Biblical Evidence for a 24 Hour Day

A day begins at evening.
The sabbath starts at evening when it begins to
Genesis 1:5 And God called the light Day, and the
be dark.
darkness he called Night. And the evening and the
Nehemiah 13:19 And it came to pass, that when the
morning were the first day.
gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the

sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut,
All sabbaths go from evening to evening.
and charged that they should not be opened till after
Leviticus 23:32 It shall be unto you a sabbath of
the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the
rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day
gates, that there should no burden be brought in on
of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye
the sabbath day.
celebrate your sabbath.

The sabbath started at the end of the day of
Exodus 12:18 In the first month, on the fourteenth
preparation.
day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened
Luk 23:54 And that day was the preparation, and
bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month
the sabbath drew on.
at even.

Evening = sunset.

Mark 1:32 And at even, when the sun did set, they
NON-Biblical Evidence
brought unto him all that were diseased, and them
Tradition: The Jews have long kept the sabbath
that were possessed with devils.
from sunset to sunset.

Biblical Evidence for a 12 Hour Day

The morning and evening sacrifices were made
Day and Night were divided (separated) by the
every day. Morning and even(ing) comprise the
Creator who gave the definition of "day" and
beginning and ending part of the daylight that
"night," using a different word for each.
bookend a day.
Genesis 1:4-5 ... God divided the light from the
Exodus 29:38-39 Now this is that which thou
darkness. And God called the light Day [Hebrew:
shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first
yom--to be hot], and the darkness he called Night
year day by day continually. The one lamb thou
[Hebrew: layil--night]. And the evening and the
shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou
morning were the first day.
shalt offer at even:

John 11:9 Yahoshua answered, Are there not
Numbers 28:3-4 And thou shalt say unto them,
twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the
This is the offering made by fire which ye shall
day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light
offer unto YHWH; two lambs of the first year
of this world.
without spot day by day, for a continual burnt

offering. The one lamb shalt thou offer in the
Evening is mentioned before morning in the
morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at
creation account because each day is
even;
mentioned in review, looking back on that day

of creation.
I Chronicles 16:40 To offer burnt offerings unto
Genesis 1:5 And God called the light Day, and
YHWH upon the altar of the burnt offering
the darkness he called Night And the evening and
continually morning and evening...
the morning were the first day.

The Passover lambs were killed in the evening
Gen 1:12-13 And the earth brought forth grass,
(at even). Yahoshua, the final Passover Lamb
and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree
died at 3:00 p.m. This demonstrates that
yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his
"evening" is in the daytime.
kind: and God saw that it was good. And the
Leviticus 23:5 In the fourteenth day of the first
evening and the morning were the third day.
month at even is YHWH's passover.

Evening is the light portion that forms the
Matthew 27:46,50 And about the ninth hour [3:00
latter part of a day. Evening is not night.
p.m.] Yahoshua cried with a loud voice, saying,
Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God,
Evening precedes night.
my God, why hast thou forsaken me? ...
Mark 4:35 And the same day, when the even was
Yahoshua, when he had cried again with a loud
come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto
voice, yielded up the ghost.
the other side.

John 20:19 Then the same day at evening, being
God did not create during the night. His
the first day of the week, when the doors were
sabbath day rest was 1/7 of the time that week
shut where the disciples were assembled for fear
that he spent creating during the days (not
of the Jews, came Yahoshua and stood in the
nights) of creation.
midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
Genesis 1:31 And God saw every thing that he

had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the
Evening is the last of the daylight portion of a
evening and the morning were the sixth day.
day when people are still working in the field.

Fieldwork was not done at night.
Genesis 2:2-3 And on the seventh day God ended
Genesis 30:16 And Jacob came out of the field in
his work which he had made; and he rested on the
the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and
seventh day from all his work which he had made.
said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I
And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified
have hired thee with my son's mandrakes. And he
it: because that in it he had rested from all his
lay with her that night.
work which God created and made.

