This topic focuses primarily on only two days in the history of ancient Israel. It details the timing of their first Passover sacrifice in Góshen, with their ensuing exodus from Egypt.
The annual Passover occurred in the first month, Abíb, of Israel’s sacred year. De.16:1 “Observe the new moon [or month, Strongs h2320 khódesh, Hebrew] of Abib and celebrate the Passover to the Lord your God.” (Abib is also called Nisán, Est.3:7.) How was the new moon/month reckoned anciently?
The 1st day of Abib, and the 1st of every month, was determined by the new moon. Although new moon terminology is Biblical, the Lord didn’t say how the new moon is determined. In De.16:1, “observe” as translated is significant, if it’s taken literally…to see with the eye.
Today the new moon may be reckoned by: Hillel II’s calculated lunisolar Hebrew calendar of the 300s AD; the astronomical conjunction (when the moon is unseen between the earth and sun); sighting the first visible crescent of the moon. The three methods result in 2 or 3 different days to begin the month.
Which method was used in Bible times? The 1st century Jewish historian Philo The Special Laws 2:26: 141 “At the time of the new moon, the sun begins to illumine the moon with a light which is visible to the outward senses.” Theological Workbook of the Old Testament, v.1, p.266 “The new moon began when the thin crescent of the new moon was first visible at sunset.” Many sources confirm this.
How to sight a first visible crescent: Stand on a hill. It can be faintly seen just above a clear western horizon, 25 minutes or so after sunset. The horns of the crescent/sickle point south. After several minutes, the moon disappears below the horizon. Their new month and day #1 began then, near sunset.
Most Bible scholars believe days in ancient Israel began at sunset or dusk, when 3 stars become visible or when the fowls come home to roost. The scriptural backing is in Le.23:32 and Ne.13:19. Luke also used this reckoning in Acts 27:27, 33, where he indicated the 14th night preceded the 14th day.
Josephus Wars of the Jews 4:9:12 “At the beginning of every seventh day, in the evening twilight.” Josephus wrote in the 1st century AD, and sunset still marked their beginning of the new day.
Our modern days begin at midnight. But unlike our 24-hour day of 12am to 12am, ancient Israel’s 24-hour day was more like 6pm to 6pm. So their daily 24-hour periods don’t precisely line up with ours. Due to the overlap, below I’ll assign Gregorian calendar dates to the two days in Israel’s history, to help put the Passover/exodus timing in modern perspective.
This first Passover in Egypt was a one-time event and a partial model, having some instructions which wouldn’t apply to any subsequent Passover (according to Dr. J.H. Hertz, late Chief Rabbi of the British Empire). For example: In Egypt they were to eat this one Passover in haste with their loins girded and staff in their hand (Ex.12:11). The animal blood was put on the doorposts of houses, rather than sprinkled at the altar (Ex.12:7 versus Le.3:8, 2Ch.35:11). This Passover was taken only from the flock, and not also from the herd (Ex.12:5 versus De.16:2 & 2Ch.35:7-8). In Egypt, there was no conditional allowance to keep the Passover in the 2nd month of the year (later allowed in Nu.9:1-14, 2Ch.30:15-16).
Let’s now examine the order for this first Passover lamb or kid sacrifice, and then the events of the two days, as the ancient Israelites were departing Egypt.
Ex.12:1, 5-6 “This month shall be the beginning of months….You shall take it [the animal] from the sheep or goats. Keep it until the 14th day of this same month. Kill it between [beyn h996] the evenings [h6153].” (Young’s and Green’s literal translations.) In Hebrew, “beyn ha arbáyim”.
Israel’s first month of Abib began near the time of the vernal equinox. To put the timing in Gregorian calendar terms, let’s presume the new moon of Abib was sighted near 6pm on our Mar 20. So it was Abib 1 until sunset Mar 21. With a presumed Mar 20 month start, then Abib 14 began at sunset Apr 2 and ended at sunset Apr 3. The next day, Abib 15, was from sunset Apr 3 until sunset Apr 4.
