The Hebrew Definition of ‘Evening’ in Genesis 1

The Hebrew Definition of ‘Evening’ in Genesis 1

Questions to Ponder

1. What is true about the Hebrew ereb/evening?
2. What tradition of ereb is false?
3. What is taught about ereb/evening that is false, but appears as truth?

What do we think we know about the Hebrew evening?

1. Have we inherited a false definition and as a result, a false doctrine, for the Hebrew term ereb (evening) from the traditions of man?
2. Is the correct reckoning of the day-start essential to understanding YaHuWaH’s Feasts and Eternal Count?
3. Will a better understanding of ereb/evening and the day-start give a clearer vision of the TIMING and Appointments for the Bride of Yahusha?

WHEN IS THE HEBREW EVENING?

In order to understand the word ‘ereb’ or ‘evening’ there are several other terms that must be understood as well.

This will be a brief examination of five separate units given on Day 1 of Creation.

Have you been interested in when the Hebrew evening occurs, as seen and proven by example in the Scriptures?

Have you ever considered going to the original Hebrew language for the definitions of <ereb>, the Hebrew word that has been translated into English as ‘EVENING’?

Some believe they do not need to know Hebrew, that they do need to know anything about Hebrew, and that they do not want to know anything about Hebrew. English is good enough for them. That is very sad. It is a fact that you cannot go from one language to another and have a full translation, complete and proper. You cannot have proper definitions transferred from one language to another. There is always something that is lost.

Comparisons of Hebrew Letters

The word ereb (evening) consists of 3 Hebrew letters: Ayin, Resh, Bet –

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Be aware: Hebrew is read from right to left, the opposite of English.

This word – ereb – is used 136 times in 129 verses in the Hebrew Concordance of the KJV.

Strong’s Concordance has given ereb the number of H6153, and it seems everyone has accepted that designation.

The ‘UNITS’ of Day 1 of Creation

The 1^st day of creation houses 5 separate ‘units’ (or components) found within the first 24-hour cycle. They are:

1. light H216
2. darkness H2822
3. darkness H3915
4. ereb H6153
5. boqer H1242

Two types of darkness on the 1^st day?

First Mention of <ereb> in Genesis

The first usage of this word <ereb> is found in Genesis 1:5.

We need to look at this very carefully because there are those who desire to place the <ereb> evening in a location where YaHuWaH has not placed it.

First ‘Two’ Units Identified

Let’s examine verse 4 first as it sets the foundation for this interesting word <ereb>:

Gen 1:4 And YaHuWaH saw the light H216 that it was good, and YaHuWaH divided between the light H216 [awr] and the darkness H2822 [choshek].

The first ‘two’ units are Light H216 [awr] and Darkness H2822 [choshek].

Genesis 1:5: First Division of <light H216> and <darkness H2822>

Gen 1:4 And YaHuWaH saw the light H216 that it was good, and YaHuWaH divided between the light H216 [awr] and the darkness H2822 [choshek].

Note carefully that YaHuWaH divided the light (awr) and the darkness (choshek).

This (choshek) darkness H2822 is first mentioned in Genesis 1:2.

<darkness> Given Another Definition

Upon this division between light H216 and darkness H2822 in verse 4, another identity is brought forth called <layil H3915>.

Gen 1:5a And YaHuWaH called the light H216 Day, and the darkness H2822 [choshek] he called Night H3915 [layil].

This <layil H3915> is likened to the night darkness we see during our Night Season today.

3^rd Unit Brought Forth

Note carefully that we have seen 3 separate UNITS given at this point in Day 1 of creation.  They are:

1. light H216
2. darkness H2822 (chaotic contaminated atmosphere)
3. darkness H3915 (night) (3^rd Unit)

Gen 1:5a And YaHuWaH called the light H216 Day, and the darkness H2822 [choshek] he called Night H3915 [layil].

Note: The choshek darkness is also a part of our cycles (increasingly so in these latter times).

Genesis 1:5b: 4^th and 5^th Units Given

In Genesis 1:4 and 5, there are a total of 5 UNITS named by YaHuWaH as being fully part of the first cycle of the week. Having already identified 3 UNITS of the 24-hour cycle, we need to look closely at ‘the last part’ of Genesis 1:5 to identify the last 2 UNITS.

Gen 1:5 And YaHuWaH called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night, and there was evening [ereb] and there was morning [boqer], the first day.

Here we see the last two UNITS: ereb (evening) and boqer (morning). Another generic term for both evening and morning is twilight.

This is the final list of 5 UNITS for Day 1 of Creation:

1. light H216
2. darkness H2822 (chaotic heavily contaminated atmosphere)
3. darkness H3915 (night) (3^rd Identity)
4. ereb H6153 (evening)
5. boqer H1242 (morning)

Addressing Possible Confusion

darkness H2822 & darkness H3915

Gen 1:5 And YaHuWaH called the light H216 Day, and the darkness H2822 he called Night H3915.

Perhaps you have noticed on Day 1 of Creation the word ‘darkness’ is listed with two different Hebrew word numbers as:

1. darkness – choshek H2822
2. darkness – layil H3915

Why does YaHuWaH apply two different units with the same ‘word’ to one phase of this cycle? Would this not be confusion?