God is light. This gives us the reason that the
Exodus 20:8-10 Remember the sabbath day, to
Creator would sanctify the daylight as holy,
keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all
but not the night (darkness).
thy work:
I John 1:5 This then is the message which we
But the seventh day is the sabbath of YHWH thy
have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God
God: in it thou shalt not do any
is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

Day and Night are separate and opposite to one
Genesis 2:3 And God blessed the seventh day,
another (A "day" cannot include its opposite).
and sanctified it
Genesis 8:22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime

and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and
Evening is the last part of a day, not the
winter, and day and night shall not cease.
beginning of a day. Note that if the evening

began a day, then the Days of Unleavened
Genesis 7:12 And the rain was upon the earth
Bread would last 7 days--from the 14th day to
forty days and forty nights.
the 20th day. This begins and ends one day too

early. Evening must be the last part of the day.
Exodus 13:22 He took not away the pillar of the
Exodus 12:18-19 In the first month, on the
cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from
fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat
before the people.

unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day
Exodus 24:18 And Moses went into the midst of
of the month at even. Seven days shall there be no
the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and
leaven found in your houses...
Moses was in the mount forty days and forty

Leviticus 23:5-6 In the fourteenth day of the first
nights.
month at even is YHWH's Passover. And on the

fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of
A day begins in the morning.
unleavened bread unto YHWH: seven days ye
Exodus 10:13 And Moses stretched forth his rod
must eat unleavened bread.
over the land of Egypt, and YHWH brought an

east wind upon the land all that day, and all that
night; and when it was morning, the east wind
Evening is the last part of a day, not the
brought the locusts.
beginning of a day. Note that if the evening

began a day, then the Day of Atonement would
"Tomorrow" starts early in the morning.
be entirely on the 9th day rather than the 10th
Exodus 32:5-6 And when Aaron saw it, he built
day as scripture requires. Evening must be the
an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation,
last part of the day.
and said, To morrow is a feast to YHWH. And
Leviticus 23:27 Also on the tenth day of this
they rose up early on the morrow, and offered
seventh month there shall be a day of atonement:
burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and
it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye
the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose
shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made
up to play.
by fire unto YHWH.

I Samuel 28:8, 19 And Saul disguised himself,
Leviticus 23:32 It shall be unto you a sabbath of
and put on other raiment, and he went, and two
rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth
men with him, and they came to the woman by
day of the month at even, from even unto even,
night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by
shall ye celebrate your sabbath
the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I

shall name unto thee...
Work happens in the daylight.
Moreover YHWH will also deliver Israel with
John 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent
thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to
me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no
morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me:
man can work.
YHWH also shall deliver the host of Israel into

the hand of the Philistines.
The fourth commandment commands that the
The day ends when darkness (night) arrives.
sabbath day be kept holy (not the night). Work
Judges 19:9 And when the man rose up to depart,
happens during the day. Cessation of work
he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father
refers to ceasing work that is done during the
in law, the damsel's father, said unto him, Behold,
daylight.

now the day draweth toward evening, I pray you
saying, If thou save not thy life to night, to
tarry all night: behold, the day groweth to an end,
morrow thou shalt be slain.
lodge here, that thine heart may be merry; and to

morrow get you early on your way, that thou
Mark 16:2 And very early in the morning the first
mayest go home.
day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at

the rising of the sun.
Jeremiah 6:4-5 Prepare ye war against her; arise,

and let us go up at noon. Woe unto us! for the day
Act 20:7,11 And upon the first day of the week,
goeth away, for the shadows of the evening are
when the disciples came together to break bread,
stretched out. Arise, and let us go by night, and let
Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the
us destroy her palaces.
morrow; and continued his speech until

midnight...
Day and night are mutually exclusive. Night is
When he therefore was come up again, and had
not part of a day, but entirely separate from
broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while,
day, and frequently mentioned separately.
even till break of day, so he departed. [Note that
I Samuel 30:12 And they gave him a piece of a
the morrow began at the break of day.]
cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and when

he had eaten, his spirit came again to him: for he
A day begins after the night.
had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three
Numbers 11:32 And the people stood up all that
days and three nights.
day, and all that night, and all the next day, and

they gathered the quails: he that gathered least
Jeremiah 33:20 Thus saith YHWH; If ye can
gathered ten homers: and they spread them all
break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of
abroad for themselves round about the camp.
the night, and that there should not be day and

night in their season;
God blessed the sabbath day (not night).

Genesis 2:2-3 And on the seventh day God ended
Matthew 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and
his work which he had made; and he rested on the
three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son
seventh day from all his work which he had made.
of man be three days and three nights in the heart
And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified
of the earth.
it: because that in it he had rested from all his

work which God created and made.
Day is from first light to last light.

