How many days was creation?
BREAKDOWN
The biblical account of creation, primarily detailed in the book of Genesis, describes a period of six literal days during which God brought forth the heavens, the earth, and all life forms, followed by a seventh day of rest. Genesis 1 outlines the sequential acts: on day one, light and darkness; day two, the expanse separating waters; day three, dry land, seas, and vegetation; day four, celestial lights to govern day and night; day five, sea creatures and birds; and day six, land animals and humanity, made in God's image. Each day concludes with the phrase, "There was evening and there was morning, one day," or similar phrasing for the subsequent days, suggesting a conventional 24-hour period. Genesis 2:1-3 then states, "The heavens and the earth were finished, and all their array. On the seventh day God finished his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. God blessed the seventh day, and made it holy, because on it he rested from all his work which he had created and made." This establishes the foundational pattern for the Sabbath. While the straightforward reading suggests six consecutive 24-hour days, some theological interpretations propose that the 'days' (Hebrew: 'yom') might represent longer, indefinite periods or symbolic epochs. However, the consistent phrasing "evening and morning" and the subsequent establishment of the weekly Sabbath in Exodus 20:11, where Israel is commanded to work six days and rest on the seventh because "in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore Yahweh blessed the Sabbath day, and made it holy," strongly support the interpretation of literal, contiguous 24-hour days. This provides a clear framework for understanding God's creative activity and the rhythmic pattern of work and rest for humanity.
KEY TERMS
six literal days
The period described in Genesis 1 during which God created the heavens, earth, and all living things, typically understood as six consecutive 24-hour periods.
Genesis 1
The first chapter of the Bible, which provides the primary account of God's creation of the world.
yom
The Hebrew word for 'day,' which can refer to a 24-hour period, daylight hours, or an indefinite period, but in Genesis 1 with 'evening and morning' implies a literal day.
Sabbath
The seventh day of the week, consecrated for rest and worship, established by God after His completion of creation and commanded to Israel.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:2
The earth was a formless waste and empty. Darkness was on the surface of the deep. God’s Spirit was hovering over the surface of the waters.
Genesis 1:3
God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
Genesis 1:4
God saw the light, that it was good. God divided the light from the darkness.
Genesis 1:5
God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. There was evening and there was morning, one day.
Genesis 1:6
God said, “Let there be an expanse in the middle of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.”
Genesis 1:7
God made the expanse, and divided the waters which were under the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse; and it was so.
Genesis 1:8
God called the expanse Sky. There was evening and there was morning, a second day.
Genesis 1:9
God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together to one place, and let the dry land appear;” and it was so.
Genesis 1:10
God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters he called Seas. God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:11
God said, “Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit after their kind, with their seed in it, on the earth;” and it was so.
Genesis 1:12
The earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, with their seed in it, after their kind; and God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:13
There was evening and there was morning, a third day.
Genesis 1:14
God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of sky to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs to mark seasons, days, and years;
Genesis 1:15
and let them be for lights in the expanse of sky to give light on the earth;” and it was so.
Genesis 1:16
God made the two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He also made the stars.
Genesis 1:17
God set them in the expanse of sky to give light to the earth,
Genesis 1:18
and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:19
There was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.
Genesis 1:20
God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of sky.”
Genesis 1:21
God created the large sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed, after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind. God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:22
God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”
Genesis 1:23
There was evening and there was morning, a fifth day.
Genesis 1:24
God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind: livestock, creeping things, and animals of the earth after their kind;” and it was so.
Genesis 1:25
God made the animals of the earth after their kind, and the livestock after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind. God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:26
God said, “Let’s make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Genesis 1:27
God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.
Genesis 1:28
God blessed them. God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Genesis 1:29
God said, “Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree, which bears fruit yielding seed. To you it will be for food.
Genesis 1:30
To every animal of the earth, and to every bird of the sky, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food;” and it was so.
