Genesis 10 sets the significance for the number 70. In this chapter, the seventy grandsons of Noah are enumerated, each of whom becomes the ancestor of a nation (Reference). The number 70 therefore represents the nations. As far as a Jew is concerned, the number 70 is like a codeword for the Gentile world. And it all goes back to Genesis 10 and the 70 grandsons of Noah. Several chapters later, we see that God calls Abraham away from his homeland among the nations. God promises to make him a new nation––the 71st nation. The digital root of 71 is 8 (because 7+1=8), and 8 is the number of new beginnings. But we’ll come back to that idea. For now, let’s keep looking at the number 70 to see how it relates to the nations of the world.
During the 7 day festival of Sukkot, a number of bulls are sacrificed everyday. God commands an offering of 13 bulls on day one, 12 bulls on day two, 11 bulls on day three, 10 bulls on day four, 9 bulls on day five, 8 bulls on day six, and 7 bulls on day seven (all of this is found in Numbers 29). In total, 70 bulls are sacrificed. Knowing the significance of the number 70, we realize that this 7 day sacrifice is made on behalf of the nations. As one rabbi comments: “Thus our Sages taught, ‘You find that during the festival of Sukkot, Israel offers seventy bulls for the seventy nations. Israel says: Master of the Universe, behold we offer You seventy bulls in their behalf, and they should have loved us. Instead, they hate me’ (Psalms 109). Further, they remarked: ‘If the nations of the world would have known the value of the Temple for them, they would have surrounded it with a fortress in order to protect it. For it was of greater value to them than for Israel [instead, they destroyed it]’ (Bamidbar Rabba 1).”
Note: there is a special eighth day of Sukkot. It is special because Leviticus 23:34-36 is clear that Sukkot is 7 days long, yet an eighth day is included. On this eighth day, only 1 bull is sacrificed. If we include it into the mix, our total comes to 71 bulls––this to honor Israel, the 71st nation. Interestingly, the eighth day is also when Jews complete their annual reading of the Torah. The last section of Deuteronomy is read, and immediately following, the opening section of Genesis is read. This practice represents the cyclical nature of the Torah and a new beginning taking place on the eighth day.
But again, Sukkot proper is 7 days long. And during those 7 days, 70 bulls are sacrificed on behalf of the nations. (Reference 1) (Reference 2) (Google for more references.) Speaking of a future time, Zechariah writes, “Then everyone of all the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Sukkot. And if any of the families of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, there will be no rain on them. . .There shall be the plague with which the Lord afflicts the nations that do not go up to keep the Feast of Sukkot. This shall be the punishment to all the nations that do not go up to keep the Feast of Sukkot” (Zechariah 14:16-19 ESV, condensed). I include this verse to highlight the connection between Sukkot and the nations, 70 bulls and 70 nations.
In Luke 10, Jesus appoints a number of disciples to go out and preach the Gospel to every town and place where He Himself is about to go. Suffice to say, He is dispatching them into the nations of the world. According to Young’s Literal Translation, there are 70 of them. 70 disciples for the 70 nations. It makes sense. And note: they’re instructed to go in teams of two. Thus, there are 35 teams. The digital root of 35 is 8 (because 3+5=8), which again is the number of new beginnings.
Other noteworthy 70s in the Bible:
After reading the covenant to the Israelites and to a great mixed multitude of Gentiles, Moses takes 70 elders up Mount Sinai to have a covenant meal with God Himself (hinting that all mankind is represented, like a table of nations so to speak). Since Moses joins the 70 elders at the table, there are 71 men in attendance––71 bringing us back to Israel the 71st nation.
70 members of the house of Jacob went down to Egypt (according to Genesis 46:27 and Exodus 1:5). This occurred at a time when famine was so widespread that “all of the surrounding nations came to Joseph to buy grain from Egypt, because the famine had become severe throughout the world” (Genesis 41:57 ISV). Of course Joseph was already in Egypt when the house of Jacob came down. So in a sense, Joseph could be considered the 71st person of the house of Jacob, the one who offered them a new beginning in Egypt.
Israel spends a total of 70 years in Babylonian captivity, a time in which they meld back into the 70 nations of the world. We read in Jeremiah 29:10-14: “For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you . . . I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.” The 71st year is the year they would return to Israel and begin again. (Unfortunately in 70AD they would meld back into the nations again.)
Terah, the father of Abraham, begins having children at the age of 70. Terah is an idol worshipper living among the nations, doing as the nations do (Joshua 24:2). But among his children is the individual who would father a new nation, a great nation––the 71st nation, Israel. And through Israel and Israel’s Messiah, the world would come to access a new beginning larger than the world itself.
