What does dayspring mean in the Bible?

Answer

The term “dayspring” is only found in two places in the Bible and is primarily used in the King James Version (KJV) or Bible versions published before the second half of the twentieth century. “Dayspring” is an archaic word meaning “dawn” or “morning.” The King James Version uses the word “dayspring” in Job 38:12: “Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place?” The New International Version (NIV) translates Job 38:12 this way: “Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place?” In this passage, the Lord emphasizes His all-encompassing power—He is the only One who can cause the dawn.

The word “dayspring” is also found in Zacharias’s prophecy at the birth of his son, John. Zacharias says that “the dayspring from on high hath visited us” «Through the tender mercy of our God; Whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, », (Luke 1:78, KJV). In this instance, the “dayspring” is a metaphor for the promised Messiah, Jesus, who would soon arrive. The NIV translates the word for “dayspring” as “the rising sun”; the New American Standard Version (NASB) translates it as “the Sunrise from on high.” The word “Sunrise” is capitalized in the NASB because it refers to the Son of God who would rise like the sun to bring light to all men (see Malachi 4:2 and John 1:4,9-10).

The word “dayspring” is still used today as a generic term for “a new era,” but it is no longer used for “sunrise.” Words like “dayspring” that have lost or changed their meanings with the passage of time are one reason for newer Bible versions. When the King James Bible was first translated into English, the word “dayspring” was commonly used. In the past 400 years, “dayspring” has become archaic.

And can cause confusion for modern readers.

It is helpful when studying the Bible to use multiple versions and compare wordings to achieve a better understanding of the message. Numerous resources offer side-by-side comparisons of each verse, along with the original Greek or Hebrew text. Through comparing various versions of a verse, we can uncover meanings of words like dayspring and come closer to understanding our unfathomable God.

Dayspring is also the name of a well-known Christian greeting card company: .