The time between the fading of daylight and nightfall. The onset of darkness marks the end of the working day and is a time for rest and refreshment. It is an assigned time for sacrifice and an opportunity for reflection and prayer. The evening also brings dangers.
Evening marks the end of the day
Evening and God's work of creation
The onset of darkness
Proverbs 7:9 Psalm 102:11, Psalm 109:23; Jeremiah 6:4
at twilight, as the day was fading into the dark of the night.
Days reckoned from evening to evening
Exodus 12:18; Leviticus 23:32 The Sabbath began at sunset on Friday.
Ritual uncleanness lasts until evening
Leviticus 11:39–40, Leviticus 17:15; Numbers 19:7–8; Deuteronomy 23:11
Waiting on God until evening
Joshua 7:6 See also Judges 20:23, Judges 20:26–27, Judges 21:2–3
Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown before the ark of the LORD until evening, as did the elders of Israel; and they all sprinkled dust on their heads.
Mourning until evening
City gates shut at evening
Joshua 2:5; 2 Kings 7:9–11; Nehemiah 13:19; Ezekiel 46:2
Executed criminals to be buried by evening
Deuteronomy 21:22–23; Joshua 8:29, Joshua 10:26; Matthew 27:57–58 parallels Mark 15:42–43, Luke 23:52–54; John 19:31
Evening as a time for refreshment
A time to rest from labour
Psalm 104:23; Luke 21:37 See also Judges 19:16; Ruth 2:17; Job 7:2; Zephaniah 2:7; Matthew 20:8; Mark 4:35–38 parallels Matthew 8:23, Luke 8:22–23
Man goes forth to his work and to his labor until evening.
Every day Jesus taught at the temple, but every evening He went out to spend the night on the Mount of Olives.
A time to rest from travel
Judges 19:9 See also Genesis 19:1–2; Numbers 9:21; Luke 24:29
When the man got up to depart with his concubine and his servant, his father-in-law, the girl’s father, said to him, “Look, the day is drawing to a close. Please spend the night. See, the day is almost over. Spend the night here, that your heart may be merry. Then you can get up early tomorrow for your journey home.”
A time to return home
Matthew 21:17 See also Genesis 30:16; Mark 11:11, Mark 11:19; John 6:16–17
Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where He spent the night.
A time to eat
Exodus 16:12; 1 Kings 17:6; Matthew 14:15; John 13:2
A time for reflection and prayer
Genesis 24:63 See also Psalm 55:17, Psalm 141:2; Matthew 14:23 parallel Mark 6:46
Early in the evening, Isaac went out to the field to meditate, and looking up, he saw the camels approaching.
Evening religious duties
The evening sacrifice
Exodus 29:38–41 See also Numbers 28:8; 1 Chronicles 16:40; Ezra 3:31KI Ezra 18:29; Ezra 9:4–5; Daniel 9:21
This is what you are to offer regularly on the altar, each day: two lambs that are a year old. Offer one lamb in the morning and the other at twilight. With the first lamb offer a tenth of an ephah of fine flour, mixed with a quarter hin of oil from pressed olives, and a drink offering of a quarter hin of wine. And offer the second lamb at twilight with the same grain offering and drink offering as in the morning, as a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the LORD.
Lighting the lamps in the sanctuary
Exodus 30:8 See also Exodus 27:21 parallel Leviticus 24:3
When Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he must burn the incense perpetually before the LORD for the generations to come.
The Passover sacrifice
Exodus 12:6 See also Leviticus 23:5; Numbers 9:2–5; Deuteronomy 16:6; Joshua 5:10; Matthew 26:20 parallel Mark 14:17–18; Luke 22:14
You must keep it until the fourteenth day of the month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel will slaughter the animals at twilight.
Adulterous behaviour in the evening
2 Samuel 11:2–4; Job 24:15; Proverbs 7:14–20
Other evening activities
Matthew 8:16 parallels Mark 1:32, Luke 4:40 People came to Jesus Christ after sunset, when the Sabbath was over. See also Genesis 24:11 Water collected in the evening, the coolest time of the day; Matthew 16:2 Red sky in the evening as a sign of fair weather
When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to Jesus, and He drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick.
The dangers of the evening
Isaiah 17:14; Zephaniah 3:3 Israel's rulers are likened to wolves who prowl in the evening looking for food. See also 2 Kings 7:7; Psalm 59:6; Habakkuk 1:8
In the evening, there is sudden terror! Before morning, they are no more! This is the portion of those who loot us and the lot of those who plunder us.
Her princes are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves, leaving nothing for the morning.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.