Evening and Morning of the 1st Day – Here’s What it Means
Evening and morning and day. Wherever you are in the world, one of those periods is on you. If you’re a Bible reader (and I hope you are), then when you see those words, they are so common you don’t even hesitate to question what they might mean. You’re in for a surprise when we dig deeper into Biblical Hebrew.
(Origin of the Universe, chapter 8.5)
On a second note, notice that as at the beginning of this verse we have and/and so in this part we again have and/and–juxtapositioning, for emphasis, two separate phrases: “And the evening (H6153erev/arab) was, and the morning (H1242 boker) was, first day (H3117 yom)” (Gen. 1:5).
Evening and morning and day. If you're a Bible reader, then when you see those words, they are so common you don't even hesitate to question what they might mean. You're in for a surprise when we dig deeper in Biblical Hebrew. Click To Tweet
Genesis 1:5
And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening(H6153) and the morning were the first day.
Three Hebrew words that tell a story, the whole story. They merit deeper reflection, far beyond a rapid read of this short verse. The first word is erev for evening.
H6153
עֶרֶבʻerebeh’-reb;fromH6150(עָרַב); dusk:
KJV–+day, even(-ing, tide), night.
H6150
עָרַבʻârabaw-rab’;a primitive root (rather identical withH6148(עָרַב) through the idea of covering with a texture); to grow dusky at sundown:
KJV– be darkened, (toward) evening.
H6148
עָרַבʻârabaw-rab’;a primitive root; to braid, i.e. intermix; technically, to traffic (as if by barter); also or give to be security (as a kind of exchange):
KJV– engage, (inter-) meddle (with), mingle (self), mortgage, occupy, give pledges, be(-come, put in) surety, undertake.
There are about ten other words with this identical rootערב (ayin, raish, bet-from left to right): be darkened (H6150) mingle (self), mix (H6151). Arabia, mingled people (Ezra 9:2), mixed (multitude), woof, the web (or transverse threads of cloth); also a mixture, (or mongrel race) (H6154), divers sorts of flies, swarm (H6157). Arabah, champaign, desert, evening, heaven, plain, wilderness, the (generally) sterile valley of the Jordan (H6160). Pledge, a pawn (given as security), or (metaphorically) a bondsman (H6061-2).
The above is a summary, but let’s ask the audience the question. Who has meddled? Intermixed? Darkened? Made sterile? Who has threaded a web? Who has made a mixture? Who is a bondsman? Who has caused humans to be pawns? Galacti understands these are all meanings of Erev as Strong’s indicates above, and they do have a common denominator, pointing to the same individual. Guess who (if you don’t know, click to find out).
We also find one reference, as seen above, in Strong’s H6157 to swarms of flies, mosquitos. At first glance, you might not realize the connection, but people have elevated the fly to god level, and worship it. In the Bible, this is called Beelzebub or Baalzevov; furthermore, zevov is the Hebrew for fly (2 Kings 1:2). A Biblical point of view considers this type of adoration as devil worship and denounces it. (Mark 3:22-23).
We notice in H6149 that this same root is also pleasant, sweet; this appears to be in opposition to the description of the Serpent, who is the symbolic reference here. It’s an excellent example of Bible-wide corroboration.
We know the main point: darkness, night, and evening have strong references to the Serpent. How can sweetbe applied to this infamous character? Pro. 20:17 points us in the right direction: “Bread of deceit is sweet (H6149) to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.” Indeed, our audience understands that what looks good on the outside (alcohol, sex, quick money) can turn into hell if not used properly. Comprehension dawns on us as the lights in our auditorium go out again.
And evening and morning
In contrast to and following evening is morning.It may dawn with the soft glow of rays of light escalating the horizon, dark yielding to light, but it is a separate positive progression. On the stage, we see this action reflected.
H1242
בֹּקֶרbôqerbo’-ker;fromH1239(בָּקַר); properly, dawn (as the break of day); generally, morning:
KJV– ([phrase]) day, early, morning, morrow.
H1239
בָּקַרbâqarbaw-kar;a primitive root; properly, to plough, or (generally) break forth, i.e. (figuratively) to inspect, admire, care for, consider:
KJV– (make) inquire (-ry), (make) search, seek out
Boker translates morning, and from the alternative words above, also contains the concept of breaking of day, evening dissolving into the morning, the light and warmth emerging, intensifying, engulfing, finally replacing the black and cold.
