The Day - Dawn to Dawn Reckoning

 

Overview

 

The Israelites regarded the sunrise or dawn as the beginning of the day; in the evening the sun starts declining and then goes down at night until the new day started in the morning. The Old and New Testament proves this as a fact. When determining how the ancient Israelites reckoned their days, there is confusion since the word ‘date’ is not found in our bibles and since they used the word ‘day’ instead of the word ‘date’. Today we use the words ‘day’ and ‘date’ interchangeably also.  

 

Creation

 

On creation day one our Father in Heaven created light.  Our Father in Heaven first mentions that light is called day and then He says darkness is call night. Therefore the order is day and then night.

 

“In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth. But the earth was unsightly and unfurnished, and darkness was over the deep, and the Spirit of God moved over the water. And God said, Let there be light, and there was light. And God saw the light that it was good, and God divided between the light and the darkness. And God called the light Day [G2250 hēmera], and the darkness he called Night [G3571 nux (noox)], and there was evening and there was morning, the first day [G2250 hēmera].” LXX (Sep) Gen 1:1-5

 

Our Father in Heaven created the sun, moon and the stars for regulating the day and night on the fourth day of creation. Notice that the day is always mentioned before night.

 

“And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, to divide between day [G2250 hēmera] and night [G3571 nux (noox)], and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and for years. And let them be for light in the firmament of the heaven, so as to shine upon the earth, and it was so. And God made the two great lights, the greater light for regulating the day [G2250 hēmera] and the lesser light for regulating the night [G3571 nux (noox)], the stars also. And God placed them in the firmament of the heaven, so as to shine upon the earth, and to regulate day [G2250 hēmera] and night [G3571 nux (noox)], and to divide between the light and the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening [G2073 hespera] and there was morning [G4044 prōi], the fourth day [G2250 hēmera].” LXX (Sep) Gen 1:14-19

“And God said: Let there be lights made in the firmament of heaven, to divide the day [Latin diem singular of dies] and the night [Latin noctem singular of nox], and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days [Latin dies] and years”. DR Gen 1:14

“dixit autem Deus fiant luminaria in firmamento caeli ut dividant diem ac noctem et sint in signa et tempora et dies et annos.” Latin Vulgate Gen 1:14

“And the evening [Latin vespere singular of vesper] and morning [Latin mane] were the fourth day [Latin dies].” DR Gen 1:19

 “et factum est vespere et mane dies quartus.” LV Gen 1:19

“God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of sky to divide the day [H3117 yom] from the night [H3915 layelah]; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days [H3117 yom] and years.” WEB Gen 1:14

“There was evening [H6153 ereb] and there was morning [H1242 boqer], a fourth day [H3117 yom]”. WEB Gen 1:19

 

Day, Night, Evening & Morning Word Definitions

Below are the definitions used in the creation verses above in all four languages.  Notice they all agree that the day starts at sunrise.  Sunrise is the time of day when the sun appears above the eastern horizon.  Sunrise is also known as dawn.

English	Greek	Latin	Modern Hebrew
Day Any period of 24 hours, A 24-hour period beginning at 6am or sunrise from the Old English word dæġ meaning day, (usually) as a period from sunrise to sunset and (scientifically) as a 24-hour period from sunrise to sunrise From the Proto-Germanic word dagaz which comes from the Proto-Indo- European root word meaning ‘to burn’.	G2250 – Hēmera a day, the period from sunrise to sunset day, i.e. (literally) the time space between dawn and dark, or the whole 24 hours From Proto-Indo-European *h₂eh₃mr̥ (“heat”), from *h₂eh₃- (“be hot, burn”)	Dies A solar or sidereal day of about 24 hours Daytime: a period of light between sunrise and sunset. From the Proto-Italic word djous meaning day, sky. Ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root word dyew meaning ‘to be bright’, sky, heaven.	H3117 Yom From an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next)
Night The period between sunset and sunrise, darkness Proto-Indo-European *nókʷts meaning night	G3571 Nux or Noox Night Proto-Indo-European *nókʷts meaning night	Nox Night period of time, darkness. Proto-Indo-European *nókʷts meaning night.	H3915 layil or lel or layelah From the same as luwl; properly, a twist (away of the light), i.e. Night; figuratively, adversity – ((mid-))night (season).
Evening from the Old English ǣfnung, meaning ‘the coming of evening, sunset, time around sunset’	G2073 Hespera evening, eventide, eve Western, evening At evening, western, evening star, Venus	Vesper The evenings or vespers, supper, dinner, the evening star, west.	[H6153 Ereb] day, evening, tide, night dusk -- + day, even(-ing, tide), night
Morning The early part of the day, especially from dawn to noon From Middle English morwe meaning morning, dawn Ultimately from from Proto-Indo-European *mer- (“to flicker, twinkle”)	G4044 Prōi at dawn; by implication, the day-break watch	Mane Morning From Proto-Indo-European *meh₂- (“to ripen, to mature”)	H1242 Boqer day, early, morning, morrow From baqar; properly, dawn (as the break of day); generally, morning -- (+) day, early, morning, morrow.