What time of day on Abib 14 were the Passover lambs/kids killed? Was it after sunset (6–9pm on our presumed Apr 2), or in the mid-afternoon (1–5pm of our Apr 3)? Apr 2 sunset time in Cairo, Egypt is 6:14pm. This issue is disputed. Some people think it was killed, gutted and skinned after sunset (at the start of Abib 14), as it was getting dark. Most think it was killed later in the mid-afternoon (towards the end of Abib 14). The difference is approximately 20 hours.
Dr. Hertz says the Hebrew text regarding the Passover sacrifice in Ex.12:6 means literally “between the two evenings”. The text of the related Le.23:5 & Nu.9:5 also has the idiom “between the evenings”.
According to Jewish sages, the first evening or ‘setting’ of the sun was at noon or so, when the sun starts to descend from high noon; and the second evening or ‘setting’ was at sunset or dusk (when the new day begins). Those were the two evenings for the Israelites…at noon and at sunset.
Barnes Notes Ex.12:6 “The Hebrew has between the two evenings…The most probable explanation is that it includes the time from afternoon, or early eventide, until sunset.” JFB Commentary “The interval between the sun’s beginning to decline and sunset, corresponding to our three o’clock in the afternoon.”
Josephus (37–100 AD) was born in Jerusalem a few years after Jesus’ crucifixion. His mother was descended from Jewish Hasmónean royalty, and his father was a priest. Josephus was intimately familiar with the Jerusalem Temple, its observances and their timing.
Josephus Antiquities of the Jews 2:14:6 “When the 14th day was come…they offered the [Passover] sacrifice.” The Passover lamb was killed on Abib 14, not the 13th or 15th (ref 2Ch.35:1). Josephus Wars 6:9:3 “Passover, when they slay their sacrifices from the 9th hour to the 11th.” That was 3pm to 5pm, between the first evening (12 pm) and second evening (6 pm sunset/dusk). Philo op. cit., 27:145-149 said the Passover was sacrificed in the afternoon of the 14th day of the month. The 2nd century BC Book of Jubilees 49:1, “Kill it before it is evening”. Before the second evening of 6pm.
Yeshiva.co Ask the Rabbi: Bein HaArbayim “Between the evenings’ or ‘between the settings’, when the first setting of the sun is its descent after noon, and the second is sundown. Here, the phrase means ‘the afternoon.” The Hebrew ‘beyn ha arbayim’ means ‘the afternoon’ of modern English parlance.
McClintock and Strong, v.7, p.735 “Eustathíus [Greek scholar in Thessalonica]…shows that the Greeks too held that there were two evenings; one they called the latter evening [sunset] at the close of the day, and the other the former evening, which commenced immediately after noon.” Not only Israel.
‘Morning’ was the time period of the sun’s ascension; ‘Evening’ was the period of the sun’s decline.
Years ago I searched the Bible to find other activities which likewise occurred between the evenings. Such passages reflect whether it was daylight or dark! That’s revealing! Three such incidents follow:
(1) Nu.28:3-8 is about their daily sacrifice, offered twice-a-day, every day of the year. v.4 “You shall offer one lamb in the morning and the other lamb between [h996] the evenings [h6153].” Young’s, Green’s literals confirm the Hebrew means “between the evenings”. The Jubilee Bible 2000 and KJV margins read “between the two evenings.” Ex.29:38-42 is the same guidelines for the daily sacrifice.
The above passages of Nu.28 & Ex.29, commanding the daily sacrifice, both refer to the morning sacrifice first, and then the other sacrifice. The daily order enjoins for the second sacrifice of the pair to be offered later during that same day, and before a new day begins at sunset.
Josephus Antiquities 14:4:3 “The Jews…did still twice each day, in the morning and about the 9th hour, offer their sacrifices upon the altar.” The 9th hour was 3pm in the evening/afternoon.
