This is where only our Father, Yhvh, through one statement, is able to declare more truth and a deeper meaning, than ever taught by man’s teachings. How then, do we reconcile the above statement?
I went to the Strong’s Concordance and looked up the word ”were”; it is a Hebrew word #H1961 pronounced ”haya”. The next thing I wanted to investigate was if the word ”haya” had been used elsewhere in the Bible and could have had an alternative interpretation? I found in the Book of Kings where it states:
Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; and half followed Omri. 1 King 16:21
In reading this verse you, like me, are probably wondering what word or words were translated from ” the same Hebrew word “haya”?
In this verse, #H1961 ”haya” is translated “followed”. Could that mean that “haya” could have been translated ”followed” by the translators of the Bible and would that not have changed the meaning of the fifth verse in Genesis ch.1 of the Bible?
Would that change what day of the week certain things were created by G-d?
I stated earlier, only Yhvh, our Father in Heaven, can make a statement that could convey both revelation and truth to His scripture. Could ”haya” be translated both “were” and “followed”, and not distort Yhvh’s meaning of His truth or timeline?
Could it be that our Father in heaven was trying to tell how He intended His time was to be kept?
When one reads the fifth verse of Genesis 1; the evening and the morning “were” or “followed” the first day, how could they both be true?
What if “were” was meant for the first day of the week, and the translation, “followed”, was meant for the first day of the month? Both translations and statements would be true at the same time, and one would then be discerning the Word, as it reads. To repeat, if you read every verse in Genesis 1 that states
‘And the evening and the morning were…’,
you could deduce the word “were” for the day of the week and “followed” for the day of the month. Therefore, the day of the week could be 3, and the day of the month could be 4, within the same scripture reading.
For example:
And the evening and the morning were [followed] the third day. Gen.1:13
(explanation/alternate interpretation added)
Yhvh in His creation created three kinds of days, as verified throughout scripture; New Moon days, His Feast (mo~ed) days, and work days. New Moon days were set apart from all other days, six work days and the seventh day Sabbath, made up the week which happens four times throughout the month. Although, it is not so obvious, it is however asserted and verified in Genesis 2:1-4
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day G-d ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And G-d blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which G-d created and made. These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord G-d made the earth and the heavens, Gen.2:1-4
The LXX reads this verse
And the heavens and the earth were finished, and the whole world of them. And G-d finished on the sixth day His works which He made, and He ceased on the seventh day from all His works which He has made. And G-d blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He ceased from all His works which G-d began to do. This the book of the generation of heaven and earth, when they were made, in the day in which the Lord G-d made the heaven and the earth Gen.2:1-4 LXX
As stated in Genesis 2:2 in the King James version of the Bible according to the Hebrew lexicon they speak of two seventh days.
You might think that statement is really taking liberty and is an over reach of that particular scripture. But read it again, it stated in V2
And on the seventh day G-d ended His work which He had done. Gen.2.2
One has to ask, did G-d end His work on day seven of the week or did G-d end His work on the sixth day of the week?
As the Septuagint affirms, it is both days. (I took the liberty of bringing into our study the Septuagint. The Septuagint is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible. History chronicles that 70-72 Jewish scholars reportedly took part in the translation process. The scholars worked in Alexandria during the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285-247 BCE), according to the letter of Aristeas to his brother Philoerates. This early collection of scrolls, written in Greek, were around when Jesus was born, and began entering the temple to sit for His readings. This is the text Jesus would have encountered, and this is what He could have read when He stood to read the scrolls.) The Septuagint makes obvious that the interpreters of the Greek Old Testament knew the Hebrew lexicon was talking about the sixth day of the week. If it was day seven of the first new month, that means it would have been day six of the first week, and that would disparage any discrepancy.
Definitely a point to ponder, in the Old Testament if a person ended his work on the seventh day, he could have been stoned. Numbers 15:32-36; You can read where they stoned a man who was picking up sticks on the seventh day (Sabbath)
And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day. And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation. And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him. And the Lord said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp. And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the Lord commanded Moses. Num.15:32-36
If G-d finished His work on the seventh day of the week, we would have a real injustice here, but we know that G-d is equitable, fair, and just. Therefore, we realize that G-d could not have finished His work on the seventh day of the week. But He could have on the seventh day of the month. A week would not have been declared until it was over, and the week was not over until Elohim proclaimed it to be, when He rested. Thereby, affirming the first week and putting into play His heavenly time piece.
Now, let us read the Septuagint/Greek version of the same incident, the Septuagint makes it very evident that God finished His work on the sixth day of the week, because the Septuagint was just dealing with the days of a week at that point in time. The Hebrew version was equating/reconciling the seventh day of a month with the sixth day of the week. Both versions continue with the narrative G-d rested on the seventh day, from all His work, making it very obvious that it was the seventh day of the very first week. However, by Hebrew reckoning, it would have been the eighth day of the month. At that point, they are declaring the end of the week, consequently, the seventh day.
