Journal: Journal of Ministry and Theology
Volume: JMAT 07:2 (Fall 2003)
Article: The Days of Creation: A Semantic Approach
Author: James Stambaugh

JMAT 7:2 (Fall 03) p. 42

The Days of Creation:
A Semantic Approach

Jim Stambaugh

Library Director, Instructor
Michigan Theological Seminary
Plymouth, Michigan

The interpretation of the meaning and significance of the Hebrew word יוֹם (which is translated in English as “day”) has been hotly debated among evangelicals for the last 150 years. During this time, as throughout the history of interpretation, eisegesis has been as common as exegesis.1 At present there are four prominent ways evangelicals view the creation account in Genesis 1. One view would see the “days” of Genesis 1 as being presented in a thematic way, and therefore, Genesis 1 is not a chronological description of creation. A second view would see the “days” of Genesis 1 as being historically accurate descriptions of creation, yet these “days” are long periods of time; these long periods of time may overlap or run concurrently.2 A third view would see the “days” of Genesis 1 as being a historically accurate description of creation; further they would see that the “days” are the same kind of days we experience on earth, yet there were large gaps of time somewhere in the process. A fourth view, to which this author subscribes, would see the “days” of Genesis 1 as a historically accurate description of creation that took place in six time periods that correspond to the “days” as we experience them on earth.

The purpose of this article will be to examine the text of Genesis 1, attempting to delineate the interpretation of the Hebrew word יוֹם. This will be done in four sections. Section one will give a brief overview of the historical interpretations of “day” and possible considerations of why scholars hold such positions. Section two

JMAT 7:2 (Fall 03) p. 43

will briefly examine the role of the Bible as God's communication to mankind and how semantic analysis is used to understand that communication. Section three will examine the use of “day” as it appears in various contexts. Section four will examine other possible choices Moses had to use in place of יוֹם. My next article will examine several objections to the recent creation view of “day” in Genesis 1.

His...

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