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Easton's Bible Dictionary
From the beginning, time was divided into weeks, each
consisting of six days of working and one of rest ( Genesis 2:2 , 2:3 ; 7:10 ;
8:10 , 8:12 ; 29:28 ). The references to this division of days becomes afterwards
more frequent ( Exodus 34:22 ; Leviticus 12:5 ; Numbers 28:26 ; Deuteronomy 16:16
; 2 Chronicles 8:13 ; Jeremiah 5:24 ; Daniel 9:24 - 27 ; 10:2 , 10:3 ). It has
been found to exist among almost all nations.
Hitchcock's Dictionary of Bible Names
(no entry)
Smith's Bible Dictionary
There can be no doubt about the great antiquity of measuring
time by a period of seven days. ( Genesis 8:10 ; 29:27 ) The origin of this division
of time is a matter which has given birth to much speculation. Its antiquity is
so great its observance so widespread, and it occupies so important a place in
sacred things, that it must probably be thrown back as far as the creation of
man. The week and the Sabbath are thus as old as man himself. A purely theological
ground is thus established for the week. They who embrace this view support it
by a reference to the six days creation and the divine rest on the seventh. 1st.
That the week rests on a theological ground may be cheerfully acknowledged by
both sides; but nothing is determined by such acknowledgment as to the original
cause of adopting this division of time. Whether the week gave its sacredness
to the number seven, or whether the ascendancy of that number helped to determine
the dimensions of the week, it is impossible to say. 2d. The weekly division was
adopted by all the Shemitic races, and, in the later period of their history at
least, by the Egyptians. On the other hand, there is no reason for thinking the
week known till a late period to either Greeks or Romans. So far from the week
being a division of time without ground in nature, there was much to recommend
its adoption. And further, the week is a most natural and nearly an exact quadri-partition
of the month, so that the quarters of the moon may easily have suggested it. It
is clear that if not in Pauls time, yet very soon after, the whole Roman world
had adopted the hebdomadal division. Weeks, Feast of. [PENTECOST]
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
wek (shebhua', from shebha', "seven"; sabbaton-ta, "from
sabbath to sabbath"):
The seven-day division of time common to the Hebrews and Babylonians (Genesis
29:27 , 28 ; Luke 18:12). See ASTRONOMY; TIME. "Week" is used in the apocalyptic
writings of Daniel for an unknown, prophetic period (Daniel 9:24 - 27). For the
names of the days see ASTROLOGY, 12.
Tags:
bible commentary, bible reference, bible study, define, history of, seven, shebha, shebhua, week
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