Read Psalms 27:4 for an associated meaning of morning, “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire (H1239) in his temple.” Boker contains the realization that in the existing dark confusion, there’s an instigation to inquire, search out, and seek for some answers. It’s an honest examination that starts dimly and brightens with patience, a careful inspection of issues and details that light can reveal. Evening and morning are the times for breaking new ground.
Psalms 27:4 reveals another meaning of morning, 'One thing ... will I seek after ... to inquire (boker) in his (God's) temple.' Boker contains the realization that in the dark there’s an instigation to inquire for some answers. Click To Tweet
Quickly reading “and the evening and morning …” in Genesis 1:5, in your native language, solely refers to the movement of time. In Biblical Hebrew, there’s a clear figurative meaning for evening and morning: inquire and plowing. Once again, this is not Sam’s interpretation. Psalms 27:4 uses the Biblical Hebrew root that way; Sam is merely pointing this out to you. The Explanation is an inquiry into what God is telling us through the Bible, and it is solely designed to help you inquire and dig out what it says.
Day: On the Threshold
This momentous Godly intervention in the total blackness of night ends or instead begins in Gen 1.5 with the first day. There’s still dark, but it has been confined so that light shines through, bearing the name day: H3117 (yom) from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours).Yes, I’ve shortened this extract, but the essential is there: Warmth. As the light brightens our surroundings, we have a warm feeling, a pleasant atmosphere, as in, It’s been a beautiful day. Evening and morning, in that sequence, represent a day. Evening and morning introduce night and daytime.
This Hebrew word for day has various meanings related to time (and we shall discuss the length of the days of creation, but not now), but let’s focus on one which is particularly relevant to this new phase of God’s plan. Psalms 91:16 “With long life (H3117) will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation.”
This Hebrew word for day (yom) has various meanings, including one which is particularly relevant to this new phase of God’s plan. Psalms 91:16, With long life (yom) will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation. Click To Tweet
We ponder lifeor long days, another of those singular concepts that sum up everything God is accomplishing. There was nothing physically alive that first day, but light, morning, and day symbolize wonderful long lifein the fullest sense of its magnificence and accomplishment. Lifehas nothing to do with destructive darkness, mixed up evening, and twisted night.
The light of day is but the first step to and of life.
Our audience stands up in the aisles as the model of the earth is replaced by music. The ballet music inspires us to dance. Now we are participants instead of spectators. The light has awakened us and brought us a fuller experience of life. The light is generous, because only in full light can we live a long and prosperous life. We are not meant to dwell in darkness, and light is necessary for the long, continued life of man. Light and using our talents to the fullest: that is what the first day brings us as our introductory plan concludes.
However, now that day has dawned, there is so much more to discover in our long life, and in The Explanation. This light we are experiencing is only the beginning.
This blog post is an excerpt fromchapter 8.5 of the bookOrigin of the Universe
Further Study
Click on UnlockBibleMeaning.com, find Genesis 1:5, and switch to Strong’s. You’ll see evening, click on H6153.Hover your mouse over the bottom of Strong’s reference, and you’ll see: Previous 5 | Next 5. Click to open up the previous and next references. There you’ll find theother words with this identical 3-letter root ערב (ayin, raish, bet-from left to right).
Even if you can’t read Hebrew, you can recognize the letters. You’ll see these words refer you back to root via H6150 and H6148. There is a fantastic relationship between these words, and they do tell a story that we’re unfolding.
A word about Strong’s concordance: I double-checked the usage of this root בָּקַר H1239 and frankly, nowhere in the Biblical Hebrew did I find the translationto plowas we see indicated clearly for H1239. My point is we have to be careful with Strong’s and cautious with how we use and interpret Biblical Hebrew. What is clear is that figurative usage is an integral part of the language. You’ll often see me write dig for Bible meaning. We know that you don’t go and get a shovel and start digging up your flower garden.
So, from where does Strong get plow and breaking forth?
H1241בָּקָרbâqârbaw-kawr’;fromH1239(בָּקַר); beef cattle or an animal of the ox family of either gender (as used for plowing); collectively, a herd:
KJV– beeve, bull ([phrase] -ock),+calf,+cow, great (cattle),+heifer, herd, kine, ox.
The Bible uses the same Biblical Hebrew word for morning, cattle and cow. Strong traces both back to H1239 (KJV– (make) inquire (-ry), (make) search, seek out). Some would argue that we have the same root with two different meanings, and there’s no connection. I hear them, but it is also clear that word roots with different meanings are interconnected — both literally, figuratively, and even poetically.
