A Genesis Day and the Age of the Earth: what does the Bible say?

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How long is a "day" in the first chapter of Genesis? Does the Bible say how old the earth Is?

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The first definition of "day" in the scripture is given in Genesis 1:5, "day" = "light". It is also the opposite of "darkness" which equals "night". The following graphic (which is mine) shows how this defintion works with the erev and boquer, one day forumula: One might ask how the darkness before the first day is included in the six days of creation then? Well, that is from Exodus 20:11 which uses a different defintion of "day". In that case, the darkness before the day is made part of a 24 hour day defintion. I have an article explain this: The Genesis Definition of DayEdited by Daniel4140, : No reason given.

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Creation 4140 B.C. Flood 2484 B.C
Exodus 1632 B.C. Online Chronology book: The Scroll of Biblical Chronology

Say what you will, but the fact that I can work out the rest of biblical chronology literally without contradiction shows that it is ALL literal. Saying something is ONLY figurative only makes sense when a contradiciton is demonstrated in the literal reading.So first demonstrate that the literal meaning of "day" in Gen. 1 creates a contradiciton with context, then I might consider your theological speculations on what the figurative meaning might be.

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Creation 4140 B.C. Flood 2484 B.C
Exodus 1632 B.C. Online Chronology book: The Scroll of Biblical Chronology

Ochaye, the purpose of this forum is discussion. Your one word answer does not qualify. I challenged you to show a contradiction with the literal use of "day".

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Creation 4140 B.C. Flood 2484 B.C
Exodus 1632 B.C. Online Chronology book: The Scroll of Biblical Chronology

If you read the first paragraph, you will see why:

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Further, the first day may or may not have had a dawn. If the newly created light increased gradually like turning up a dimmer switch on a lamp in a room, then the first day arguably has a dawn. If there was just a brilliant flash, then the first day has no dawn. Days two and beyond certainly had a dawn since the text speaks of "morning". Granting that a "dawn" for the first day is an assumption, I will assume it until proven otherwise simply to make the first day symmetrical to all the others.

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Source: The Genesis Definition of DayI don't think it's proven either way. You can have setting without morning. Just have the light flash into existence at zenith and then let it set. But, the POV is from one location on earth. There is no sequence of time for mornings and settings when viewed from space. But the text presupposed a sequence of time, so the Point of View must be one location on earth. Also no one ever confuses morning and setting at one place on earth with what is seen at the same time as another.This remark is confusing. Did you really mean chapter 2,3,and up chapter 4?

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Genesis 1:1 and it's history as given in Genesis 2:4-4:24 took place in that period of light that had become evening in Genesis 1:5.

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Creation 4140 B.C. Flood 2484 B.C
Exodus 1632 B.C. Online Chronology book: The Scroll of Biblical Chronology

Perhaps if you answer this question, I can get you to clarify your position. When do you think the stars were made? When do you think Genesis 1 says the stars were made?Daniel

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Creation 4140 B.C. Flood 2484 B.C
Exodus 1632 B.C. Online Chronology book: The Scroll of Biblical Chronology

Peg,
I think you missed my article, where I mention all those other meanings. Here it is again:

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One might ask how the darkness before the first day is included in the six days of creation then? Well, that is from Exodus 20:11 which uses a different defintion of "day". In that case, the darkness before the day is made part of a 24 hour day defintion. I have an article explain this: The Genesis Definition of Day

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The Hebrews began days at both sunrise and sunset. ONLY the Jews after the destruction of the temple always began days at sunset.

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But that strongest evidence for me that 'day' in genesis is not literally 24 hours long is that the account says that each day came to its completion with the words ... 'And there came to be evening and there came to be morning' a first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth day. but the seventh day is not said to have come to its completion. Is that day still in progress??? Is God still resting from his creative works?

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Right, my article agrees with most of that. It is only 12 hours.I also came to your defense on the Terah-Abraham connection thread with some additional info you could have used to show that Terah 205 = Abraham 75 is correct.

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Creation 4140 B.C. Flood 2484 B.C
Exodus 1632 B.C. Online Chronology book: The Scroll of Biblical Chronology

The stars were created on the 4th day after a lot of other things on earth. Thst's what the text says.

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Creation 4140 B.C. Flood 2484 B.C
Exodus 1632 B.C. Online Chronology book: The Scroll of Biblical Chronology