Nehemiah 4:21-22 So we laboured in the work:
Exodus 20:8-10 Remember the sabbath day, to
and half of them held the spears from the rising of
keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all
the morning till the stars appeared. Likewise at the
thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of
same time said I unto the people, Let every one
YHWH...
with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in

the night they may be a guard to us, and labour on
The night was divided into four watches, each
the day.
lasting three hours, making night 12 hours

long. Likewise, the day was divided into four
Morning starts a new day.
parts of three hours each that started at 6:00
Leviticus 7:15 And the flesh of the sacrifice of
a.m., ending in the third hour (early morning),
his peace offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten
the sixth hour (noon), the ninth hour (early
the same day that it is offered; he shall not leave
evening), and the twelfth hour (evening),
any of it until the morning.
ending the day that was 12 hours long. [Note

that evening is part of the daylight, not the night.]
Acts 4:3,5 And they laid hands on them, and put
Matthew 14:25 And in the fourth watch of the
them in hold unto the next day: for it was now
night Yahoshua went unto them, walking on the
eventide...
sea.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that their

rulers, and elders, and scribes...
Matthew 20:3,5-6 And he went out about the

third hour, and saw others standing idle in the
I Samuel 19:11 Saul also sent messengers unto
marketplace...
David's house, to watch him, and to slay him in
Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour,
the morning: and Michal David's wife told him,
and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he

went out, and found others standing idle, and saith
day before the beginning of the tenth day.
unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
Atonement is the only sabbath defined as 24

hours.]
"Sabbath" does not automatically mean 24

hours. A "sabbath" has no set time duration.
Nowhere in the Bible is the weekly sabbath day
"Sabbath" means "cessation" which can be for
defined as a 24 hour period. Nowhere. Not even
a day, or even a year.
once.
Leviticus 25:2-4 Speak unto the children of
John 11:9 Yahoshua answered, Are there not
Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the
twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the
land which I give you, then shall the land keep a
day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light
sabbath unto YHWH. Six years thou shalt sow thy
of this world.
field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard,

and gather in the fruit thereof; But in the seventh

year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a

sabbath for YHWH: thou shalt neither sow thy

field, nor prune thy vineyard. [Note that this
NON-Biblical Evidence
sabbath lasts a year.]
Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old

and New Testament Words (p. 136)
Leviticus 23:27,32 Also on the tenth day of this
"To Light--The basic meaning of `OR' is
seventh month there shall be a day of
DAYLIGHT (cf. Gen. 1:3). In the Hebrew
atonement...
mind the `DAY' began at the rising of the
It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall
sun..."
afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at

even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your
sabbath. [Note that the Atonement sabbath is not

like a weekly sabbath day. It is the exception to

the rule because it starts at the end of the ninth
day, and includes the night that follows the ninth

The Fruit of the Sabbath DAY

"Ye shall know them by their fruits. Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt
tree bringeth forth evil fruit....Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." (Matthew 7:16-17,20)

What is the fruit of observing the sabbath DAY, or as some call it, the 12 hour sabbath?

Personal Testimony: After 38 years of keeping a sunset to sunset sabbath, I studied the issue deeply
(as I had not previously done) and found that the preponderance of the evidence indicated that a
biblical day begins at first light, and ends at last light. I found also that the main backing I had for
keeping the sunset/sunset sabbath was Jewish tradition that had been passed on to me by my parents
and teachers, but not by the biblical evidence. After study and prayer, I changed my behavior to match
the bulk of the evidence that was before me. My family & I now get up before first light on Saturday
morning so that we will be awake and can honor our Father as His day arrives. This necessitates that
we retire early on Friday night, so that we will be able to be at our best to honor our Father the next
day. At last light, we blow the shofar to conclude the day. My children know that the sabbath day is set
apart. After a year of keeping the sabbath DAY, I can now begin to list the fruit of this practice for
myself and my family:

The sabbath is no longer a burden--Rushing to finish our work on Friday afternoon before the sun
set was always a burden. Sometimes, we did not get done work that was necessary, and had to continue
doing it as Friday night began. This evoked feelings of guilt that added to the burden.

My wife now looks forward to the sabbath day--My wife used to dread the sabbath because of the
burden to do preparation in the waning hours of Friday afternoon. Sometimes in the winter, when work
was intense, sabbath preparation had to be done on Thursday afternoon because there would be
insufficient time Friday afternoon to get it all done, making the sabbath activities span three days.

The sixth day is a true preparation day--When keeping the sunset/sunset sabbath, there was not
always time to finish all the necessary preparation, so some activities (food preparation, for example),
were done on Saturday morning (contrary to scripture). Friday is now a day when we do ALL of the
preparation activities, leaving Saturday to be a true day of rest from our labor.

The sabbath day is more precious--Because it is only the daylight, and does not include the
darkness of the night before, my family & I make the most of the sabbath day, making it a delight, as
one would with anything that is scarce and therefore precious.

Jonathan Sj�rdal

March 9, 2005