Take Deuteronomy “21:3And it shall be, that the citywhich is nextunto the slain man,even the eldersof that cityshall takean heifer(H1241) which hath not been wrought withand which hath not drawn in the yoke” The Biblical Hebrew bakar (H1241) is used to refer to a cow. The implication is clear that this heifer has not plowed; this is the literal use of a cow.
Figuratively when referring to a cow, we can, therefore,point out its usage: plowing and the breaking of the ground; this is the beginning of any new crop until the bright and admirable day of harvest (we recall our visit to the wheat fields).
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FAQs
What does evening and morning mean in Genesis 1? ›
In this verse, God names the newly created day and night. Interpretation of this passage hinges on the interpretation of Genesis 1:4. "Evening and morning" bring the narrative of the first day of Creation to a close, and there are also multiple interpretations of this phrase.
Was the evening and the morning the third day? ›12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And the evening and the morning were the third day.
What is the meaning of Genesis 1 11? ›The first eleven chapters of the Bible record God's goodness and humanity's repeated rebellions, which introduce violence, disorder, and the founding of Babylon. It's these first chapters that set the plot in motion for God to respond to human evil with his redemptive plan.
What is the meaning of Genesis 1 5? ›Genesis 1:1-5 tells us things about God that we cannot imagine. As Paul put it in his soaring doxology at the end Romans 11, “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments and his paths beyond tracing out…. For from him and through him and to him are all things!
What is the morning and evening star in the Bible? ›Origin of title
~Jesus Christ is Refferred to at Revelation 22:16 as the Bright Morning Star. Additionally, the planet Venus is given the name "Evening Star" when it appears in the west after sunset and "Morning Star" when it appears in the east before sunrise.
On the first day, God created light in the darkness. On the second, He created the sky. Dry land and plants were created on the third day. On the fourth day, God created the sun, the moon and the stars.
What is the spiritual meaning of the third day? ›The Third Day Matters
For Jesus and the apostles, the timing of his resurrection has strong theological implications. The three-day timeline matters to the biblical narrative because it is the special day on which God creates new life and activates his covenant with humanity.
Terce is a canonical hour of the Divine Office. It consists mainly of psalms and is held around 9 a.m. Its name comes from Latin and refers to the third hour of the day after dawn.
What time is the first hour in the Bible? ›The conventional Jewish way of calibrating the time of day is to reckon the "first hour" of the day with the rise of dawn (Hebrew: עמוד השחר), that is to say, approximately 72 minutes before sunrise, and the end of the day commencing shortly after sunset when the first three medium-size stars have appeared in the night ...
What is Genesis 1 1 talking about? ›As a statement that the cosmos had an absolute beginning ("In the beginning, God created the heavens and earth"). As a statement describing the world's condition when God began creating ("When in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was untamed and shapeless").
What is the explanation of Genesis 1 vs 2? ›
Genesis 1:2 presents an initial condition of creation - namely, that it is tohu wa-bohu, formless and void. This serves to introduce the rest of the chapter, which describes a process of forming and filling.
What is the main message of the book of Genesis? ›Genesis teaches that everyone on earth is created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26–27; 9:6). This means that we are created like God in certain ways—for example, in our ability to love, speak, create, and reason, as well as in our ability to form relationships with our fellow humans.
What does the beginning of Genesis mean? ›1:1) can be translated as In the beginning of God's creation of the heavens and the earth, leading into the main clause, translated as the earth was unformed and void, and darkness was on the face of the deep, [and] God's wind hovered on the face of the wa- ters (1:2).
What does the firstborn over all creation mean? ›The description “first-born of all creation” speaks of Christ's preexistence. He is not a creature but the eternal Creator. God created the world through Christ and redeemed the world through Christ. Note that Jesus is called the first-born, not the first-created.
What is the purpose of Genesis 1 3? ›Genesis 1:3 is the third verse of the first chapter in the Book of Genesis. In it God made light by declaration: God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light. It is a part of the Torah portion known as Bereshit (Genesis 1:1-6:8).
Who is called the morning and evening star? ›Venus is the first celestial body to become visible in the sky at evening and is the last one to disappear from the sky at sunrise. This is why it is known as the Morning and the Evening star.
What is the spiritual meaning of the morning star? ›Beliefs & Traditions
Lakota refer to this beautiful sight as the Morning Star. This star announces the coming of sun and light to the earth; it heralds the dawn. Because of its great importance in the gift of each new day, the Morning Star is often used in designs and decorations.
