שָּׁבַע shava’ (H7650) literally means “to seven oneself” where a person completely submits to a promise or oath with words and spoken seven times (cf. Genesis 33:3). שָּׁבַע shava’ is equivalent to the Greek ὀμνύω omnyō (G3660) and means to swear; to affirm, promise, threaten, with an oath; in swearing to call a person or thing as witness, to invoke, swear by. In ancient times, “A common practice was to make seven declarations when making an oath. This declaration can be making the oath seven times or doing seven things to show the sincerity of the oath.” – Jeff Benner
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