The Creation Calendar shows Hebrew
Months which begin at each new moon.
Enter the Gregorian Calendar date to see
the corresponding Hebrew Month, OR
a Hebrew Month and Gregorian year.
Isaiah 53
from the Aleppo Codex
Who has believed Our report? And to whom has the arm of
יהוה
been revealed?
For He comes up as a tender plant before Him, and as a Root out of a dry ground.
He has no form, nor honor, when we observe Him, nor beauty, that we should desire Him.
He was despised, and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. And
as one hiding His countenance from us, He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
Surely He has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows, yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten
by Elohim, and afflicted.
And He was pierced for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, the punishment that
brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned each to his own way, and
יהוה
has
laid on Him
את
the punishment of us all.
He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. He was led as a Lamb
to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, He did not open His mouth.
By oppression and trial was taken away, and who can speak of
את
His descendants? For He
was cut off from the land of the living, for the transgressions of My people He was stricken.
And He made His grave with
את
the wicked, and with
את
the rich in His death, because He
had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth.
Yet it pleased
יהוה
to bruise Him and to cause Him to suffer, and though
יהוה
makes His life
an offering for sin, He will see His offspring and prolong His days, and the will of
יהוה
will prosper in His hand.
He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant
shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will give Him a portion with the great, and shall divide
את
the spoil with the
strong, because He poured out His soul even to death, and was numbered with
את
the transgressors, and
He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Determining the Hebrew Hour
A Hebrew Hour is defined as 1/12 of the time between sunset
and sunrise, or 1/12 of the time between sunrise and sunset.
The only Scriptural reference to there being 12 Hebrew Hours in a Hebrew Day is found in
John 11:9
where
 יהושע
the Messiah asked a famous question, "Are there not 12 hours in a day?"
The diagram below is a working timepiece where the sun's position indicates the current
Hebrew Hour at Jerusalem. One Hebrew Hour ends and another begins when the
center of the sun crosses an hour line.
Live Jerusalem Time
Mid
Day
1st Hour
2nd Hour
3rd Hour
4th Hour
5th Hour
6th Hour
7th Hour
8th Hour
9th Hour
10th Hour
11th Hour
12th Hour
Mid
Night
1st Hour
2nd Hour
3rd Hour
4th Hour
5th Hour
6th Hour
7th Hour
8th Hour
9th Hour
10th Hour
11th Hour
12th Hour
First Watch
Second Watch
Third Watch
Fourth Watch
x
until next Hebrew Hour
y
z
This live time clock shows the current Scriptural Hebrew Hour in Jerusalem based
on the instantaneous position of the sun as it would be seen there. The dark area
represents Night, and the light area represents Day. As the sun's disk moves in a
clockwise motion, the current Hebrew Hour is indicated.
One Hebrew Hour ends and another Hebrew Hour begins at the moment the center of the sun's
disk crosses an hour line. The Night Watches for the Age of the Messiah are also shown.
The Torah, the Prophets and the Writings do not number specific Hebrew Hours.
Only the Messianic Scriptures number specific Hebrew Hours in Matthew, Mark, Luke
and Acts. The third hour of the day is referred to in
Matthew 20:3-4,
Mark 15:25
and
Acts 2:15.
The third hour of the night
is referred to in
Acts 23:23-24.
The sixth hour of the day
is referred to in
Matthew 20:5,
27:45,
Mark 15:33,
Luke 23:44
and
Acts 10:9.
The ninth hour of the day
is referred to in
Matthew 20:5,
27:45,
27:46,
Mark 15:33,
15:34,
Luke 23:44,
Acts 3:1,
Acts 10:3
and
Acts 10:30-31.
The eleventh hour of the day is referred to in
Matthew 20:6
and
Matthew 20:9.
A Typical Hebrew Day
One Hebrew Day
Genesis 1:5 Elohim called the light Day and the darkness
He called Night.
And there was Evening and there was Morning
- Day One.
12 Hours
John 11:9 Are there not 12 hours in a day?
First
Watch
Second
Watch
Third
Watch
Fourth
Watch
Sunset
Evening
"Twinkling of an eye"
Night Begins
Sunrise
Morning
Sunset
Evening
Evening
Twilight
"Twinkling of an eye"
Night Begins
Morning
Twilight
Between the
Evenings
בין הערבים
(Evening Twilight)
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
5
6
6
7
7
8
8
9
9
10
10
11
11
12
12
Mid-day
Hebrew Day Hours
Mid-night
Hebrew Night Hours
A Hebrew Day consists of 12 Hebrew Night Hours and 12 Hebrew Day Hours.
The midpoint of the 12 Hebrew Night Hours is called Mid-night.
The moment of Mid-night occurs exactly halfway between sunset and sunrise separating
the sixth and seventh Hebrew Night Hours.
The midpoint of the 12 Hebrew Day Hours is called Mid-day.
The moment of Mid-day occurs exactly halfway between sunrise and sunset separating
the sixth and seventh Hebrew Day Hours.
