šbʿ

Common Semitic *šabʿ-, seven.

1.

a. Shavuot, from Hebrew šābûʿôt, plural of šābûaʿ, week, from šebaʿ, seven;

b. shiva, from Hebrew šibʿâ, seven, feminine of šebaʿ (see above).

2.

a. Bathsheba, from Hebrew batšebaʿ, daughter of an oath (bat, daughter; see bn);

b. Elizabeth, from Hebrew ʾĕlîšebaʿ, my God (is) an oath (ʾĕlî, my God; see ʾl);

c. Beersheba, from Hebrew bəʾēr šebaʿ, well of oath (bəʾēr, well; see bʾr). a-c all from -šebaʿ, oath, from *šābaʿ, to swear, possibly denominative from šebaʿ, seven (? < “to bind oneself with sevens” in swearing oaths).

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