13 Let us learn more about the night (dark) and day (light) and confirm that the Scriptures teach: the evening ends the day (both the 12-hours of light and the 24-hour complete day) and the night begins the day

Consider Nehemiah 13:19 (KJV). And it came to pass that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath, I commanded the gates should be shut….

Notice Nehemiah 13:19 (Interlinear Bible (Masoretic text)): And it was when began to be shaded the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath that I ordered that should be shut the gates …

Notice what this scripture communicates to us, as we examine scriptural realities in the light of known scientific phenomenon.

Logically, we understand that before the sun actually drops (sets) below the western horizon (when the sun is still visible in the sky), objects on the earth are illuminated by the light of the sun; objects are not getting dark.

It is only after the sun has set below the western horizon, a time of day called the evening twilight, as the light of the sun is diminishing, that objects are beginning to darken. During the twilight, objects on the earth begin to be less visible as the light of the sun decreases, as the darkness of the night approaches; consequently, objects begin to get (be) dark.

An object is or looks shaded by a lack of light projected on it. Shaded or shading is a degree of darkness produced by a diminishing of light.

Now consider (Jeremiah 6:4) and Jeremiah’s reference to the evening shadows; for the day goeth away, the shadows of the evening are stretched out.

Just as we understand, Jeremiah understood: when the sun is visible in the western portion of the sky, above the western horizon, the light of the sun illuminates objects on the earth and those objects cast shadows, which lengthen or stretch out as the evening sun travels closer to the western horizon.

It is only after the sun drops (sets) below the western horizon that the objects on earth begin to grow dark, as the light of the sun diminishes in intensity, as the night approaches. Once the sun is below the western horizon, objects no longer cast shadows; they only begin to be (get) dark. During the twilight, the objects are beginning to grow dark; objects begin to be shaded because the light of that day’s sun is diminishing as the darkening of the night is approaching.

During the twilight, objects do not cast shadows; rather objects grow dark. After the twilight is complete and the night commences, objects are dark.

In Jeremiah 6:4, evening shadows cast by objects illuminated by the light of the sun were possible because the sun was (still in the sky) above the western horizon. (We will read more about the evening shadows at the close of this Part I.)

In Nehemiah 13:19 the twilight (of the sun below the western horizon) was evident, as the light was fading and objects (the gates of the temple) were growing dark.

We read that it was getting dark, (after the sun had set, in the twilight is clearly understood), and that period of time was before the Sabbath.

Let us notice the Hebrew word tselel (Strong’s 6751 a noun), which is derived from the Hebrew root word tsalal (Strong’s 6752 a verb or noun). Tselel is translated into the English as either dark or shaded and is used in Nehemiah 13:19. Let us notice the full extent and meaning of this word.

To understand tselel it is necessary to understand its root word, tsalal.

"Tsalal – a prime root … to be shaded, dusky.” Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament

"Tsalal - a prime root … to shade, as twilight or an opaque object - begin to be dark, shadowing (as a covering)." Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible

We see the translation of tselel in the context it is used in the Book of Nehemiah. Clearly, the translation and its root express a description of a period of time we call twilight. Of this fact, there can be no debate.

In this verse we read that it began to be dark (twilight time) before the Sabbath.

Implicit is the fact that when it was dark, it then was the Sabbath.

The lesson expressed here is that at the time of Nehemiah the Sabbath did not begin at the exact moment of sunset (an exact moment in time – look at your watch time or as written on a sunset time chart in your newspaper). After sundown there is still a period of time called the twilight and twilight (which is part of the evening) was before the Sabbath.

Consider Genesis 15:12-18 once again.

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. The sun was above the horizon and was going down. Simply a process: the sun was going down. The term bow shemesh is used.

Continuing the narrative, now read Genesis 15:17.

"And it came to pass that when the sun went down and it was dark…"

Genesis 15:17 clearly states, "the sun went down (again bow shemesh is used) and it was dark."

Now, as previously discussed, logically and by observation, we know these two events do not happen that quickly. Notice what happens between the sun went down and it was dark. The sun went down, then the twilight. During the twilight, the sky is still light but growing dark. The land is growing dark as objects (like the gates in Jerusalem) are growing dark, because the light of the sun is fading away. The evening is evident as it is getting dark and closing in on the night. Once the night commences, it is dark.

As we read, we can logically see that the sun went down, the twilight was past, the evening was past and finally, it was dark, it was now night.

Reading verse 17 again: “and it came to pass that when the sun went down and it was dark …”

Notice now Genesis 15:18 “In the same day the Eternal made a covenant with Abram...”

Here verses 17 and 18 state, it was dark and in the same day.

Consider this fact - we do not read any of the following:

- “the sun went down and in the same day;”
- “the sun went down and the next or new day,”
- “it was twilight and the same or next or new day;”
- “it was evening and the same or next or a new day.”

We simply, and only read, “it was dark...and in the same day.” We do not even read it was dark and the next day. Again, these verses only state – “it was dark ...and … in the same day.”

We are told it was dark (night) and it was “in the same day” that a covenant was made. The sun went down, it was set (completely); the twilight was now over, the evening was past, it was now dark, it was night.

The dark definitely was part of a new day. During that day, of which the night is distinguished, the covenant was made.

The dark (night) and in the same day follows along with the same teaching we gain from the Genesis creation account of the fact that the night begins a new day.

Through Nehemiah, God shows us the Sabbath certainly did not begin right at the exact moment of sunset. The Sabbath began when it was dark.

Not only did Nehemiah and Ezra understand but also the House of Judah and the Elders of Judah understood that the evening, in which the last event to occur was the twilight (when things begin to get dark), was before the Sabbath begun.

Once the night/dark is evident, a new day (with the 12-hours of night being first, then the 12-hours of light – second) begins.