up in the prophets, as in Isaiah:
The light of the moon will be like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be seven times as strong, like the light of seven days, on the day when Jehovah bandages his people's fracture. (Isaiah 30:26)
The light seven times as strong, like the light of seven days, does not mean any sevenfold strength but the holiness of the love that the sun symbolizes. See also the statements made and evidence offered above at Genesis 4:15 [395].
These things add to the proof that no number in the Word, no matter what it is, ever has a merely numerical meaning. This too was shown above, at Genesis 6:3 [575-578].
Footnotes:
{*1} On the symbolism of the number seven in Scripture, see 395 and note 2 in 395. [RS]
{*2} By the term "the rituals of the representative church," Swedenborg means the rituals enjoined on Jews in the Hebrew Scriptures. He indicates what he means by a representative church in 101, 349:1, 730:4-5, 1437. [LHC]
{*3} The Latin words here translated "consecrated" and "consecrate" stem from the verb sanctificare, which is related to the Latin word for "holy," sanctus. This is no doubt why, for the purposes of this discussion of holiness, Swedenborg emphasized these words. [LHC]
{*4} The first edition incorrectly identifies the Book of Numbers as the source of the quotation that follows at this point, and mentions no book name where the citation is given following the quotation; so the reading "in another place" has been accepted instead, to echo the phrase, "from another place," just above in the section. This is Swedenborg's normal reference for a different passage from the same Bible book that has just been cited. In keeping with this practice of Swedenborg's, the reading "in another place" has been supplied for the reading of the first edition, "in Leviticus" (in Levitico), before the next quotation. [LHC]
{*5} On Swedenborg's attitude toward Jews, see note 4 in 259 and the reader's guide, pages 51-55. [JSR]
Potts(1905-1910) 716
716. That holy things are signified by "seven" is evident from what has been said before respecting the seventh day, or the sabbath (n. 84-87), namely, that the Lord is the seventh day; and that from Him every celestial church, or celestial man, is a seventh day, and indeed the celestial itself, which is most holy because it is from the Lord alone. For this reason, in the Word, "seven" signifies what is holy; and in fact, as here, in the internal sense partakes not at all of the idea of number. For they who are in the internal sense, as angels and angelic spirits are, do not even know what number is, and therefore not what seven is. Therefore it is not meant here that seven pairs were to be taken of all the clean beasts; or that there was so much of good in proportion to evil as seven to two; but that the things of the will with which this man of the church was furnished were goods, which are holy, whereby he could be regenerated, as was said above. [2] That "seven" signifies what is holy, or holy things, is evident from the rituals in the representative church, wherein the number seven so frequently occurs. For example, they were to sprinkle of the blood and the oil seven times, as related in Leviticus:
Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was therein, and sanctified them; and he sprinkled thereof upon the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all its vessels, to sanctify them (Lev. 8:10-11). Here "seven times" would be entirely without significance if what is holy were not thus represented. And in another place: When Aaron came into the holy place it is said: He shall take of the blood of the bullock and sprinkle with his finger upon the faces of the mercy seat toward the east; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times (Lev. 16:14). And so at the altar:
He shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it and sanctify it (Lev. 16:19). The particulars here, each and all, signify the Lord Himself, and therefore the holy of love; that is to say, the "blood" the "mercy seat" and also the "altar" and the "east" toward which the blood was to be sprinkled, and therefore also "seven." [3] And likewise in the sacrifices, of which in Leviticus:
If a soul shall sin through error, and if the anointed priest shall sin so as to bring guilt on the people, he shall slay the bullock before Jehovah, and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before Jehovah, toward the veil of the sanctuary (Lev. 4:2-3, 6). Here in like manner "seven" signifies what is holy; because the subject treated of is expiation, which is of the Lord alone, and therefore the subject treated of is the Lord. Similar rites were also instituted in respect to the cleansing of leprosy, concerning which in Leviticus:
