Does Genesis chapter 1 mean literal 24-hour days?

Answer

In our opinion, an examination of the Hebrew word for “day” and the context in which it appears in Genesis will lead to the conclusion that “day” means a literal, 24-hour period of time.

The Hebrew word yom, translated into English as “day,” can have multiple meanings. It can refer to the 24-hour period that it takes for the earth to rotate on its axis (e.g., “there are 24 hours in a day”). It can also refer to the period of daylight between dawn and dusk (e.g., “it gets pretty hot during the day but it cools down a bit at night”). Additionally, it can refer to an unspecified period of time (e.g., “back in my grandfather’s day…”). In Genesis 7:11, it is used to refer to a 24-hour period. In Genesis 1:16, it refers to the period of daylight between dawn and dusk. In Genesis 2:4, it refers to an unspecified period of time. Therefore, the question arises: what does yom mean in Genesis 1:5–2:2 when used with ordinal numbers (i.e., the first day, the second day, the third day, the fourth day, the fifth day, the sixth day, and the seventh day)? Are these 24-hour periods or something else? Could yom, as used here, mean an unspecified period of time?

We can determine how yom should be interpreted in Genesis 1:5–2:2 by comparing that context to the word’s usage elsewhere in Scripture. The Hebrew word yom appears 2,301 times in the Old Testament. Outside of Genesis 1, yom followed by a number (used 410 times) almost always indicates an ordinary day, i.e., a 24-hour period. There are a few instances where yom with a number does not imply a literal, 24-hour day. The combination of “evening” and “morning” together (38 times) most often indicates an ordinary day. The specific sequence of evening followed by morning, along with yom, is only found outside of Genesis 1 in one verse: Daniel 8:26, which clearly implies a long period of time.

In conclusion, the context in which the word yom is used in Genesis 1:5–2:2 should be carefully considered.

Genesis 1:5–2:2 describes each day as “the evening and the morning,” suggesting that the author meant 24-hour periods. This was the standard interpretation for most of Christian history. However, early church fathers like Augustine noted that the vague nature of the “days” in Genesis could imply a non-literal interpretation.

In the 1800s, a paradigm shift occurred in the scientific community, driven by hostility towards religion and an attempt to reinterpret observations contrary to the Bible. This led to a division in the scientific community. One side argued that atheism, an old earth, and naturalistic evolution were the only views compatible with science. The other side tried to refute atheism and any old-earth interpretations.

Both young-earth and old-earth interpretations are based on certain assumptions. Believers debate the meaning of “yom” in the creation account because arguments can be made for both sides. This debate does not diminish the significance of what Genesis teaches, regardless of one’s acceptance of young-earth creationism.

For example, Exodus 20:9–11 states that God used the six creation days in Genesis as a model for humanity’s workweek: work six days, rest one. Evidently, God had humans in mind even before creating them on the sixth day and intended to set an example for them. While God could have used six literal 24-hour days, He also could have employed long time periods for creation. Our perspective, based on our interpretation of the Bible, leans towards six literal days as the most probable explanation of the Genesis account.