An easy way to measure Day Hours is by using an equiangular sundial marked with 12 divisions.
In the Creation Calendar, Hebrew Hours begin at sunrise and sunset.
A Hebrew Hour occurring between sunset and sunrise is called a
Hebrew Night Hour. A Hebrew Hour occurring between sunrise and
sunset is called a Hebrew Day Hour. Sunset occurs and the
First Watch begins exactly at the beginning of the first Hebrew
Night Hour. The Second Watch begins exactly at the beginning of the
fourth Hebrew Night Hour. Mid-night occurs and the Third Watch
begins exactly at the beginning of the seventh Hebrew Night Hour. The
Fourth Watch begins exactly at the beginning of the tenth
Hebrew Night Hour, and ends at sunrise at the end of the twelfth
Hebrew Night Hour. Sunrise is always exactly at the beginning of the
first Hebrew Day Hour. Mid-day occurs exactly at the end of the
sixth Hebrew Day Hour. Sunset occurs exactly at the end of the
twelfth Hebrew Day Hour.
The duration of a Hebrew Hour varies with the season. A Hebrew Day Hour is
shorter in duration during winter when a Hebrew Night Hour
is longer in duration. A Hebrew Day Hour is longer
in duration during summer when a Hebrew Night Hour is shorter
in duration.
A Short Hebrew Day in Winter
One Hebrew Day
First
Watch
Second
Watch
Third
Watch
Fourth
Watch
12 Hours
Sunset
Evening
Sunrise
Morning
Sunset
Evening
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
5
6
6
7
7
8
8
9
9
10
10
11
11
12
12
Mid-day
Hebrew Day Hours
Mid-night
Hebrew Night Hours
In this diagram, a Hebrew Day Hour is shorter in duration than a Hebrew Night Hour.
This occurs in winter. The daytime hours are the shortest on the day of the winter
solstice.
A Long Hebrew Day in Summer
One Hebrew Day
First
Watch
Second
Watch
Third
Watch
Fourth
Watch
12 Hours
Sunset
Evening
Sunrise
Morning
Sunset
Evening
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
5
6
6
7
7
8
8
9
9
10
10
11
11
12
12
Mid-day
Hebrew Day Hours
Mid-night
Hebrew Night Hours
In this diagram, a Hebrew Day Hour is longer in duration than a Hebrew Night Hour.
This occurs in summer. The daytime hours are the longest on the day of the summer
solstice.
In contrast to Matthew, Mark, Luke and Acts, the book of John, as
it now exists in the Greek manuscripts, numbers hours from midnight
as the Romans did. Pilate questioned
 יהושע
the Messiah at the sixth
hour Roman reckoning according to
John 19:14
which is the twelfth
Hebrew Night Hour.
 יהושע
the Messiah sat at Jacob's well at Sychar at
the sixth hour Roman reckoning after a tiresome journey according to
John 4:6
which is the twelfth Hebrew Day Hour. A nobleman
travelled the better part of a day from Cana to Capernaum and met
 יהושע
the Messiah at the seventh hour Roman reckoning according to in
John 4:52
which is the first Hebrew Night Hour. The disciples came
to the place
 יהושע
the Messiah was staying at the tenth hour Roman
reckoning and stayed with Him for the rest of that day according to
John 1:39.
The tenth hour Roman reckoning is the fourth Hebrew
Day Hour.
Although some have claimed there is no historical proof that the Romans
counted the hours from midnight, such proof indeed exists. According
to Gaius Plinius Secundus who lived between 23 C.E. and 79 C.E., the Roman
authorities counted civil hours from midnight.
Pliny the Elder, Natural History 2:77: "The very day itself men have
observed in various manners. The Babylonians count the period between the two sunrises,
the Athenians that between two sunsets, the Umbrians from midday to midday, the common
people everywhere from dawn to dark, the Roman priests and the authorities who
fix the civil day, and also the Egyptians and Hipparchus, the period from
midnight to midnight."
Today, the Gregorian Calendar counts civil hours from midnight similar
to the way the Romans did.
The Watches of the Night
In the Age of Torah the time between sunset and sunrise was divided
into three watches. The evening watch is alluded to by Moses in
Psalms 90:4.
Psalms 90:4 For a thousand years in Your sight are as one day
when it is past, as a watch in the night [the evening watch].
This verse alludes to the fact that one Hebrew Day is past at the
moment of sunset when the evening watch begins.
It also alludes to the fact that one millennium ends and another
millennium begins at sunset when the evening watch begins.
The middle watch of the night is mentioned once in
Judges 7:19.
The morning watch is referred to by Moses in
Exodus 14:24
and is also
mentioned in
1 Samuel 11:11.
By the time of the Age of the Messiah, the time between sunset and
sunrise was divided into four watches. The second watch and
third watch are each mentioned once in
Luke 12:38.
The fourth watch is mentioned once in
Matthew 14:25
and once in
Mark 6:48
as the time when the Messiah walked on the water.