Answer: Yes, to us it could be confusion. However, in Hebrew, H2822 and H3915 are two very different words, with two very different meanings. Therefore this area needs more clarification because there is a lack of word choices when translating from one language to another – especially Hebrew to English.

There is NO Confusion in Hebrew (between) darkness H2822 and darkness H3915.

Gen 1:5 And YaHuWaH called the light Day and the darkness he called Night.

In the first part of Genesis 1:5, the Light Season that is named ‘DAY’ is direct light – or for us today – actual direct SUNlight when the sun is above the horizon.  

Darkness (night H3915) is the total absence of ‘LIGHT’ – or for us today the total absence of ‘SUNlight’. So what are these other two identities: ereb and boqer [twilights]?

Time to Examine <ereb>!

The reason for this study is that some feel the two units of ereb and boqer (or twilights) have nothing in common with the Light Season.

Question: Do these twilights of ereb and boqer HAVE ANYTHING IN COMMON with the Light Season where there is direct sunlight? For clarification, direct sunlight is when the sun is above the horizon.

• Because of these questions, we must examine some Hebrew definitions to arrive at concrete conclusions.
• Our concentration will be on the word ereb.
• Unlike the word ‘darkness’ the definitions for ereb are tied directly to boqer!
• Because Strong’s is so common, let’s start looking at H6153, where the root word is declared to be H6150. We will then compare it to several other sources.

Strong’s <ereb> H6150

H6150 ereb – with H6148 through the idea of covering, with a texture; to grow dusky at sundown; be darkened (toward) evening.

H6151 ereb – to commingle; – mingle (self) mix,

H6153 ereb – from H6150 dusk; -+day, even(ing), tide), night

H6151 ereb – from H6148 the web or transverse threads of cloth); also a mixture, (or mongrel race) Arabia, mingled people, mixed (multitude), woof.

Note: the base theme of this word is: mixture/mingling.

Etymological Dictionary of the Hebrew Language: <ereb> H6150

<’ereb> [some definitions apply to Light], to set [said especially of the sun], to enter, to go in, to go down, it became evening, it grew dark, sunset, evening, mixed, to mix, was mixed, was mingled, mixture, woof.

Question: What is ‘woof’?

Let’s check Webster’s 1828 Dictionary:

Answer: Woof = to weave, the threads that cross the warp, the weft. [In other words: a mixing!]

Hebrew English Lexicon by John Parkhurst 1762: <ereb>

Evening – to mix, mingle, be mingled, a mixture, mixed multitude, rabble, of flies or insects [J Parkhurst then gives texts where flies apply] the mixers, mixed ones, light and spirit mixed together, the heavens or celestial fluid consists of this mixture, to be darkened, duskily obscured, [beyn ha arbayim] between the evenings or more literally between the mixtures, at sunset when the cool dark air mixes or night air mixes with it.

The evening air from the western or darkened part of the heavens begins to mix with the day, which mixture continues till night, when the day is overpowered the darkness prevails and the mixture of daylight ceases. Gen i.5, xxiv.11.

Gesenius Lexicon (Blue Letter Bible): <ereb>

1. According to the opinion of the Karaites and Samaritans, (which is favoured by the words of Deut 16:6) the time between sunset and deep twilight. The Pharisees, however (See Joseph Bellum Jud.vi:9,3) and the Rabbinists, considered the time when the sun began to descend to be called the first evening (Arab – little evening, when it begins to draw toward evening); and the second evening to be the real sunset.

Are the Rabbinists adhering to the mixing definitions seen throughout all Hebrew Lexicons and Etymological Dictionaries? Or have they inserted their MANIPULATED religion that STARTS THE DAY AT SUNSET?

Is descend the same as MIXING?

The Pharisees and the Rabbinists (Talmud) do not consider the original Hebrew definitions of the word ereb. Instead, they declare (manipulate) that ‘ereb’ (evening) has the meaning of when the sun starts to lower itself in the sky. Thus they declare that the start of the 1^st evening is at the point of noon when the sun appears to descend in the sky.

Let’s look at a graphic and determine if there is any possibility of darkness arriving to begin the mixture with the light of day, at this time.

• The Pharisees and Rabbinists tell us that when the sun starts to ‘go down at noon’ THAT IS the first (ereb) – evening.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Questions:

1. How many times have you heard of ‘the two evenings’, with the first one starting at noon as ‘the sun begins to go down in the sky?
2. Did you ever question the origin of this concept?

Further Comments for Gesenius’ Lexicon:

2. Foreigners, strangers, and hence foreign kings who made alliances with the Israelites.

Note: On the #2 definition, we see once more the theme of a mixture/mingling.

I find the comment made about the Pharisees’ and Rabbinists’ concept of the ereb evening beginning at noon extremely interesting to say the least. I will comment by asking a question.

YaHuWaH named the time of direct sunlight – awr (light/day). Are the Rabbinists and the Pharisees placing themselves on YaHuWaH’s Throne when they overrule (the direct sunlight) as ‘evening’??