Of the blood of the bird, with cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop, the priest shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall make him clean. In like manner he was to sprinkle of the oil that was upon the palm of his left hand seven times before Jehovah. And so in a house where there was leprosy, he was to take cedar wood and hyssop and scarlet, and with the blood of the bird sprinkle seven times (Lev. 14:6-7, 27, 51).Here anyone may see that there is nothing at all in the "cedar wood" the "scarlet" the "oil" the "blood of a bird" nor yet in "seven" except from the fact that they are representative of holy things. Take away from them what is holy, and all that remains is dead, or profanely idolatrous. But when they signify holy things there is Divine worship therein, which is internal, and is only represented by the externals. The Jews indeed could not know what these things signified; nor does anyone at the present day know what was signified by the "cedar wood" the "hyssop" the "scarlet" and the "bird." But if they had only been willing to think that holy things were involved which they did not know, and so had worshiped the Lord, or the Messiah who was to come, who would heal them of their leprosy-that is, of their profanation of holy things-they might have been saved. For they who so think and believe are at once instructed in the other life, if they desire, as to what each and all things represented. [4] And in like manner it was commanded respecting the red heifer:
The priest shall take of her blood with his finger and sprinkle of her blood toward the face of the tent of meeting seven times (Num. 19:4). As the "seventh day" or "sabbath" signified the Lord, and from Him the celestial man, and the celestial itself, the seventh day in the Jewish Church was of all religious observances the most holy; and hence came the "sabbath of sabbath" in the seventh year (Lev. 25:4), and the "jubilee" that was proclaimed after the seven sabbaths of years, or after seven times seven years (25:8-9). That in the highest sense "seven" signifies the Lord, and hence the holy of love, is evident also from the golden candlestick and its seven lamps (concerning which in Exod. 25:31-33, 37; 37:17-19, 23; Num. 8:2, 3; Zech. 4:2) and of which it is thus written by John:
Seven golden lampstands; and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like unto the Son of man (Rev. 1:12-13). It very clearly appears in this passage that the "lampstand with the seven lamps" signifies the Lord, and that the "lamps" are the holy things of love, or celestial things; and therefore they were "seven." [5] And again:
Out of the throne went forth seven torches of fire, burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God (Rev. 4:5). Here the "seven torches" that went forth out of the throne of the Lord are the seven lights, or lamps. The same is signified wherever the number "seven" occurs in the Prophets, as 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 bindeth up the breach of His people (Isa. 30:26). Here the "sevenfold light, as the light of seven days" does not signify sevenfold, but the holy of the love signified by the "sun." See also what was said and shown above respecting the number "seven" (chapter 4, verse 15). From all this again it is clearly evident that whatever numbers are used in the Word never mean numbers (as was also shown before, chapter 6:3).
Elliott(1983-1999) 716
716. 'Sevens of each' means that they are holy. This is clear from what has been stated already in 84-87 about the seventh day or sabbath. That is to say, the Lord is the Seventh Day and from Him derives every celestial Church or man, and indeed, the celestial itself which, because it is the Lord's alone, is most holy. Consequently seven in the Word means holy; indeed in the internal sense, as here, absolutely nothing is obtained from the number itself. For people who possess the internal sense, as angels and angelic spirits do, have no concept at all of what a number is, and so do not know what seven is. Therefore the idea that they were to take seven pairs of all the clean beasts, or that the ratio of the good to the evil was to be seven to two, is not at all the meaning here. Rather it is this: Things of the will with which this member of the Church was supplied were the goods which are holy, through which, as stated already, he was capable of being regenerated.
[2] That 'seven' means that which is holy, or things that are holy, becomes clear from the rituals in the representative Church, where the number seven occurs time and again, for example, being sprinkled seven times with blood and oil, as in Leviticus,
Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the Tabernacle and everything that was in it and made them holy. And he sprinkled some of it over the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all its vessels to make them holy. Lev 8:10, 11.
Here 'seven times' would be utterly devoid of meaning if that which is holy was not being represented in this way. 'Oil' there means the holiness of love. And elsewhere in Leviticus, when Aaron entered the Holy Place,
He shall take some of the blood of the young bull, and shall sprinkle it with his finger over the facea of the mercy-seat towards the east, and he shall sprinkle the facea of the mercy-seat seven times with some of the blood with his finger.
Similarly with the altar,
He shall sprinkle over it some of the blood with his finger seven times, and shall cleanse it, and make it holy. Lev 16:14, 19.
Here every single detail means the Lord Himself, and therefore the holiness of love - that is to say, 'the blood' and also 'the mercy-seat', 'the altar' too, 'the east in which direction the blood was to be sprinkled', and so 'seven' as well, all mean the Lord.
[3] In sacrifices it is similar, about which the following is said in Leviticus,
If a soul has sinned inadvertently, and if the anointed priest has sinned, thus making the people guilty, he shall slaughter the young bull in Jehovah's presence. And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle some of the blood seven times in Jehovah's presence towards the veil of the Holy Place. Lev 4:2-4, 6.