 

Regarding the definition of the word ‘evening’, I did not feel any of the definitions above were good.  My understanding is the evening means ‘when the sun is evening on the horizon’. The Wikipedia talk tab shows arguments as to what the real definition means and one person states it means when there is an even amount of day and night.

Genesis Chapter One – The Day

 

Genesis chapter one models how we are to reckon our days and I have created the table below to illustrate this fact. Notice what is done during the light of day is always mentioned first.  The time between evening and morning is called night and it is always mentioned second. This illustrates the fact that daylight is comes first and that is when our Father in Heaven did his work. Night time comes second and that is when our Father in Heaven did no work.

 

Date	Time	Genesis Text with God’s Creation Paraphrased	Verse Numbers
One	Day	God created light:  God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night.	1:1-5
	Night	“There was evening and there was morning, one day.” [The time between evening and morning is night time.]	1:5
Two	Day	God created the sky: God made the expanse, and divided the waters… God called the expanse sky.	1:6-8
	Night	“There was evening and there was morning, a second day.” [Between evening and morning is night time.]	1:8
Three	Day	God created dry land, earth and seas.  He also placed grass, herbs and fruit trees on the earth.	1:9-12
	Night	“There was evening and there was morning, a third day.” [Between evening and morning is night time.]	1:13
Four	Day	God created two great lights to divide the day and the night.	1:14-18
	Night	“There was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.” [Between evening and morning is night time.]	1:19
Five	Day	God created living creatures for the sea and birds.	1:20-22
	Night	“There was evening and there was morning, a fifth day.” [Between evening and morning is night time.]	1:23
Six	Day	God created living creatures for the land (cattle and other animals) and man (male and female).	1:24-31
	Night	“There was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.” [Between evening and morning is night time.]	1:31
Seven	Day	“The heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. On the seventh day God finished his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. God blessed the seventh day, and made it holy, because he rested in it from all his work which he had created and made.”	2:1-3

 

As you can see, our Father in Heaven started the book of Genesis by giving as an example of how our day and week should be reckoned, as follows:

1.     Day:  he created the day before he created the night; showing the day is first.

2.     Work Day:  he did all of HIS work during the day, before evening started.

3.     Evening:  he stopped working in the evening and did no work at night.

4.     Morning:  he started a new day in the morning and considered the previous day done.  Then he started working again in the morning.

5.     Order of Day:  he showed us the order of our day should be; morning, day, evening, night and then morning again.

6.     Work Days:  He worked for six days prior to resting on the seventh day.

7.     Seventh Day:  He did no work on the seventh day or night, he instead rested.

 

Jesus followed this reckoning of the work week since he explained that he needed to get his work done during the day since no one was to perform work at night.

 

“We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day [G2250 hēmera]; night [G3571 nux (noox)] is coming, when no one can work.” ESV John 9:4

 

Feast Days

 

When our Father in Heaven provided us our instruction for observing HIS feast days he uses the word ‘day’; therefore our Father is reckoning our calendar by ‘day’ and not by ‘night’.  For example, He told the Israelites to observe the Passover on the 14^th ‘day’ even though the activity was to be performed in the evening (even).

 

“Moreover let the children of Israel keep the passover in its appointed season. In the fourteenth day of this month, at even, ye shall keep it in its appointed season: according to all the statutes of it, and according to all the ordinances thereof, shall ye keep it.” ASV Numbers 9:5

 

In the verses below, notice that in our instructions for observing the feast day, our Father in Heaven tells us the day or date they should be performed.  He does not tell us which evening or night they should be performed. 

 

 “And on the fifteenth day of this month is the feast of unleavened bread to the Lord; seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread. And the first day shall be a holy convocation to you: ye shall do no servile work.” LXX Lev 23:6-7

 

“And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, there shall be to you a holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work: it shall be to you a day of blowing the trumpets.” LXX Num 29:1 

 

 “Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the Lord.” KJV Leviticus 23:34

 

If our Father in Heaven wanted us to reckon our 24 hour time period by evening, the above verse would read ‘The fifteenth evening of the seventh month’. If he wanted us to reckon it at midnight, the verse would read ‘The fifteenth midnight of the seventh month’.  Since he used the word day consistently, I believe that he wants us to reckon our time by the day and the day starts at dawn or sunrise meaning morning.

