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Why “unclean until the even?”

Christian ambassador (Shawn Brasseaux)

WHY “UNCLEAN UNTIL THE EVEN?” WHAT MAKES “EVEN” SO SPECIAL?

by Shawn Brasseaux

On some 30 occasions, JEHOVAH God in the Mosaic Law made it a special point to say ceremonially-defiled individuals were “unclean until (the) even.” What was so exceptional about the “even” (evening)? Why at the end of the day would God consider someone cleansed? This seems awkward. We would expect this cleansing to be rather at the day’s beginning—namely, morning. What about the morning? “For what saith the Scriptures?”

Notice this sampling of verses:

So, why is the emphasis placed on the “even” (evening) instead of the “morn” (morning)? If we study the Scriptures carefully, we will find the answer.

The Bible’s first chapter, Genesis chapter 1, shows us how God defines a day. “And the evening and the morning were the first day” (verse 5). “And the evening and the morning were the second day” (verse 8). “And the evening and the morning were the third day” (verse 13). “And the evening and the morning were the fourth day” (verse 19). “And the evening and the morning were the fifth day” (verse 23). “And the evening and the morning were the sixth day” (verse 31). Did you catch the pattern?

“And the evening and the morning were the first day.” Since God in the Hebrew Bible organizes daily time in this fashion, the Jews follow His arrangement. In contradistinction, we as Gentiles would say, “And the morning and the evening were the first day.” Whereas we Gentiles begin a day at midnight (and conclude it on the next midnight), the Jews start that same day in the evening (and run it to the following evening). Here is a little side-note worth mentioning. The restrictive language here shows us that the “Creation Days” of the opening chapters of Genesis were literal 24-hour days as we understand them. They were not, as commonly taught, extended periods of time (thousands, millions, or billions of years—“days” being read as “ages”). One evening and one morning can be nothing other than a 24-hour period!

Going back to “evening and morning.” We Gentiles consider Friday ending at midnight (with Saturday starting right after). However, the Jews end Friday at 6 P.M.—the Jewish Saturday starts before the Gentile Saturday. The days are the same length (24 hours); they are just offset by six hours. Let me state it another way. If Saturday for Gentiles starts the midnight following Friday, the Saturday for the Jews started six hours prior (the Gentile’s Friday at 6 P.M.). It can get a little complicated, so, that being said, perhaps it is easier to remember this rule of thumb: Jews reckon the start of a day six hours before Gentiles. (Once you see the logic behind the system, this little rule is quite useful in explaining the timetable to others.)

Leviticus 23:26-32 shows us how God wanted the Jews to reckon time: “[26] And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, [27] Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD. [28] And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God. [29] For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people. [30] And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people. [31] Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. [32] It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.”

The annual Day of Atonement (see Leviticus chapter 16) was in the seventh month (Tishri or Ethanim—roughly September/October). It was on the tenth day of the month (verse 27). Verse 32 calls it a special “sabbath of rest” (not to be confused with the regular or weekly Sabbath, Saturday). This “sabbath,” the Day of Atonement, ran from “the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even” (verse 32). The ninth day at even began the tenth day, and that tenth day continued until the next even. This is the final line of evidence needed to establish our earlier claims. “Even” begins the new day.

As previously stated, God in the Mosaic Law made it a special point to say individuals would be “unclean until (the) even.” In His mind, in the Jew’s mind, the morning was not the beginning of the new day—it was the end. Evening began the new day. While we have Gentile minds and Gentile customs, we must think about the Bible’s calendar the way God does. Consider it from the Jewish perspective, from the Divine perspective. These corrupted people would be unclean until even because even began the next day. That fact is obscured because we overwhelmingly use a Gentile time schedule—beginning new days in the morning (midnight). If you begin the day of these verses in the evening, there is no difficulty.

In closing, you can read all those “until even” verses:

Also see:
» Why did Israel have to keep so many strange laws?
» Why did God demand blood sacrifices?
» Does God see us Christians as sinners?

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