Seven of Swords Tarot: Meaning, Symbolism and Reversed Meaning

In brief: name, number and keywords

The Seven of Swords is the card of strategy and discretion. A man walks away from a camp carrying weapons that are not his, without making a sound. The image is ambiguous: clever cunning, or petty dishonesty? That is what makes it interesting to read.

It carries the number 7. In the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, it is the Seven of Swords.

Keywords: strategy, discretion, evasion, cunning, half measures, awareness.

The image in the Marseille tarot

In the Tarot de Marseille, the Seven of Swords is a pip card: seven curved blades arranged in two groups of three around a central blade, or interlaced with leafy stems. No figure. Seven appears here as a complex number, never symmetrical.

The stealthy thief belongs to the Rider-Waite-Smith deck; in the Marseille, the seven opens the reading onto trial and reflection.

The scene in the Rider-Waite-Smith deck

A man in a red cap tiptoes away, holding five swords tightly against himself. He glances back over his shoulder. Two other swords remain stuck in the ground behind him.

In the background, a camp of tents and figures around a fire. The sky is pale yellow. The man almost smiles, as if pleased with his move, yet his step is cautious.

Symbolism of the elements of the scene

A few details that come up in readings. These are starting points for interpretation.

• The glance over the shoulder: vigilance, fear of being seen, or caution.
• Five swords taken, two left behind: you cannot take everything; a choice of what to keep. Readings see in it a half measure.
• The camp in the background: the social world, or others, who suspect nothing; it can also stand for what one is leaving behind.
• Walking on tiptoe: discretion, cunning, avoidance of a direct confrontation.
• The red cap: a touch of boldness, cunning or quickness of mind.

Upright meaning

Upright, the Seven of Swords traditionally evokes strategy, discretion and evasion. It can describe a skilful way of getting around an obstacle, but also a small deception, a secret, a way of not telling the whole truth. Waite himself noted that the meaning of the card is uncertain: the image lends itself to several readings.

In a spread, it invites you to ask: are you acting with intelligence or in secret? It may be a matter of acting in stages, of not revealing everything before you are ready. The card accuses no one and points to no culprit.

Reversed: schools that differ

School 1: awareness. Reversed, the Seven of Swords would signal that you are retracing your steps, confessing, returning what was taken, or that the secret is discovered.

School 2: the plan that stalls. Others see advice worth listening to, a strategy that no longer works, or an excess of suspicion. Many tarot readers do not read the reversed side.

Traditional correspondences and numerology

According to the Golden Dawn, which assigns a decan to each card from 2 to 10, here are the most frequently cited reference points (dates give or take a day).

Numerology of 7. Seven is a number of trial, reflection and mystery: seven days, seven notes, seven ancient planets. It does not divide into two equal parts. In the Golden Dawn's Kabbalistic reading, it corresponds to Netzach, Victory.

The Golden Dawn's title, “Lord of Unstable Effort”, is a 19th-century occult convention; it stresses that human endeavour remains fragile. These attributions are not facts.

Common areas of reading

Tarot does not say what is going to happen: it offers images to reflect on. Here is what this card can bring to mind, in symbolic terms.

• Personal reflection: asking yourself whether you are fully honest with yourself. A possible question: what am I not saying, and why?
• Relationships: a secret, a half-truth, a situation in which explanations are avoided; the card accuses no one.
• Work: a strategy, behind-the-scenes manoeuvres, a project quietly being prepared.
• Money: transparency about accounts and commitments; the card predicts neither theft nor gain.

Combinations with other cards

A card is rarely read on its own: its neighbours nuance it. A few simple pairings, to be taken as starting points.

• The Six of Swords: a departure in which you take what is useful.
• The Eight of Swords: if evasion lasts, you may feel trapped.
• The Magician: skill, with the risk of illusion.
• Justice: what is hidden eventually gets weighed.

To practise reading cards together, try the three-card spread. To see the whole suit, read the page on the swords.

Common beginner mistakes

• Reading “thief”: the card speaks of strategy or discretion as much as of deception.
• Accusing someone close to you on the basis of a spread: a card is not proof.
• Forgetting the two swords left behind: the image also speaks of what one gives up on taking.

Reflection questions and keyword of the day

Keyword of the day: Discernment. Before saying or not saying something today, ask yourself whether your silence protects or avoids.

Questions to ask yourself:

• Is there a subject I am sidestepping at the moment?
• Is my strategy honest, towards myself and towards others?
• What should I leave behind rather than trying to carry everything?

Frequently asked questions

Also read

The meanings mentioned belong to tradition and symbolism. They are neither promises of results nor medical advice. Back to Guide to the Minor Arcana.