 

The Switching of Day and Night

 

There has also been some tapering with the scriptures to make people believe that night comes before day.  Below are three different translations of the same verse showing the day is before the night:

 

“And thy lyfe shall hange before the, and thou shalt feare both daye and nyghte ad shalt haue no trust in thy lyfe.” Tyndale Deuteronomy 28:66

 

“And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life.” KJV Deuteronomy 28:66

 

“And thy life shall be in suspense before thine eyes; and thou shalt be afraid by day and by night, and thou shalt have no assurance of thy life.” Septuagint, Deuteronomy 28:66

 

Here are newer versions of the same verses that have day and night switched which might lead people to believe that the night is reckoned before the day:

 

              “Your life shall hang in doubt before you. Night and day you shall be in dread and have no assurance of your life.” ESV Deuteronomy 28:66 

“And your life shall hang in doubt before you; and you shall fear night and day, and shall have no assurance of your life.” WEB Deuteronomy 28:66 

 

There is a verse in Jeremiah where day and night have been switched also.  Here is an earlier version of this verse:

 

“And thou shalt speak this word to them; Let your eyes shed tears day and night, and let them not cease: for the daughter of my people has been sorely bruised, and her plague is very grievous.” LXX Septuagint, Jeremiah 14:17

 

Here are two later versions of the same verse where they have switched night and day again:

 

              "You shall say to them this word: 'Let my eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease, for the virgin daughter of my people is shattered with a great wound, with a very grievous blow.” ESV Jeremiah 14:17

 

“And thou shalt say this word unto them, Let mine eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease.” ASV Jeremiah 14:17

 

Closing the Temple

 

In this verse, they are closing the gates at sundown in preparation for the Sabbath day that will be starting the next morning.  They have just probably completed their day of work and they want to ensure that the gates are shut (at the close of business most businesses lock there doors).  The Sabbath day starts in the morning, they cannot return to close the gates on the Sabbath day since that would be considered work and a violation of the law. No work is allowed on the Sabbath day. Notice the verse reflects Sabbath day and not Sabbath evening or night.

 

“As soon as it began to grow dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and gave orders that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. And I stationed some of my servants at the gates, that no load might be brought in on the Sabbath day.” ESV Nehemiah 13:19

 

Daybreak

 

The Greek word ‘orthros’ Strong’s number 3722, translates to the English word dawn, day-break, sunrise or early in the morning.  Here are sample verses reflecting the event happened at the start of the day:

 

“And he said to him, Let me go, for the day has dawned [G3722 orthros]; but he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.” LXX Gen 32:26 

 

“And it came to pass on the third day, as the morning drew nigh [G3722 orthros], there were voices and lightnings and a dark cloud on mount Sina: the voice of the trumpet sounded loud, and all the people in the camp trembled.” LXX Exo 19:16 

 

“But the men would not consent to hearken to him; so the man laid hold of his concubine, and brought her out to them; and they knew her, and abused her all night till the morning, and let her go when the morning dawned [G3722 orthros].” LXX Jdg 19:25 

 

“for a day of darkness and gloominess is near, a day of cloud and mist: a numerous and strong people shall be spread upon the mountains as the morning [G3722 orthros]; there has not been from the beginning one like it, and after it there shall not be again even to the years of many generations.” LXX Joel 2:2 

 

“But on the first day of the week, at early dawn [G3722 orthros], they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared.” ESV Luke 24:1

 

The Hebrew word ‘shachar’, Strong’s number 7837, translates to the English word ‘dawn’ and is defined as; dayspring, early, light, morning, or whence rises. The bible translator have used these words, in our scriptures, to reflect the word ‘shachar’; dawn, dawning of the day, daybreak, and morning.  Here are examples of verses translated from the Hebrew word ‘shachar’ and they all imply the day was beginning:

 

 “But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took his concubine, and brought her forth unto them; and they knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning: and when the day began to spring [shachar], they let her go.” KJV Judges 19:25

 

“On the seventh day they rose early, at the dawn of day [shachar], and marched around the city in the same manner seven times. It was only on that day that they marched around the city seven times.” ESV Joshua 6:15

 

“Have you commanded the morning since your days began [shachar], and caused the dawn to know its place.” ESV Job 38:12

 

“So Bethel will do to you because of your great wickedness. At daybreak [shachar] the king of Israel will be destroyed.” WEB Hosea 10:15

 

The events of Jesus’ crucifixion also prove the Israelites reckoned their time from dawn of the morning sunrise to the dawn of the morning. I will be documenting this fact below. 

