Hi

We have discussed the issue of the creation on the Highway boards more than once over the years. Some of you are aware that I am an advocate of the 24 hour day view. One of the reasons for my belief in this view is how one supporter of the 24 hr. day view puts it.
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The days of creation should be accepted as literal, 24-hour periods because whenever the Hebrew word yom is preceded by a numeral in Old Testament non-prophetical literature (viz., the same kind of literature found in Genesis 1), it always carries the meaning of a normal day.
(from
http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/301 ) This of course is not the only reason for believing this view, but I believe it is a good one.
I also believe that the literal reading of the creation account is the most natural reading, because I don’t see any clues in the text that God meant it to be understood any other way.

So my starting this thread is not that I have changed my mind on the issue. Quite the contrary, I still believe it.
However, seeing how this particular understanding of the Hebrew word “Yom” in this context is even being challenged by some so called Reformed theologians.
I thought it might benefit me (and others) mainly because my knowledge is limited particularly on the meaning of Hebrew words, to give one opposing view of the Hebrew word “Yom” in context with the creation account.

http://www.godandscience.org/youngearth/yom_with_number.pdf

Among the things that the article says is the following.
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A review of the Hebrew text of the Bible finds:
(1) Each of the Hebrew numberings expressed by “yom” + ordinal number used in Genesis 1:8, Genesis 1:13,
Genesis 1:19, Genesis 1:23, and Genesis 1:31 ( i.e., five of the six creative times) appear only one time in
the Bible.
(2) Where “yom” is numbered in other verses, the reader almost always finds that the number is prefixed by
the Hebrew letter “heh” the prefix meaning “the.” This is illustrated by Archer’s harison “the first”
and hasseni “the second.” In these words, the Hebrew letter is pronounced with a following “a”
vowel leading to ha + rison and ha + sseni , where the ha represents the phonetic pronunciation of the
Hebrew prefix and the following vowel.
(3) In other verses where “yom” is numbered, the reader almost always finds one of the following:
a. “In yom,” i.e., “yom” prefixed by the letter “beth,” a preposition meaning “in” or “on.”
b. “And in yom,” i.e., “in yom” with the added prefix “waw” meaning “and.”
c. Or, infrequently, “yom” with a different preceding prefix or preposition. These may be
the attached prefixes meaning “to,” “and,” or the unattached preposition meaning “until.”
Note: In almost every case, both “yom” and the number are prefixed. As a consequence, the numberings in
Hebrew differ significantly from the pattern found in Genesis 1:8, Genesis 1:13, Genesis 1:19, and Genesis 1:23.
A computer search of the possible Hebrew wordings that could number “yom,” using “second” gave the results
listed below. As listed, the entire Hebrew word with attached prefixes is translated enclosed in quotation marks and
represents successive words:
“yom” “second” ————— one verse, Genesis 1:8
“in yom” “the second” ——— 8 times [ This is Archer’s hayyom hasseni.]
“and in yom” “the second” — 3 times

Also:
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Gleason L. Archer, Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties, pages 60-61, Baker 1982:
“ There were six major stages in this work of formation, and these stages are represented by successive days
of a week. In this connection it is important to observe that none of the six creative days bears a definite
article in the Hebrew text; the translations “the first day,” “ the second day,” etc., are in error. The Hebrew
says, “And the evening took place, and the morning took place, day one” (1:5). Hebrew expresses “the first
day” by hayyom harison, but this text says simply yom ehad (day one). Again, in v.8 we read not hayyom
hasseni (“the second day”) but yom seni (“a second day”). In Hebrew prose of this genre, the definite
article was generally used where the noun was intended to be definite; only in poetic style could it be
omitted. The same is true with the rest of the six days; they all lack the definite article. Thus they are well
adapted to a sequential pattern, rather than to strictly delimited units of time.”
Gleason Archer was Associate Editor of the Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament. In the quote above,
the first two italicized letters ha of words like harison indicate the Hebrew prefix “heh” meaning “the.”

Tom