Here similarly 'seven' means that which is holy, for the subject is atonement, and therefore the Lord, since atonement is the Lord's alone. Similar instructions were also given concerning the cleansing of leprosy, about which the following is said in Leviticus,
[Taking some] of the bird's blood, the cedar-wood, the double-dyed scarlet, and the hyssop, the priest shall sprinkle over the one who is to be cleansed from leprosy seven times, and shall cleanse him. In a similar way some of the oil which is in his left palm, seven times in Jehovah's presence. In a similar way in a house where there is leprosy, [he shall take some] of the cedar-wood, and the hyssop, and the double-dyed scarlet, and shall sprinkle some of the bird's blood seven times. Lev 14:6, 7, 27, 51.
Anyone may see that here cedar-wood, double-dyed scarlet, hyssop, oil, and blood of a bird, and so the number seven, would be utterly meaningless if things that are holy were not being represented by them. If you take away from them holy things, what is left is something dead, or something unholy and idolatrous. When however they do mean holy things the worship they contain in that case is a Divine worship which is internal and simply represented by things that are external. The Jews however were incapable of knowing what these meant; and neither does anyone today know what cedar-wood, hyssop, double-dyed scarlet, and the bird all mean. Yet if only they had been willing to think that these did embody holy things which they did not actually know, and so had worshipped the Lord - who was the Messiah to come who would heal them from their leprosy, that is, from profaning what is holy - they could have been saved. For people who do think and believe in this manner straightaway receive instruction in the next life, if they desire it, as to what every single detail represented.
[4] Similarly where 'the red heifer' is the subject it is said that the priest was to take some of its blood on his finger, and sprinkle some of its blood towards the facea of the tent of meeting seven times, Num 19:4. Because 'the seventh day' or sabbath meant the Lord, and from Him meant the celestial man and the celestial itself, the seventh day in the Jewish Church was the holiest of all its religious observances. For this reason there was a sabbath yearb every seventh year, Lev 25:4. Also a jubilee was to be proclaimed after seven sabbaths of years, that is, after seven times seven years, Lev 25:8, 9. In the highest sense the number seven means the Lord, and from this the holiness of love. This becomes clear also from the golden lampstand with its seven lamps, mentioned in Exod 25:31-33, 37; 37:17-19, 23; Num 8:2, 3; Zech 4:2. And in John it is spoken of as follows,
Seven golden lampstands; in the midst of the seven lampstands one like the Son of Man. Rev 1:12, 13.
Here it is absolutely clear that 'a lampstand with seven lamps' means the Lord, and that 'the lamps' are the holy things of love, which comprise celestial things, which also is why there were seven of them.
[5] In the same author,
From the throne there were coming forth seven fiery torches burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. Rev 4:5.
Here 'the seven torches which came forth from the Lord's throne' are seven lamps. The same applies to the number seven when it occurs in the Prophets, 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 hurt of His people. Isa 30:26.
Here 'sevenfold light as the light of seven days' does not at all mean sevenfold but the holiness of love meant by the sun. See also what has been stated and shown already at Chapter 4:15 concerning the number seven. From these quotations it is also quite clear that all numbers used in the Word never have a numerical value [in the internal sense], as has also been shown already at 6:3.
Latin(1748-1756) 716
716. Quod per 'septena' significentur sancta, constat ab illis quae prius de septimo die seu sabbato dictum, n. 84-87, quod nempe Dominus sit Septimus Dies, et ex Ipso omnis caelestis Ecclesia, seu homo, immo ipsum caeleste quod quia est solius Domini, est sanctissimum; inde 'septem' in Verbo significant sanctum, et quidem in sensu interno prorsus nihil quod ex numero, ut hic; nam qui in sensu interno sunt, ut angeli et spiritus angelici, ne quidem sciunt quid numerus, proinde quid septem; ideo nusquam hic significatur quod acciperentur de omni bestia munda septem paria, seu quod tantum boni respective ad malum, ut septem ad bina, haberet; sed quod voluntaria, quibus instructus hic homo Ecclesiae fuit, essent bona quae sancta, per