The Biblical Definition of a Day

The concept of when a biblical day begins and ends has been a subject of discussion and debate among various scholars and religious communities for millennia. While many traditions follow a sunset-to-sunset reckoning of a day, a careful examination of Scripture suggests that the Biblical day might actually begin at sunrise. Below are key passages and cross-references that support this understanding.

1. The Creation Account

The first mention of the division of a day appears in Bere’shiyth (Genesis) 1:3-5:“And Elohiym said, Let there be light: and there was light. And Elohiym saw the light, that it was good: and Elohiym divided the light from the darkness. And Elohiym called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.”

This passage establishes that “day” consists of light, which Elohiym separated from darkness, calling the darkness night. Even though darkness existed before, once the light appeared, Elohiym divided it from the darkness, naming the light “day” and the darkness “night” in the order He ordained them to occur. The phrase “and the evening and the morning” signifies the transition from day to night and then from night back to day, completing the full cycle. Morning marks the very end of the preceding dark period, while the arrival of light signifies both the beginning of a new day and the completion of the darkness from the previous cycle.

2. Work and Rest Cycles

Yahuah’s instructions regarding work and rest also indicate a sunrise-based day:

• Shemoth (Exodus) 16:23-25 (Manna gathering): “And he said unto them, This is that which Yahuah hath said, To morrow is the rest of the set-apart Shabbath unto Yahuah: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.”
  • This shows that preparation for the Sabbath was completed before the next day began, which was signified by the morning. The morning marks the final portion of the previous day, and the light signifies the start of the new day.
• Shemoth (Exodus) 18:13 (Moses judging Israel): “And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening.”
  • “The morrow” begins when light comes, marking the start of a new day.

3. Sunrise as the Start of a New Day

Scripture frequently identifies morning as the time of transition, with the actual day beginning when the light arrives:

• Tehilliym (Psalms) 113:3: “From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same Yahuah’s name is to be praised.”
  • The cycle begins at sunrise, when light first appears, marking the start of a new day.
• Nechemyahu (Nehemiah) 8:3: “And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the Torah.”
  • The morning is the transition point, and when the light arrives, the new day has begun.

4. Pecach (Passover) and The Feast of Matstsah (Unleavened Bread) Confirm a Sunrise-Based Day

• Bemidbar (Numbers) 28:16-17 – “And in the fourteenth day of the first month is the Pesach of Yahuah. And in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast: seven days shall matstsah be eaten.”
• If the day began at sundown, then the 14th would begin the night before, meaning that Passover (slain before sunset) would fall into the 15th.
• This would leave a full daylight period between Passover and Matstsah, contradicting the Torah’s sequence.
• If the day begins at sunrise, the 14th is complete before the 15th starts, ensuring the proper flow from Passover into Matstsah without a gap.
• This supports a sunrise-based reckoning, where Passover is distinct but immediately followed by Matstsah.

4. Yahusha’s Resurrection

The timing of Yahusha Ha’Mashiach’s resurrection supports a morning-based transition:

Mattithyahu (Matthew) 28:1: “In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of First Fruits (first day of the week KJV), came Miryam Magdalene and the other Miryam to see the sepulchre.”

The “first day of the week” begins with the arrival of light, not sunset, confirming that the day starts at sunrise.

5. Yochanan (John) 9:4 – Work Is Done in the Day

Yahusha’s words further confirm that day begins with light in (Yochanan 9:4) “I must work the works of Him that sent Me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.”

• Day Is When Work Happens: Yahusha states that He must work while it is day, implying that the working period is defined by light, not darkness.
• Night Ends Work: He contrasts this by saying that night comes when no man can work, reinforcing that night is the cessation of the previous day, not the beginning of a new one.
• Alignment with Creation Order: This follows Bere’shiyth (Genesis) 1, where light is separated from darkness, and “Day” is identified with light.
• Consistency with the Exodus Account: Just as manna was gathered in the morning (Shemoth 16:23-25), Yahusha’s words show that work is done during the day, supporting sunrise as the beginning of a new day.

6. Counterarguments to the Sunrise-to-Morning View

Some interpretations suggest that a day begins at evening rather than sunrise. Below are the main objections and responses:

• The “Evening and the Morning” Phrase in Creation (Bere’shiyth 1:5)
  • Some interpret this phrase as meaning a day starts at evening since it repeats the pattern of “evening and morning.”
  • However, this phrase does not define the start of a day but rather describes the completion of a full cycle, with morning being the last part of the previous day and the new day beginning when light arrives.
• The Sunset-to-Sunset Tradition in Jewish Practice
  • Traditional Jewish practice follows an evening-based start, partly based on Vayiqra (Leviticus) 23:32, which commands Yom Kippur to be observed “from evening to evening.”
  • This command, however, applies specifically to Yom Kippur, not to daily reckoning, making it an exception rather than the standard.
• Passover Timing and Exodus
  • Shemoth (Exodus) 12:6, 12-14 records the Passover lamb being slain “at evening,” followed by a meal at night, leading to the exodus in the morning.
  • Some argue this means the next day began in the evening, but in context, it indicates that the meal was the final portion of the old day, and deliverance in the morning began a new day.
• The Sabbath and Nechemyahu (Nehemiah) 13:19
  • Nechemyahu(Nehemiah) 13:19 says the gates were shut before the Sabbath began, interpreted by some as evidence of an evening start.
  • This verse could also mean that Nehemiah was preparing just before the morning light, aligning with a sunrise-based transition.
• Yahusha’s Death and Resurrection
  • Yahusha was placed in the tomb before sundown (Mark 15:42), leading some to claim this affirms a sunset-based transition.
  • However, if the new day starts at sunrise, this would still align with the understanding that preparation ended before sunset, while resurrection at dawn marks the transition into the new day.

Conclusion

The Scriptural pattern demonstrates that a day begins at sunrise, with morning marking the end of the previous day and light signifying the start of a new day. While some interpret an evening start based on Jewish tradition and select verses, the weight of evidence in Scripture supports sunrise as the true transition point.