 

Let’s remember that Paul told us we are children of the day:

 

“Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.” KJV 1 Thessalonians 5:5

The Hour

 

The Israelites reckoned their day, new month and New Year to all start at the same time. These all started at the Hebrew hour 0 which is 6:00 a.m. in the morning.

 

Above is a picture of how the Hebrew sundial worked.  The day, month, and New Year all started at Hour 0 which is 6:00AM and scripture does prove this also. 

 

For information on reading the sun dial and scriptures regarding the hour of the day, see this page Our Father's Solar Hour, the Division of the Day .

 

Jesus’ Crucifixion & Spring Feast Event Summary

 

The crucifixion events prove dawn to dawn reckoning.  In order to for Jesus to be the Passover lamb, he had to fulfill the law of Passover exactly.  Our current calendar dates below are based on Jesus being crucified and dying on April 3^rd, 33AD which was the Solar Passover date.  This is the date that many researchers believe to be true. 

 

The spring equinox in 33AD was on March 20^th at 7:34am.  Therefore the Solar Passover sacrifice would be required on April 3^rd. http://data.giss.nasa.gov/ar5/srvernal.html  

The new moon was March 17th at 10:00am.  Therefore a lunar Passover dinner would be on March 31^st and the Jewish Passover ended on April 1^st at 6:00pm.  http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/SpringPhenom.php

 

The Solar & Lunar Passover above is confirmed since these events occurred on April 1st:

Matthew 26:1-2 in two days Passover is coming (Israelite Solar Passover)

Matthew 26:3 Caiaphas plots to kill Jesus but they decide not to during the feast (Lunar Passover) Same as Mark 14:1-2

 

Note:  the translations in our bibles are worded to make you think it was Passover the night of the Last Supper but it was not.  That is why I have consulted Strong’s and have reworded the verses.

 

