The Definition of the word Day

Day

The Jews reckoned the day from sunset to sunset (Lev. 23:32). It "was originally divided into three parts (Ps. 55:17). "The heat" "of the day" (1 Sam. 11:11; Neh. 7:3) was at our nine o'clock," "and "the cool of the day" just before sunset (Gen. 3:8). Before" "the Captivity the Jews divided the night into three watches, (1)" from sunset to midnight (Lam. 2:19); (2) from midnight till the cock-crowing (Judg. 7:19); and (3) from the cock-crowing till sunrise (Ex. 14:24). In the New Testament the division of the Greeks and Romans into four watches was adopted (Mark 13:35). (See [147]WATCHES.) "The division of the day by hours is first mentioned in Dan. 3:6, 15; 4:19; 5:5. This mode of reckoning was borrowed from the Chaldeans. The reckoning of twelve hours was from sunrise to "sunset, and accordingly the hours were of variable length (John" 11:9). "The word "day" sometimes signifies an indefinite time (Gen. 2:4; "Isa. 22:5; Heb. 3:8, etc.). In Job 3:1 it denotes a birthday," "and in Isa. 2:12, Acts 17:31, and 2 Tim. 1:18, the great day of" final judgment.