Day

The Jews reckoned the day from sunset to sunset (Lev. 23:32). It "was originally divided into three parts (Ps. 55:17). "The heat" "of the day" (1 Sam. 11:11; Neh. 7:3) was at our nine o'clock," "and "the cool of the day" just before sunset (Gen. 3:8). Before" "the Captivity the Jews divided the night into three watches, (1)" from sunset to midnight (Lam. 2:19); (2) from midnight till the cock-crowing (Judg. 7:19); and (3) from the cock-crowing till sunrise (Ex. 14:24). In the New Testament the division of the Greeks and Romans into four watches was adopted (Mark 13:35). (See [147]WATCHES.) "The division of the day by hours is first mentioned in Dan. 3:6, 15; 4:19; 5:5. This mode of reckoning was borrowed from the Chaldeans. The reckoning of twelve hours was from sunrise to "sunset, and accordingly the hours were of variable length (John" 11:9). "The word "day" sometimes signifies an indefinite time (Gen. 2:4; "Isa. 22:5; Heb. 3:8, etc.). In Job 3:1 it denotes a birthday," "and in Isa. 2:12, Acts 17:31, and 2 Tim. 1:18, the great day of" final judgment.

"The usual length of a day's journey in the East, on camel or" "horseback, in six or eight hours, is about 25 or 30 miles. The" three days' journey mentioned in Ex. 3:18 is simply a journey which would occupy three days in going and returning.

An umpire or arbiter or judge (Job 9:33). This word is formed "from the Latin diem dicere, i.e., to fix a day for hearing a" cause. Such an one is empowered by mutual consent to decide the "cause, and to "lay his hand", i.e., to impose his authority, on" "both, and enforce his sentence."

"(Job 38:12; Luke 1:78), the dawn of the morning; daybreak." "(Comp. Isa. 60:1, 2; Mal. 4:2; Rev. 22:16.)"

Which precedes and accompanies the sun-rising. It is found only "in 2 Pet. 1:19, where it denotes the manifestation of Christ to" "the soul, imparting spiritual light and comfort. He is the" bright and morning star of Rev. 2:28; 22:16. (Comp. Num. 24:17.)