עֶ֫רֶב (e.rev)
e.rev
evening
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 112 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun erev refers to evening, sunset, or night. It appears frequently in Genesis and the Law books, marking the transition from day to darkness. In Genesis 1, God separates light from darkness, calling the darkness "erev," establishing it as a fundamental part of creation's rhythm rather than merely an absence of light.
A distinctive usage occurs in the phrase "between the two evenings" (bein ha'arbayim). This dual form appears in Exodus 12:6 and Leviticus 23:5 regarding the timing of the Passover lamb and evening sacrifices. Ancient Jewish tradition, noted by Josephus, interpreted this as the period from sunset to full darkness, while other groups saw it as a broader window starting earlier. This specific phrasing highlights how precise temporal markers were for ritual observance.
The word also describes natural settings, such as Jacob arriving at a well at erev (Genesis 29:7) or the raven returning to Noah with an olive leaf in the evening (Genesis 8:11). These instances show erev as a time of rest, gathering, and divine interaction, grounding theological concepts in the daily cycle of light and dark.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word erev marks the gentle shift from daylight to dusk, a time when the day’s work settles and the mind turns inward. In Genesis 1, this transition is not an end but part of God’s ordered rhythm, showing that darkness holds its own place in creation. It reminds us that rest is built into the fabric of life, not an afterthought.
Throughout Scripture, erev often signals moments of meeting or provision. Jacob finds his wife at evening; Noah sees hope through an olive leaf as dusk falls; Israel receives quail when darkness approaches. These details ground faith in daily reality, suggesting that God’s care is present in the quiet closing of each day.
This word invites a posture of trust. When light fades and routines pause, we are reminded that creation continues under God’s watch. It offers a space to breathe, reflect, and acknowledge that even in dimming hours, divine presence remains steady and near.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 112 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ evening50×
- in the/ evening21×
- evening20×
- the/ evenings9×
- from/ evening4×
- and/ to the/ evening3×
- and/ in the/ evening3×
- [the] evening3×
- to the/ evening2×
- the/ two evenings2×
- to <the>/ evening1×
- in/ [the] evening of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הָ/עָֽרֶב\׃26×
- הָ/עָ֑רֶב10×
- עֶ֥רֶב6×
- עֶ֔רֶב6×
- בָּ/עֶ֔רֶב6×
- עָֽרֶב\׃5×
- הָ/עֶ֗רֶב3×
- הָ/עֶ֖רֶב3×
- עָ֑רֶב2×
- מֵ/עֶ֣רֶב2×
- וְ/לָ/עֶ֖רֶב2×
- הָ/עָֽרֶב\׃\ \פ2×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 1:5
God called the light “day”, and the darkness he called “night”. There was evening and there was morning, the first day.
This verse establishes evening as an integral component of the created order, pairing it with morning to define the first day.
-
Genesis 8:11
The dove came back to him at evening and, behold, in her mouth was a freshly plucked olive leaf. So Noah knew that the waters were abated from the earth.
Here evening becomes the backdrop for a sign of hope, as the dove returns with an olive leaf just as daylight fades.
-
Exodus 12:6
You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month; and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at evening.
The timing of the Passover lamb’s slaughter at evening underscores the precision required in Israel’s ritual observance.
-
Exodus 16:13
In the evening, quail came up and covered the camp; and in the morning the dew lay around the camp.
Quail arriving at evening demonstrates God’s provision meeting the people’s needs precisely as the day transitions to night.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does erev mean in Hebrew?
How is erev different from laylah?
Where does erev appear most frequently?
Every Occurrence (112 verses across 26 books)
Genesis 13 verses
God called the light “day”, and the darkness he called “night”. There was evening and there was morning, the first day.
Genesis 1:8God called the expanse “sky”. There was evening and there was morning, a second day.
Genesis 1:13There was evening and there was morning, a third day.
Genesis 1:19There was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.
Genesis 1:23There was evening and there was morning, a fifth day.
Genesis 1:31God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning, a sixth…
Genesis 8:11The dove came back to him at evening and, behold, in her mouth was a freshly plucked olive leaf. So Noah knew that the…
Genesis 19:1The two angels came to Sodom at evening. Lot sat in the gate of Sodom. Lot saw them, and rose up to meet them. He bowed…
Genesis 24:11He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time that women go out…
Genesis 24:63Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the evening. He lifted up his eyes and looked. Behold, there were camels…
Genesis 29:23In the evening, he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to Jacob. He went in to her.
Genesis 30:16Jacob came from the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, “You must come in to me; for I have…
Genesis 49:27“Benjamin is a ravenous wolf. In the morning he will devour the prey. At evening he will divide the plunder.”