Watches During the Ages
One Hebrew Day
Genesis 1:5 Elohim called the light Day and the darkness
He called Night.
And there was Evening and there was Morning
- Day One.
12 Hours
John 11:9 Are there not 12 hours in a day?
During the Age of Instruction
Evening
Watch
Middle
Watch
Morning
Watch
First
Watch
Second
Watch
Third
Watch
Fourth
Watch
During the Age of the Messiah
Sunset
Evening
"Twinkling of an eye"
Night Begins
Sunrise
Morning
Sunset
Evening
Evening
Twilight
"Twinkling of an eye"
Night Begins
Morning
Twilight
Between the
Evenings
בין הערבים
(Evening Twilight)
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
5
6
6
7
7
8
8
9
9
10
10
11
11
12
12
Mid-day
Hebrew Day Hours
Mid-night
Hebrew Night Hours
There are always 12 Hebrew Night Hours and 12 Hebrew Day Hours in a Hebrew Day.
This diagram represents a typical Hebrew Day in which the duration of both the
nighttime and the daytime hours are about the same. This occurs twice a year around
the time of the fall equinox and spring equinox.
There are always exactly 24 Hebrew Hours between two sunsets.
However, the duration of time between two sunsets measured
in civil hours, minutes and seconds changes
slightly throughout the year. The curve on the graph below represents the time
difference in seconds between 24 civil hours and 24 Hebrew Hours throughout
the year at Jerusalem. The
blue area represents the period when 24 Hebrew Hours
are slightly longer in duration than 24 civil hours. The
purple area represents
the period when 24 Hebrew Hours are slightly shorter in duration than 24 civil
hours. The duration of 24 Hebrew Hours on the Hebrew Day of the spring equinox
is 24:00:41 or 41 seconds longer than 24 civil hours. The duration
of 24 Hebrew Hours on the Hebrew Day of the fall equinox is 23:58:41 or
79 seconds less than 24 civil hours. Notice there is little correlation
between the shape of the time variation curve and the seasonal solstices
and equinoxes.
The Duration of a Hebrew Day
0
Days
50
Days
100
Days
150
Days
200
Days
250
Days
300
Days
350
Days
+100 Seconds
+50 Seconds
Time Difference in
seconds between
a Hebrew Day of
24 Hebrew Hours
and 24 civil hours
0 Seconds
-50 Seconds
-100 Seconds
winter solstice
Winter
spring equinox
Spring
summer solstice
Summer
fall equinox
Fall
A Hebrew Day always has exactly 24 Hebrew Hours. A civil day consists of 24 civil
hours. However, a Hebrew Day does not always equal 24 civil hours.
Since a Hebrew Day is the time from one sunset
to the next, its duration will differ from 24 civil hours due to the
civil time difference between the two sunset times.
The curve on this graph represents the time difference in seconds between a Hebrew
Day of 24 Hebrew Hours and a civil day of 24 civil hours throughout the
year at Jerusalem.
Accuracy of Sunrise and Sunset Times
Calculations for sunrise and sunset times on torahcalendar.com are based upon certain
assumptions made in modeling atmospheric refraction. These assumptions include using the
latitude, longitude and elevation near the Temple Mount located in Jerusalem, using a yearly
average barometric pressure of 1010 millibars, and using a yearly average air temperature
of 19.4°C (66.9°F). Therefore, all times displayed relating
to sunrise or sunset which are shown with a resolution in seconds, are determined based
upon these atmospheric refraction modeling assumptions.
As Jean Meeus states in Astronomical Algorithms:
"A change of temperature from
winter to summer can shift the times of sunrise and sunset by about
20 seconds in mid-northern and mid-southern latitudes. Similarly,
observing sunrise or sunset over a range of barometric pressures leads to a
variation of a dozen seconds in time."
Jean Meeus, Astronomical Algorithms, Second Edition, p.101.
"The effect of [atmospheric] refraction increases
when the pressure increases or when the [air] temperature decreases."
Jean Meeus, Astronomical Algorithms, Second Edition, p.106.
"Near the horizon unpredictable
disturbances of the atmosphere become rather important. According to investigations by
Schaefer and Liller, the refraction at the horizon fluctuates by
0.3°
around a mean value [34 minutes of arc] normally, and in some cases apparently much
more ... it should be mentioned here that
giving rising or setting times of a celestial body more accurately than to the nearest
minute makes no sense."
Jean Meeus, Astronomical Algorithms, Second Edition, p.107.
For these reasons, actual observed sunrise and sunset times at Jerusalem
may differ by as much as
one minute due to daily variations in temperature and barometric pressure.
In winter when the temperature is colder, the actual sunrise may occur earlier than
projected times. Also, on a day when the barometric pressure is higher, sunrise may occur
earlier. Cold temperature and high barometric pressure combined work cumulatively in
causing the sunrise to occur earlier than the projected times.
Torahcalendar.com only displays sunrise and sunset times to the nearest second
to better illustrate the passage of time while providing a near real-time simulation of these
events.