Furthermore, looking back to Genesis 2:4, the word day is translated from the word ‘Yom’. However, we already know that Elohim did not create everything in one day. Therefore, ‘yom’ takes on it’s second meaning, which is a period of time. It should be noted here, that the Hebrews did have a word to designate a week, and that word is ‘Sabua’ (pronounced Shaw-boo-ah) in the strong concordance #H7620 meaning a period of 7 days. Throughout the Bible, ‘yom’ is never used to express a week. The fact that ‘yom’ is used in Genesis 2:4 to express a weekly period of time, when a more specific word could have been used, leaves room for a more nuanced interpretation.
The first New Moon day, however not very obvious, but definitely insinuated, was proclaimed by G-d. This is made clear by the way light was created and named. That would have been the very first day created, a new beginning of a month, however, not the first day of the first week. The first day of the week would have been the second day of the month. That is the only way that the Hebrew “haya” can mean both “were” and “followed” and bring truth and clarity to the first two chapters of the Bible. This eight day count from the first new moon day of the month to get to the seventh day of the week is insinuated in the book of Joshua ch.6.
Yhvh would have never suggested that Israel be in complete war paraphernalia for seven days knowing that one of those days would have been the Sabbath. However, it does make sense, if the first day was a new moon day. This is corroborated in the Book of Jasher
And it was in the second month, on the first day of the month, that the Lord said to Joshua, Rise up, behold I have given Jericho into thy hand with all the people thereof; and all your fighting men shall go round the city, once each day, thus shall you do for six days. Jasher 88:14
You might wonder why I feel confident to referance the book of Jasher, while studying the Bible. The Bible itself, in the Book of Joshua ch.10:13 references Jasher, and also in 2 Samuel 1:18. So, it is helpful to better understand the historical context. Therefore the day after that siege they would have been able to keep the sacred Sabbath. There are other hidden pearls/stories throughout the Bible that give affirmation to this thesis.
And G-d said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: Gen.1:14
The word “seasons” according to Strongs Concordance is #H4150, (moed) meaning; appointed time, sacred seasons, set feast. As in New Moon days and His Sabbaths. The word Day (yom) meaning the light of the day. At that point in creation the only (mo-ed)/feast days would have been New Moon day and the day Elohim rested from His work, (Sabbath). The other Feast days/weeks come into play much later because of mans sin.
An important manifestation of Elohim’s time piece is new moon day. You start your month by the first sliver of the moon (new moon day), then start your day count for your week; six work days then Sabbath. One is able to tell what day of the week it is, (first day, second day, third day…sixth day, then seventh day, Sabbath), by the size and shape and the light of the moon. It is evident in each month (Elohim’s month) one can proclaim what day of the week it is by the light of the moon. All Elohim’s Sabbaths fall on a particular cycle of the moon. For instance, the waxing half moon (first sabbath), the full moon (second sabbath), the waining half moon (third sabbath) and then dark moon (Elohim’s fourth sabbath of the month), then a new month will start, with a new moon day, and the week will follow repeating itself four times using the cycles of the moon for its Sabbaths. Six work days then the seventh day Sabbath, a day of rest and worship. Yhvh’s time piece was introduced at creation, declared in the heavens, left for us to discover, while looking for truth within His handiwork.
For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord. Isa 66:22-23
The heavens declare the glory of G-d; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether... Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer. Ps.19:1-9 .14
+He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down. Ps.104:19
As you can see from the verses above Yhvh appointed the moon to keep His seasons (moed). V.2 of Ps.19 goes on to claim that the night reveals knowledge. You can not discern what day of the week it is by the sun, but you can ascertain what day of the week it is by the nighttime moon. And in V.3 there is no language where the voice is not heard. That means that Yhvh made it known to everyone, there is no private interpretation, nature (the moon) reveals knowledge through a language that everyone can experience and understand. Yhvh’s time piece was always set in the skies for us to discover/rediscover. The moon was appointed so one could tell which week of the month they were in, and which day of the week it was.
However Yhvh hid His sabbaths from his people; vgl. Lamentations 2:5,6
Since the appointed feasts, such as new moon days, and Sabbaths which were regulated by the moon cycle, have been forgotten. It is up to Yhvh’s people to rediscover, through searching prayerfully the word of G-d for TRUTH.
Today’s calendars no longer rely on monthly cycles, they are not regulated by the beauty of G-d’s creation, His handiwork, or the lights in the heavens. Yhvh has created His time piece in the heavens for us to discover, contemplate, investigate and enjoy. May eyes be opened and TRUTH be found by all those who search.