Other Jews too say the daily morning & evening sacrifice was around 9am & 3pm. Alfred Edersheim The Temple, p.108, 174, 165 “The morning sacrifice… it coincided with the 3rd hour of the day, or 9am…The evening sacrifice ordinarily was slain at 2:30 pm, and offered at about 3:30pm…on the eve of the Passover the evening sacrifice was offered an hour before its usual time.”
Jewish Encyclopedia: Passover Sacrifice “The paschal lamb was slain on the eve of the Passover, the afternoon of the 14th of Nisan, after the Támid [evening] sacrifice had been killed, i.e., three o’clock.”
(2) The incident in 1Ki.18:19-46 where Elijah confronted the prophets of Báal, in the 800s BC. v.19-26 the prophets of Baal called on Baal “from morning until noon”. v.27-29 “When mid-day was past, they raved until the time of the evening sacrifice.” Again, the daily evening sacrifice was to be offered between the evenings (Nu.28:4, Ex.29:39). v.36 then at the time of the evening sacrifice, Elijah offered his prayer. v.38 Fire fell! Notice all that next transpired…before it got dark!
1Ki.18:40 Elijah orders the execution of all the false prophets. The people go to the brook Kishón and slay those 450 men. It took some time to kill 450 men (unwilling to die)! v.41-43 then Elijah ascends to the top of Mt. Carmél (1,500 ft. high) and tells his servant to go look toward the sea. The servant goes back & forth seven times! v.44 finally, on the seventh time the servant sees a small cloud…it must still be daylight for him to see it! v.45 then the sky grew black with visible storm clouds (not with night).
Obviously that entire sequence couldn’t have been observed if sunset had occurred prior to when fire fell from God back in v.38. This incident is strong evidence that there was plenty of daylight remaining after the hour of the evening sacrifice…in 850 BC Israel (long predating Talmúdic interpretations).
(3) The incident of confession and reconciliation in Ezra 9 & 10. (It’s too long to quote in full here.) Ezr.9:4-5 “I sat appalled until the evening offering.” Here was Ezra at the time of the evening offering, which was offered every day “between the evenings”, at 3pm in the mid-afternoon. v.6-15 Ezra’s lengthy prayer follows. Ezr.10:1 “While Ezra was praying, a very large assembly of men, women and children came to him from Israel, weeping bitterly.” v.2-4 Shecaniáh then addressed Ezra. v.5 Ezra arose; priests and all Israel swore they would comply. v.6 then Ezra went into Jehohanán’s chamber. This incident occurred in early December during the colder rainy season (v.9, 13).
Ancient Israel was an agricultural society. MDHarris Institute Daily Life in 1st Century Israel “The early Jew rose before the sun [Pr.31:15]…and tilled the fields for several hours before his morning meal.” biblegateway.com Everyday Meals “Only two meals a day were usually eaten (Ex.16:12, 1Ki.17:6). The chief meal of the day (and probably the only one for the poor) was served in the early evening, an hour or two before sunset when the duties of the day were over. After the meal for an hour or two before bedtime the men sat around and talked.” From this, we can ascertain that they started getting ready for bed at sunset, as darkness was setting in. Dec 1 sunset time in Jerusalem is 4:34pm. (Sunset times in Jerusalem: Mar 21 5:50pm, Apr 3 6:00pm, Jun 21 6:47pm w/o DST, Sep 21 5:37pm.)
It’s quite unlikely that women and children would have gathered to Ezra after dark, especially at that cold wet season! These actions of Ezra et all, done after the time of the evening sacrifice, indicate that the daily sacrifice, done “between the evenings”…wasn’t at dusk, but in full daylight of mid-afternoon.
All three of the above incidents reflect the time of the evening sacrifice, slain “between the evenings”, was mid-afternoon. And the Passover lamb/kid was likewise offered between the evenings (Ex.12:6).