Hebrew Date	Current Calendar Date	High-Level Instructions	High-level Summary of Events
Abib 13 Monday late evening [after sundown]	April 2nd	The events in the ‘Last Supper’.  It includes a loaf of bread and wine. Mat 26:26 & Mark 14:22 & Luke 22:19	Jesus’ Last Supper (it was not Passover) Have dinner, after the sun goes down, and include regular bread with leaven and wine. Jesus broke bread G740 & they ate it.  Note that they were not eating unleavened bread G106 like you are required to do at Passover. (They did go to prepare since they were required to have themselves cleaned up for the morning.  They did not sacrifice a lamb before this meal.) Luke 22:15-16 He wants to eat Passover with the Disciples but states he will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom (meaning after he is crucified). (reworded) Mat 26:36-46 Jesus goes to pray & the Disciples keep falling asleep
Abib 14 Tuesday Starting at dawn or about 6:00am	April 3rd	Passover Preparation Day Event order:  kill the lamb, roast it and then eat it at the night of the 14th. It includes unleavened bread and bitter herbs. E12:6 Kill the lamb on the 14th day at evening H6153 (this is when the sun is going down about 3:00pm) E12:9 roast the lamb E12:18 Start eating unleavened bread (evening H6153) of the 14th day to the evening H6135 of the 21st day. Num 9:3 celebrate the Passover on the 14th day at evening H6153 Lev 23:5 Passover is in the evening H6135 on the 14th Deu 16:14 none of the flesh that you sacrifice in the evening H6135 shall be left for morning H1242 Jos 5:10 observed the Passover on the evening H6135 on the 14th day. 2 Chron 30:17 the Levites had to slaughter the Passover lamb for everyone that was not clean. (This Passover was attended by many.)  Dinner was after the slaughter and roasting of the lamb.	Passover Preparation Day Starts Mat 26:74 Peter denied him 3 times then right away the rooster crowed [meaning the sun is starting to rise.] Mat 27:1 priest took counsel against him & sentenced him to death in the early morning or dawn G4407. John 18:28 led Jesus to the judgment hall early G4404 dawn – they were worried about defiling themselves on Passover. They put Jesus on the cross right after dawn.  He died about 3:00pm Roman time. Mat 27:45 from the 6th hour (noon) there was darkness all over the land to the 9th hour (3:00pm). ( After this Jesus said his last words.) John 19:14 It was preparation day for the Passover, about the 6th hour when Jesus said to the Judeans ‘Behold you King!’
Abib 14 Tuesday Night H3915	April 3rd	E12:8 We are to eat flesh at night H3915 with unleavened bread & bitter herbs. E12:10 burn any remaining lamb in morning H1242 D16:7 the morning H1242 after Passover return to your tents	Passover Dinner There are is no evidence that Jesus’ family or the Disciples had dinner that night.  Jesus did say he would have dinner when it is fulfilled in the kingdom and he did fulfill the Passover Feast Day prior to the sundown meal time.  There was no mention of a Passover dinner due to the law Numbers 9:10-11: "Say to the children of Israel, 'If any man of you or of your generations is unclean by reason of a dead body, or is on a journey far away, he shall still keep the Passover to God. In the second month, on the fourteenth day at evening they shall keep it; they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.” 1 Corth 5:7-8 Shows the Disciples continued celebrating on the future Passovers. Mat 27:57 It was late evening G3798 or nightfall & a rich man Joseph took Jesus to be wrapped in clean linen & they put him in a tomb. Mark 15:42 When late evening G3798 or nightfall had already come because it was the preparation day, Joseph came to get Jesus’ body. Luke 23:54 When Joseph put Jesus in the tomb it was preparation day and the Sabbath was beginning to dawn G2020 (to let shine). (it was getting close to 6:00am or Hour 0) Luke 23:56 The women returned home to prepare spices and ointments & rested on the Sabbath day.
Abib 15 Wednesday	April 4th	E12:15 Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven out of your houses, for if anyone eats what is leavened, from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel. 16 On the first day you shall hold a holy assembly, and on the seventh day a holy assembly. No work shall be done on those days. But what everyone needs to eat, that alone may be prepared by you.	Special Sabbath Day & Unleavened Bread Feast Day Starts No work this day except what is required for food preparation.  We are to assemble and remember that we were removed from slavery that day.  We must eat unleavened bread. Mat 27:62 they went to guard Jesus’ tomb, the next day, the day after Preparation day. [Preparation day is a day to prepare for the Sabbath day according to Strong’s or it is preparation for the evening Passover meal.
Abib 16 Thursday	April 5th	Unleavened bread	Eat Unleavened bread
Abib 17 Friday	April 6th	Unleavened bread	Eat Unleavened bread
Abib 18 Saturday	April 7th	Unleavened bread/Resurrection Sabbath Day	Eat Unleavened bread/Resurrection Sabbath Day he rose just before dawn
Abib 19 Sunday	April 8th	Unleavened bread .	Eat Unleavened bread Mat 28:1 After the Sabbath day when it was beginning to be dawn G2020 and start being the 1st day of the week after the Sabbath Mary found the tomb empty. (reworded) Also Mark 16 & Luke 24 John 20:1 On the first day, after the Sabbath, Mary came early to the tomb while it was still dark. (reworded) Luke 24  The same day, Jesus was resurrected and appeared before the Disciples.  Luke 24:36 Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the 3rd day Mat 12:40 An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth"
Abib 20	April 9th	Unleavened bread	Eat Unleavened bread
Abib 21	April 10th	Unleavened bread	Eat Unleavened bread

 

Therefore in summary, you sacrifice the lamb at evening, then you cook it whole which takes several hours, and then you eat the Passover supper. Jesus was crucified the same time as the lamb was to be sacrificed which was about 3:00pm in the afternoon.

 

Jesus had to fulfill the Passover laws in order to be our Passover lamb, therefore, we must get this timing correct.  Please see this page for more information on Passover timing and laws.

 

“You shall sacrifice the passover at evening, at the going down of the sun, at the time that you came forth out of Egypt.” KJV Deuteronomy 16:6

 

Scripture proves that our day starts at sunrise and that Jesus’ last supper was not a Passover meal.  There are three different meals with three different types of bread requirements that prove our day cannot start at sundown and does start at sunrise.

Abib 13:  Loaf bread with wine at the Last Supper.

Abib 14:  Unleavened bread with bitter herbs at Passover.

Abib 15:  Plain unleavened bread during the feast of Unleavened bread.

 

“Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth”. ESV 1 Corth 5:8

 

Conclusion

Scripture proves are day starts at dawn and this old Encyclopedia also has a good article proving the fact that the day begins at dawn.

To see the full text see this:  Encyclopedia Biblica, 1899 New York, Volume 1, p. 1036, The Israelites started their day in the morning.  https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1yaesEhVmpKQWtaZUhFMWU3RHc/view?usp=sharing