5] Notice the activity of the sun as recorded in Genesis 15:12-18    

Start at verse 12 - "And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram ...”

Here we read that the sun was going down. The sun was in the process of setting; in the process of going down. The sun was above the horizon and was going down; converging on the western horizon. Simply a process: the sun was going down and the term bow shemesh is used.

Neither erev nor ba erev were used in the original text. Moses wrote bow shemesh. He did not write ba erev or erev.

Continuing the narrative, read Genesis 15:17. "And it came to pass that when the sun went down and it was dark..."

Here we read of a progression of time. Notice, the sun was above the horizon (vs. 12), then below the horizon (vs. 17), then finally, not visible at all. There was no more light (of the sun), for it was dark.

Now logically, and by our own observation we know these events do not happen that quickly. We also know there is a period of time that transpires, and an event that occurs between the sun went down (below the horizon) and it was dark.

We definitely read that the sun was now below the horizon. Once below the western horizon, the sun’s fading light eventually became extinguished. The light of the sun will fade out, will extinguish, and will diminish in intensity during a period of time we call the twilight. During the twilight, as the light fades, the sky gets darker as the night commences. This is the natural progression of time at the end of a day.

Before the dark is the twilight and the twilight occurs after the sun falls below the western horizon. We will learn more about the twilight and more about these Genesis scriptures as we continue in this study.

But here is Genesis, we read of the actions of the sun as it “went away” for the day. Bow shemesh is used and never ba erev.

Notice a few other scriptures, of those used in the Old Testament, which use the Hebrew bow shemesh.

… the one on the one side and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun (bow shemesh) (Exodus 17:12).

If thou at all take thy neighbor’s raiment to pledge, thou shall return it unto him by that the sun goeth down (bow shemesh) (Exodus 22:26).

Notice Genesis 28:11: And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set (bow shemesh); and he took of the stones of that place and put them for his pillows; …

 Notice also Joshua 1:4, I Samuel 2:24, I Samuel 3:35 and I Kings 22:36.

Clearly, these verses explain a process of the sun as it is nearing in on and falling below the western horizon, as it is going down and setting for the day.

Bow shemesh is the distinct, unique, self-defined Hebrew phrase, which expresses the action of, the process of sunset.