Genesis 1:31
God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
Genesis 2:1
The heavens and the earth were finished, and all their array.
Genesis 2:2
On the seventh day God finished his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
Genesis 2:3
God blessed the seventh day, and made it holy, because on it he rested from all his work which he had created and made.
Exodus 20:11
For in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore Yahweh blessed the Sabbath day, and made it holy.
ORIGINAL LANGUAGE ANALYSIS
יוֹם
day
Definitionday, time, year
בָּרָא
created
Definitionto create, to form, to fashion
שָׁבַת
rested
Definitionto cease, to rest, to keep the Sabbath
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
The Genesis creation account emerged in the ancient Near East, a region rich with diverse cosmogonies. Unlike the polytheistic myths of Mesopotamia or Egypt, which often depict creation as a result of divine conflict or the emergence from primeval chaos by multiple gods, the biblical narrative is profoundly monotheistic. It presents a single, transcendent God (Elohim) who creates ex nihilo (out of nothing) through His spoken word, bringing order and purpose to existence. The structure of creation over six days, culminating in a seventh day of rest, also sets the Israelite worldview apart. While other cultures might have festivals or sacred times, the concept of a recurring weekly Sabbath, anchored in the very act of creation, was unique to ancient Israel, deeply influencing its social and religious fabric. Archaeological evidence from the region, such as cuneiform tablets detailing creation myths like the Enuma Elish, highlights the distinctiveness of the Genesis account in its emphasis on divine sovereignty, order, and the inherent goodness of creation, without resorting to battles among deities or chaotic origins.
THEOLOGICAL INSIGHT
The six days of creation culminating in a day of rest present profound theological truths. Firstly, it affirms the omnipotence and intentionality of God, who spoke the cosmos into existence with order and purpose. Each step of creation is declared "good," culminating in humanity being "very good," indicating an inherently good creation and the special status of humankind. Secondly, it establishes the pattern for the Sabbath (שָׁבַת), emphasizing the importance of rest and worship. God's rest on the seventh day is not out of weariness but signifies the completion and perfection of His work, setting a divine precedent for humanity to cease from labor and reflect on God's sovereignty. This pattern underscores God's wisdom in structuring time and life, advocating for a rhythm that honors both work and spiritual rejuvenation.
COMMENTARY SYNTHESIS
Rashi (Jewish)
Rashi, the eminent medieval Jewish commentator, interprets the 'days' of Genesis 1 as literal 24-hour periods. He emphasizes the concluding phrase 'evening and morning' as a clear indicator of normal days, understanding the creation week as a chronological unfolding of God's work. His commentary often seeks the plain meaning of the text (p'shat).
Augustine of Hippo (Christian)
In 'The Literal Meaning of Genesis,' Augustine grappled with the nature of the creation days, suggesting they might not be ordinary days as we know them. He proposed that creation might have been instantaneous or that the 'days' refer to logical, not temporal, distinctions in the divine ordering, emphasizing God's timelessness rather than a chronological sequence.
Matthew Henry (Christian)
Matthew Henry, a prominent Puritan commentator, strongly advocates for literal 24-hour days, grounding the Sabbath commandment in Exodus 20:11 directly on this understanding. He highlights the order and progression within each day as a demonstration of God's infinite power and wisdom, making the narrative a powerful testimony to the Creator.
Ignatius of Antioch (Early Church Father)
Ignatius, an early Church Father (c. 35-108 AD), though not directly commenting on the length of creation days, implicitly affirms the creation narrative's historicity and significance by frequently referencing Christ as the one through whom all things were made, aligning with the Trinitarian understanding of creation.
Midrash Rabbah (Jewish)
The Midrashim, ancient rabbinic commentaries, often elaborate on the details of creation, providing homiletic and allegorical interpretations alongside the literal. While acknowledging the literal sequence, they often delve into the symbolic significance of each day's creation, such as connecting the creation of light on day one to the Torah.