quae, ut prius dictum, potuisset regenerari. [2] Quod 'septem' significent sanctum seu sancta, constare potest a ritualibus in Ecclesia repraesentativa, ubi septenarium toties occurrit, sicut 'quod de sanguine et oleo spargeretur septem vicibus'; ut in Levitico, Sumpsit Moses oleum unctionis unxitque' habitaculum et omnia quae in illo, sanctificavitque illa, et sparsit de illo super altare septem vicibus, et unxit altare et omnia vasa ejus ad sanctificandum illa, viii 10, 11;ubi 'septem vices' nihil prorsus significavissent nisi ita repraesentaretur sanctum; 'oleum' ibi significat sanctum amoris: et alibi, Cum intraret Aharon in Sanctum,... accipiet de sanguine juvenci, et sparget digito suo super facies propitiatorii orientem versus, et ad facies propitiatorii sparget septem vicibus de sanguine digito suo:
similiter ad altare, Sparget super illud de sanguine digito suo septem vicibus, et mundabit illud, et sanctificabit illud, Lev. xvi 14, 19;
ubi omnia et singula significant Ipsum Dominum, proinde sanctum amoris, tam scilicet 'sanguis' quam 'propitiatorium,' ut et 'altare,' tum 'oriens, versus quem spargeretur sanguis,' proinde etiam 'septem:' [3] in sacrificiis similiter, de quibus in Levitico{1}, Si anima peccaverit per errorem,... et si sacerdos unctus peccaverit ad reatum populi,... mactabit juvencum coram Jehovah,... et intinget sacerdos digitum suum in sanguine, et sparget de sanguine septem vicibus coram Jehovah versus velum Sancti, iv (x)2, 3, 4, 6;
ubi similiter 'septem' significant sanctum, quia de expiatione, quae solius est Domini, ita de Domino, agitur. Similia quoque instituta sunt circa mundationem leprae, de qua in Levitico, Ex volucris sanguine, ligno cedri, et coccineo, et hyssopo, sparget sacerdos super mundandum a lepra septem vicibus, et mundabit eum;... similiter de oleo, quod super vola ejus sinistra, septem vicibus coram Jehovah.... Similiter in domum ubi lepra, ex ligno cedri, et hyssopo, et coccineo, et sanguine volucris sparget septem vicibus, xiv 6, 7, 27, 51;
ubi quisque videre potest quod nihil prorsus sit in ligno cedri, coccineo, hyssopo, oleo, sanguine volucris, ita nec in septem, nisi inde quod per illa repraesentarentur sancta; si sancta inde abstrahis, manet mortuum quid, aut profanum idololatricum; sed cum significantur sancta, tunc cultus inibi est Divinus, qui est internus, et modo repraesentatur per externa: non quidem potuerunt scire Judaei quid significarent, sic nec quisquam hodie, quid lignum cedri, quid hyssopus, quid coccineum, quid avis, usque si modo voluissent cogitare quod sancta involverent quae nescirent, et sic coluissent Dominum, seu Messiam venturum, Qui sanaret eos ab eorum 'lepra,' hoc est, a profanatione sancti, salvari potuissent; nam qui ita cogitant et credunt, in altera vita instruuntur ilico, si desiderant, quid omnia et singula repraesentaverint. [4] Similiter de 'vacca rufa,' Quod acciperet sacerdos de sanguine digito suo, et spargeret versus facies tentorii conventus de sanguine ejus septem vicibus, Num. xix 4. Quia 'septimus dies' seu 'sabbatum' significabat Dominum, et ab Ipso caelestem hominem, et ipsum caeleste, septimus dies in Ecclesia Judaica prae omnibus ritibus sanctissimus erat; inde 'sabbatum sabbati anno septimo,' Lev. xxv 4; tum 'jubilaeum, quod proclamaretur post septem sabbata annorum, seu post septem annos septem vicibus,' Lev. xxv 8, 9. Quod 'septenum' in supremo sensu significet Dominum, et inde sanctum amoris, constare potest etiam a candelabro aureo, et septem ejus lucernis, de quibus, Exod. xxv 31-33, 37; xxxvii 17-19, 23; Num. viii 2, 3; Zach. iv 2; de quibus ita apud Johannem, Septem candelabra aurea; in medio septem candelabrorum similis Filio hominis, Apoc. 1, 12, 13;
ubi clarissime constat quod 'candelabrum cum septem lucernis' significet Dominum, et quod 'lucernae' sint sancta amoris seu caelestia, quare etiam septem fuerunt; [5] et apud eundem, E throno exibant... septem lampades ignis ardentes coram throno, quae sunt septem spiritus Dei, Apoc. iv 5;
hic 'septem lampades quae exiverunt e throno Domini,' sunt septem lucernae. Similiter se habet ubi septenarius numerus occurrit apud Prophetas, 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;
ubi 'lux septupla, sicut lux septem dierum' nusquam significat septuplum, sed sanctum amoris significati per 'solem.' Videatur etiam, quod de septenario numero prius dictum et ostensum, cap. iv vers. 15. Ex his quoque manifeste constat quod 'numeri' in Verbo, quicumque sunt, nusquam significent numeros, ut prius quoque, cap. vi ad vers. 3, ostensum. @1 Numeris I.$