Due to the orbital motion of planets around the Sun, a planet might be a "morning star" at one time of the year, and then later, as its orbit carries it behind and then to the other side of the Sun, it appears as an "evening star."
Which day is the first day according to the Bible? ›In the Judaic, Christian, as well as in some Islamic tradition, Sunday has been considered the first day of the week.
What was the first day of God? ›in the beginning - God started creation. the first day - light was created. the second day - the sky was created. the third day - dry land, seas, plants and trees were created.
What was the Lord's day first called? ›
The Gospel of Peter 35 and 50 use kyriake as the name for the first day of the week, the day of Jesus' resurrection. That the author referred to Lord's Day in an apocryphal gospel purportedly written by St. Peter indicates that the term kyriake was very widespread and had been in use for some time.
What does 3 3 3 mean spiritually? ›The angel number 333 encourages to set plans into action and let your personal strength be the guide; to trust yourself and put thought into your choices. This angel number also is connected with optimism, creativity and intuition.
What does 3 symbolize in the Bible? ›The number three biblically represents divine wholeness, completeness and perfection. If ever there were a desire to highlight an idea, thought, event or noteworthy figure in the Bible for their prominence, the number three was used to put a divine stamp of completion or fulfillment on the subject.
Where in the Bible does it say on the third day he will rise again? ›Luke 24:7 New Living Translation (NLT)
that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.”
The LORD called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, `Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.
What is the holy hour in the Bible? ›“So, could you not stay awake with me one hour?” (Mt 26:40). When we make a Holy Hour, we remain and stay awake with Jesus. It's a powerful and beautiful way to grow closer to Him.
What is the third hour of the night in Acts 23? ›It also appears that the Jews divided the night (from sunset to sunrise) into hours. Luke says that it was "at the third hour of the night" (Acts 23 :23) that Lysias sent Paul, escorted by soldiers, from Jerusalem to Caesarea. This was nine o'clock in the evening.
What is the holy hour at night? ›In 1673 Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque stated that she had a vision of Jesus in which she was instructed to spend an hour every Thursday night to meditate on the sufferings of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. This practice later became widespread among Roman Catholics.
At what time did Jesus pray? ›R. A. Torrey asserts that Jesus prayed early in the morning as well as all night, that he prayed both before and after the great events of his life, and that he prayed "when life was unusually busy".
How many times a day does the Bible say to pray? ›The injunction for Christians to pray the Lord's prayer thrice daily was given in Didache 8, 2 f., which, in turn, was influenced by the Jewish practice of praying thrice daily found in the Old Testament, specifically in Psalm 55:17, which suggests "evening and morning and at noon", and Daniel 6:10, in which the ...
How many heavens are there? ›
In religious or mythological cosmology, the seven heavens refer to seven levels or divisions of the Heavens. The concept, also found in the ancient Mesopotamian religions, can be found in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; a similar concept is also found in some other religions such as Hinduism.
What does in the beginning mean in the Bible? ›So the words “in the beginning” mean: before there was any created matter, there was the Word, the Son of God. Remember: “These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” (John 20:31).
What is the word meaning God taking on human form? ›Incarnation refers to the act of a pre-existent divine person, the Son of God, in becoming a human being.
What does Genesis 1 1 2 3 mean? ›In Genesis 1 the power of God's work is undeniable. God speaks worlds into existence, and step by step we see the primordial example of the right use of power. Note the order of creation. The first three of God's creative acts separate the formless chaos into realms of heavens (or sky), water, and land.
What is the first verse in Genesis? ›[1] In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. [2] And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. [3] And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
What is the Spirit of God? ›The Spirit is God's personal presence.
The Spirit is a person and not merely a force. But when we start on page one of the Bible, before creation began, we see a depiction of the Spirit of God hovering over the dark, disordered waters of the Earth.
The creation story from the biblical Book of Genesis describes how God created heaven and earth, plants, animals, and people; and later how the first people were cast out of the Garden of Eden as punishment for eating from the 'tree of knowledge of good and evil. '
What was the problem of humanity in the book of Genesis? ›Genesis is pretty clear on the consequences of mankind's arrogance and pride, the belief that they could be as God, knowing good and evil - death and destruction. We've seen this enough in the 20th century to know this to be true.
What are the names of the first two people in the Bible? ›Adam and Eve are the Bible's first man and first woman. Adam's name appears first in Genesis 1 with a collective sense, as "mankind"; subsequently in Genesis 2–3 it carries the definite article ha, equivalent to English "the", indicating that this is "the man".
