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Since creation, a day began when the preceding day closed, at sunset. The dark part of the day came first, then the light part. We read in the book of Genesis, “The evening and the morning were the first day” (Genesis 1:5). Literally this verse means “evening was, morning was, day one.” This is repeated five more times in the first chapter of Genesis (vs. 8, 13, 19, 23, 31).
Also, the yearly feasts or sabbaths were kept “from even to even” (Leviticus 23:32). And the same truth that evening is sunset is presented in the book of Deuteronomy. Moses wrote, that “In the evening, at the going down of the sun …” (Deuteronomy 16:6).
In the Hebrew language, the word for “even” is “‘ereb”, or “עָרַב”, which by definition means “evening, night, sunset.” More information on that can be found by referring to the Strong’s Concordance, and seeing that reference to “even” as being from עָרַב (H6150):
http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H6153&t=KJV
So, it is clear from both the Old and New Testaments that the Sabbath hours begin when the sun goes down on Friday evening.
BibleAsk Team
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