Meanings of the Number 17 in the Bible:
Genesis 7:11
The story of Noah’s Ark says that rain commenced to descend upon the earth on the 17th day in the second month. (Genesis 7:11)
All of man and beast drowned except Noah, his household, and those who believed in the people on the ark in this flood that lasted 40 days/nights. The waters of the flood came upon the earth for 150 days till they resided over Mount Ararat.
In this specific case, 17 means the earth has been purged and is finally able to get its new start, or it is the beginning of a newly formed age.
During the flood, when water was everywhere over the whole earth for a hundred and fifty days, Noah’s ark became an escape for him, his family, along all the animals that took refuge from terrible floods.
In this verse, 17 is a number of completion, for now, things start anew and have been re-grown after being purged from the earth.
That would be the close of the epoch, then, a dawning creation. The number 17 has the authority of God’s judgment, and when His redemption flows, it changes everything.
From that hour God is showing people this message: a time has come, better than the other.
Genesis 37:2
Joseph has two dreams of his future greatness and power, which he tells his family in the Book of Genesis.
Joseph was 17 years old when he shared these dreams with his father and brothers (Genesis 37:2).
In this tale, the 17th is the beginning of Joseph’s path, which ended with his freedom from slavery and rise to prominence in Egypt. That is why the number seventeen again means a change of life.
This 17 in this scripture is the number of Joseph’s trailhead.
At that point in the life of Joseph, he went from being a little shepherd boy with his brothers to being en route, saying something very grateful for God will liberate him and escort him into magnificence all through Egypt.
The dreams of Joseph at 17 showed that he would have all the power and influence in his future.
These visions revealed that Joseph would one day rise to power and influence where his family members would bow before him.
God informed him at the age of 17 that a new season was coming to his life, and he needed to be prepared for it.
Seventeen depicts that time during his dreams to begin a new season in the life of Joseph. Thus, we get the start of his bizarre saga that follows him from betrayal by his brothers as a slave to Egypt and rule.
The 17 is the place of shifting in Joseph’s life towards his appointment with destiny and calling as a true leader that was provided for within God’s plan. This is why number 17 stands for the revelation of God’s divine plan in Joseph’s life.
The 17 is a reminder of where Joseph started, at the age when he received his dreams and set off on that unusual path.
Genesis 8:4
Genesis 8:4 says, “And in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat.”
This verse speaks of Noah’s ark coming to rest after the flood, a description repeated several times (17) in regard to Genesis 8:4.
The symbolism of the number 17 in this regard is that an important period of trials and sentences has come to a close for something new: restoration.
In this verse, the number 17 has an obvious symbolic value, suggesting that it was equivalent to the end of judgment or ordeal.
The flood was the all-but destruction of wickedness to rid the earth, so it would make sense that this long and difficult time is over on the seventeenth day of the seventh month – which signifies a(the only) grave preceding resurrection.
In this context, 17 spiritually meaning, it symbolizes a response of some kind, thus marking that the results are for God’s judgment is accomplished, and mankind will have another chance at a new life in renewal.
It signifies the destruction of a long era, and it gives way to another full of hope.
Number 17 has that meaningful connotation as Noah and their family exit the ark onto the changed earth after experiencing one big flood.
On the seventeenth day, they come to an end, and on that very anniversary, of course, since when God is about some kind of perfect divine unity.
2 Kings 13:1
Again, in 2 Kings 13:1, there is one further reference to the number seventeen.
“In the twenty-third year of Joash the son of Ahaziah, king of Judah, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned seventeen years.”
17, in this case, represents the number of years King Jehoahaz reigned over Israel.
Seventeen in this verse represents time, a full cycle or phase.
It is an era within the history of another kingdom.
So, the new king reigned over Israel for seventeen years, which clearly indicates a change in Israel to a different stage.
1 Chronicles 26:30
1 Chronicles 26:30 says, “From the Hebronites: Hashabiah and his relatives—seventeen hundred able men—were responsible in Israel west of the Jordan for all the work of the Lord and the king’s service.”
This verse mentions how many of the Hebronites there were and who all at one time had charge over Israel concerning things which are for the king in his service.
2 Kings 16:1
2 Kings 16:1 says, “In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah, Ahaz the son of Jotham, king of Judah, began to reign.”
In this verse, the number 17 is when he started to reign as a king of Judea.
This year, in all respects, may be nothing more than a coincidence, but since, for Israel, the era changes with each new king coming to power 17 times, it is safe enough to argue that once again, under the number of 17 will start something completely different from her previous version.
It serves to create a fixed point in the chronology of Judaean kings as well and sets down at least one historical context for Ahaz’s reign.
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Fyodor Melnikov is an Orthodox Christian. He has a linguistic degree and has devoted himself to Christian theology.