{Sidelight: Rendering the Ex.12:6 & Nu.28:4 “between the evenings” as “twilight”, confuses the issue. In middle English, “twi” meant two or double. As twi-tongued. We have the English words twi-ns and twi-ce. Also: a twibil is a double-bladed ax, a twinter is a domestic animal two winters old, a twicer is a person who does two things. But “twilight” now indicates half (half-light at dusk or early dawn), not two or double. The ancient Jewish (and Greek) understanding resembles the older English twi, since Israelites identified two evenings. And the ancient Passover sacrifice occurred in-between.}
Edersheim’s The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, p.813 “The period ‘between the two evenings’ when the Paschal lamb was slain. There can be no question that, in the time of Christ, it was understood to refer to the interval between the commencement of the sun’s decline and what was reckoned as the hour of final disappearance (about 6 pm).” “Between the evenings” = our “afternoon”.
In the 1st century, the priests at the Jerusalem temple didn’t sprinkle the blood of hundreds of Passover lambs on the altar at night (2Ch.30:15-16, 35:11)! That ritual took a few hours in afternoon daylight.
The Biblical and historical evidence is…the Passover lamb was killed in the afternoon of Abib 14 (in our calendar scenario, Apr 3). However, by the time it was roasted and the Passover meal prepared, sunset would’ve occurred to begin Abib 15, and it’s about dark (our early night of Apr 3).
Ex.12:8 commanded unleavened bread with the Passover meal. Ex.12:17-19 “In the first month, on the 14th day at evening [h6153], you shall eat unleavened bread, until the 21st day of the month at evening [h6153]. For seven days no leaven shall be found in your houses.” That 7–day period of Abib 14 to Abib 21 didn’t start between the evenings. The Hebrew term beyn (h996 between) isn’t in the text. When or at/from which “evening” did it begin? Notice two other passages as frame of reference:
Le.23:27 “On exactly the 10th day of the seventh month is the day of atonement.” These parameters define their 10th day…v.32 “It is a sabbath of complete rest, on the 9th of the month at evening [h6153], from evening [h6153] until evening [h6153] you shall keep your sabbath.” The day of atonement, the 10th day, was specifically from the evening or sunset which ended the 9th day until the next evening or sunset (ending the 10th day). Again, a sunset (the ‘second evening’) ended an old day and began the new day. ref 2Ch.18:34 “The king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot until evening [h6153]. He died at sunset.” Again…sunset, 3 visible stars or fowls roosting…signified the evening date change. The seven days of unleavened bread began at the sunset which ended Abib 14 and started Abib 15.
{{Sidelight: However, Jews traditionally removed leaven from houses before the lamb was slain on the afternoon of Abib 14, applying Ex.34:25 to the Passover. “You shall not offer the blood of My sacrifice with leavened bread.” The clean-out process must begin well before the sunset ending Abib 14. So in practice, their dwellings were without leaven for more like 8 days, not 7. Josephus Antiquities 2:15:1 “We keep a feast for 8 days, of unleavened bread.” (He affirmed the 7 days of scripture; see below.)
Any timing differences the 1st century Sádducee sect may have had are unproven. No actual Sadducee writings survive. We only know of the sect from their being mentioned in the Bible (14 times) and in (opposing) historical writings. Káraite Judaism may or may not share Sadducáic views; it is uncertain. Whereas Josephus, born in Jerusalem and governor of Galilee, was an eyewitness to the timing of the rituals done at the Temple, including those performed “between the evenings” (beyn ha arbayim). Philo too made pilgrimage to the Jerusalem Temple, at least once (Philo op. cit., On Providence 2:64).}}
Nu.28:17 “On the 15th of the month is the feast. Unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days.” Days #15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21…that’s seven. They feasted until the sunset which ended Abib 21 and began Abib 22. (Starting at sunset on our projected Apr 3, ending at sunset on Apr 10.) Josephus Wars 3:10:5 “The feast of unleavened bread falls on the 15th day of the month and continues for 7 days. The second day of unleavened bread is the 16th day of the month.” Jsh.5:10 “At Gilgál the sons of Israel celebrated the Passover on the 14th day of the month at evening [h6153].” The tabernacle with God’s Name was there in those days. After the lamb was slain in the mid-afternoon of Abib 14, they prepared the Passover meal and began celebrating/feasting at evening or sunset ending Abib 14/beginning Abib 15. (cf. Le.23:32, as the day of atonement, the 10th day of the 7th month, began “on the 9th day at evening”.)