By the first usage in the Scriptures, the ‘afternoon evening’ does not align with any Divine example.

Hebrew Lexicon W H Barker 1776: <ereb>

Evening to mix, mingle, the evening, when darkness mixes with light; to be darkened, obscured, to intermeddle with, surety, to engage for another, to mortgage – Neh 5:3, the woof, intermixed with the warp, a mixed multitude, swarm, to trade, intermix in dealing, to be sweet and pleasant, where the mixtures are agreeable, the willow, it being of a mixed colour, pale on one side and green on another, a wilderness, where vegetables are mixed and confused, the weft, evening, the heavens or mixtures.

A Hebrew & English Lexicon of the Old Testament 1906: <ereb>

Based on William Gesenius, translated by Edward Robinson

“Mix, mixture, mixed company, interwoven, swarm, pledge to give in exchange, a surety for exchange, token, in the phrase – between the evenings probably between sunset and ark, for all combinations with boqer [morning] become evening, grow dark, 1 Sam 17:16 – doing it at morning and at evening, west – place of sunset, be black, black as a raven.”

Again, there is a heavy emphasis on a mixing of the sunset to darkness period when considering time.

Question: Is there a mixing of light and darkness before the sun sets?

The Hebrew & Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament: <ereb>

Koehler & Baumgartner: ereb

To participate in, get involved with someone, to turn into evening, metaph. to go down, descent of the sun, sunset, at evening, between the two evenings i.e. between sunset and nightfall, together with, a type of weaving, woven material, mixing, mixed race, a willow.

Comments:

After reading the definitions from a variety of different sources, the central theme of ‘mixings of separate substances’ or ‘units’ is very distinct! It is only in these two [twilight] portions of the 24-hour cycle, (the morning <boqer> twilight and the evening twilight), that the mixing of light and darkness occurs and the word ereb can apply. However, this word is only used in conjunction with boqer when properly identifying and referencing the morning twilight.

YaHuWaH has broken down the 24-hour cycle into 4 separate segments so we are able to conduct our lives accordingly.

Let’s examine a linear graphic first and then a circular one to be sure we are all on the same page.

Light, Darkness, Evening & Morning According to Genesis 1

Most of us are Greek linear-minded people so this chart should be easy to relate to.

 

 

 

 

 

1. The ‘mixture’ boxes are the areas where a mixing of light and darkness occurs.
2. These locations for (ereb) (mixture) are according to the Hebrew language definitions.
3. These twilights cannot be found before the sun sets, nor after the sun has risen [beginning with Day 4’s sunlight].
4. Direct sunlight does not allow for any mixing action to occur.

Genesis 1:1-5 ‘Order’ & Alignment

Yahusha brought forth His LIGHT first;

In order to fulfill the Hebrew definition of ‘ereb’ – a MIXTURE, – Light MUST BE PRESENT FIRST to enable a twilight mixture before darkness!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is very simple – No Light First? No ereb (evening) twilight mixture!

Genesis 1:1-5 ‘Order’ & Alignment

Yahusha brought forth His LIGHT first;

Evening mixture follows second;

Next, the Night Season passes;

Last, Boqer morning twilight arrives … finishing …

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On day 1 to 6, we see that YaHuWaH is busy during the Light Season with the events of creation. Then we read that the evening (ereb) came to be.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the ereb (evening) darkness occurred, the Night Season darkness (layil) passed by unannounced.

Then the boqer (DAWN/morning) light triggers the termination of the previous 24-hour period.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusion for <ereb>

• Not one ‘day’ can begin with evening <ereb> because the evening contains ‘light’ received from the Day Season.

It is impossible for evening to begin any ‘new day’ because ‘light’ must be present first.

• LIGHT begins everything. Have you noticed that YaHuWaH does not even mention the sun, neither in rising nor in setting for the 1^st day of Creation? Why?
• Because the sunLIGHT could not begin the ‘day’ until it was commanded to. But, from the beginning, the ‘evening unit’ always belonged to the ‘Light Season’ because it has the mixing of ‘light’ with the ‘night’.

Why do you suppose YaHuWaH did not begin the 1^st day of creation with light from a created sun?

Could it be: this is His planned system, (or His built-in preventative method), to restrain us from looking to the sun that persistently prompted Yisra’El and Judah to serve and worship the sun to commence their worship days?

Let’s always look to the ‘light’ for the beginning of each new day – the first ‘light’ that breaks the day before any sun is seen above the horizon.

Back to our questions about the Hebrew evening!

1. Have we inherited a false definition and as a result, a false doctrine, for the Hebrew term ereb (evening) from the traditions of man?
2. Is the correct reckoning of the day-start essential to understanding YaHuWaH’s Feasts and Eternal Count?
3. Will a better understanding of ereb/evening and the day-start give a clearer vision of the TIMING and Appointments for the Bride of Yahusha?

For us, since we came to the understanding of when a day begins the timing of our Feast Days have fallen in line perfectly with YaHuWaH’s Eternal Calendar.

Understanding when a day begins took away all the confusion.