What is the significance of in the beginning? ›We should read this as “in the beginning.” What does that mean? It means that this creative act is when time/history began. It is, at this moment, that the universe came into being.
What is the mystery of the first born? ›
The firstborn of Adam was Cain. Cain and his brother Abel offered sacrifice to God. While Abel's sacrifice was accepted, Cain's own was rejected, which made Cain to kill his brother Abel and God cursed him and made him a vagabond on earth (Gen. 4:8).
When God brings his firstborn into the world? ›Hebrews 1:6 in Other Translations
6 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. 6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, "Let all God's angels worship him."
In the biblical Book of Genesis, Cain and Abel are the first two sons of Adam and Eve. Cain, the firstborn, was a farmer, and his brother Abel was a shepherd. The brothers made sacrifices to God, but God favored Abel's sacrifice instead of Cain's.
Who is the light of the world according to the Bible? ›Light of the World (Greek: φώς τοῦ κόσμου Phṓs tou kósmou) is a phrase Jesus used to describe himself and his disciples in the New Testament. The phrase is recorded in the Gospels of Matthew (5:14–16) and John (8:12).
What does Genesis 3 reveal about God? ›The Bible teaches that God's goodness is inseparably connected to his righteousness and justice. All his attributes are perfect; unchangeable and not compromised. Man is accountable to God's justice, and man is sinful. Sinful man, (no one is exempted from this category), needs a Savior.
Why is the book of Genesis important? ›It tells of the origins of the universe and the earth and its plant and animal inhabitants. Genesis also carries the story of the ancient Hebrew people up to the time of Joseph. It is a central creation story for the religious traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
What does God's morning means? ›Most researchers of the English language agree the term good derived from “God.” They tell us the daily greeting some 400 years ago would have been “God morning,” meaning, “May you have a God-filled morning and may God be the center of your day.”
When evening came and morning followed? ›God then separated the light from the darkness. 5God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” Evening came, and morning followed—the first day. 6Then God said: Let there be a dome in the middle of the waters, to separate one body of water from the other.
What does it mean to seek God early in the morning? ›First of all, we should remember to seek the Lord early each day. Every morning, let's be mindful that the day is a gift from God, and we are alive on this earth for a reason. At the start of every day, we should re-submit our will to His in order to fulfill our purpose.
What are the two great lights that govern the day and night in Genesis Chapter 1? ›The two lights referred two in verse 16 are the Sun and the Moon, the Sun being the greater light to rule the day, and the Moon the lesser light to rule the night.
What does the morning represent? ›
Morning refers to the beginning of the day. Morning is used figuratively to refer to the beginning of anything. Morning is also used to describe something that involves or occurs during the morning.
What Scripture says about waking up in the morning? ›Psalm 5:3 “My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. Lamentations 3:22-24 “It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
Why is God's mercy new every morning? ›“They are new every morning”
Since he has eternal love then his mercy will be as well because they are connected. The statement that God's mercies are new every morning is really a reminder to us. God gives mercy for each day and it is refilled and refreshed each morning.
The Old English æfnian originated from æfen (eve), which meant "the time between sunset and darkness", and was synonymous with even (Old English æfen), which meant the end of the day. The use of "evening" dates from the mid 15th century.
Was the evening and the morning the fifth day? ›ESV And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day. NIV And there was evening, and there was morning--the fifth day. NASB And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day.
Does morning come before night? ›Morning precedes afternoon, evening, and night in the sequence of a day. Originally, the term referred to sunrise.
Why morning prayer is powerful? ›1) Prayer in the morning is so important because you meet God before you meet the Devil. 2) You meet God before you meet the circumstances of life. 3) You talk to God before you talk to many people. 4) You fellowship with God before you fellowship with other people.
How do I put God first in the morning? ›Start Your Day With Prayer
The Bible makes it clear that prayer is essential. Begin each day with a prayer to God, thanking Him for another day and asking for guidance to cope with the ups and downs that are sure to come. Starting the day with Christ is the best way to put God first and set the day in motion.
"and was praying there"
This was the goal. This was the activity of this early morning habit. He went to commune with God. To talk with God and to be in a posture and environment where God could have Christ's undivided attention.
And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." And there was evening, and there was morning--the first day.
What are the two great lights in the firmament of heaven? ›
And God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night; He made the stars also.
What is the significance of Genesis 1 and 2? ›The account in Genesis, chapters one and two, is the account of the creation of the physical earth. The account of the placing of all life upon the earth, up and until the fall of Adam, is an account, in a sense, of the spiritual creation of all of these, but it was also a physical creation.