Now let’s see the timing of the final events of the exodus, from Ex.12:
In Ex.3:21-22, the Lord said they would take silver, gold and clothing from the Egyptians. This spoiling of them was done in Ex.11:2-3, prior to that first Passover and 10th plague on Egypt (ref Ex.12:35-36).
Ex.12:1-21 the Passover lamb was slain in the afternoon of Abib 14 “between the evenings”. Its blood was obediently put on the doorposts. The lamb was roasted & eaten with unleavened bread a few hours later after Abib 15 had begun at sunset. v.11 they ate it in haste. Bread could take many hours or even two days to rise. There wasn’t time (v.33-34), since they must make ready to depart before dawn!
Ex.12:22-28 Israelites must wait inside their dwellings until morning (firstborns are protected by the blood), while God the Word “passed over” Egypt (Christ, the Jews’ “Passover”, 1Co.5:7) with the 10th plague. v.29-32 this occurred at midnight of Abib 15 (beginning our Apr 4). Egyptian firstborn males died. Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron (a firstborn son, Ex.6:20) at night (it was now safe to go outside), saying, “Rise up! Go from among my people!” v.33-34 the Israelites took their unleavened dough…and exited. v.37 “Israel journeyed from Ramesés to Succóth.” A few other verses:
De.16:1 “In the month of Abib the Lord brought you out of Egypt by night.” The exodus began late in the night of Abib 15, before bread could have fermented. It was still dark, about the time when dawn begins to lighten the sky with ‘morning’. Nu.33:3 “They journeyed from Rameses on the 15th day of the first month, on the next day after the Passover.” Again, the Passover was killed on Abib 14 (2Ch.35:1). Ex.12:17, 41 on that “very day” of Abib 15, which began the seven days of unleavened bread, they marched out. The scriptures are in agreement!
A related sequel to this topic is “Jesus’ Last Supper Timing”. To segue or preview it: Mt.26:17-19, Mk.14:12-16, Lk.22:7-14 when the day came, Jesus’ disciples asked Jesus where they should prepare the Passover meal for Him and their group. As obedient Jews, they’d been keeping Passover all their lives. As Jesus had (Lk.2:41). They knew it was the day and the time when the Passover lambs must be killed at the Temple, and the blood sprinkled on the altar (Le.3:7-8). Again, that was Abib 14…not Abib 13, not Abib 15! Jesus didn’t sin regarding the day/time the lamb was killed. He never sinned; if He had, we’d have no Savior! However, the disciples didn’t know that Jesus will soon die; this would be His last Passover meal. Peter & John went to the Temple, the lamb’s blood was sprinkled; they then brought the lamb to the upper room where their meal was roasted/prepared.
Ex.12:42 “It was a night of vigil for the Lord to bring them out from Egypt, so that on this night all Israel is to keep vigil to the Lord for generations to come.” It was a night to be “much observed”. The night of Abib 15 was to become a night of vigil or a watch, for all generations to honor what the Lord did that night. It is significant what Jesus said on that night after His last (Passover) supper. Mt.26:40 Apostolic Bible Pólyglot “Could you not be vigilant with me one hour!”
Mk.15:25-37 Jesus, as the sacrificial lamb, was placed on the cross around 9am (the “3rd hour”) and He died on the cross around 3pm (the “9th hour”)…the times of the daily morning and evening lamb sacrifice! And Jesus’ sacrifice for us is effective day after day, year after year…Praise the Lord!
For more on Passover, see the topics: “Passover and Peace Offerings”, “Feasts of the Lord and the Jews”, “Days Israel Observed – God-Ordained”, “Jesus’ Last Supper Timing”.
Bible Topic Exposition 