Historical source transcription

The Word "Day" in Genesis 1.

The word " day ", when used without any limiting words, may refer to a long or prolonged period: as, the " day of grace ", the " day of visitation ", the " day of salvation ", the " day of judgment ", the " day of the Lord ", " man's day ", etc. But when the word " day " is used with a numeral (cardinal or ordinal), as one, two, three, etc., or first, second, third, etc., " evening and morning " (Genesis 1), or the " seventh day " (Exodus 20: 9, 11, etc.), it is defined, limited, and restricted to an ordinary day of twenty-four hours.

The word " day " is never used for a year. Sometimes a corresponding number of days is used for a corresponding number of years, but in that case it is always expressly stated to be so used; as in Numbers 14: 33, 34. But, even in these cases, the word " day " means a day, and the word " year " means a year. It is not said that a day means a year; but the number of forty years is said to be " after the number of days in which ye searched the land, even forty days ".

It is the same in Ezekiel 4: 5, where the years of Israel's iniquity were laid on Ezekiel " according to the number of days ". In this case also, the word " days " means days, and the word " years " means years.

There is no Scriptural warrant for arbitrarily assuming this to be a general principle in the absence of any statement of that effect.