Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

SABBATH DAYS JOURNEY

The distance of travel permissible on the sabbath. Work was prohibited on the sabbath, and travel was considered work (Exod. 16:29). Therefore, scholars of the law had to determine what distance of travel was permissible. In the wilderness a sabbath day’s journey was the distance between the ark and the camp, which was 2000 cubits or ca. 914 m. (1000 yds.; Josh. 3:4). The same distance existed between the levitical cities and the boundaries of their pasture lands (Num. 35:4-5). In NT times a sabbath day’s journey was about the distance from the Mount of Olives to the temple (Acts 1:12).

Debates grew around the question of how much travel was permitted. Some Jews redefined their “home” by depositing food 2000 cubits from their home. This spot became a new home, and travel could extend another 2000 cubits from there. In some cases entire towns were declared one’s domicile, and thus travel could extend from the border (hence the importance of boundary markers).

Bibliography. D. A. Carson, ed., From Sabbath to Lord’s Day (Grand Rapids, 1982); E. P. Sanders, Jewish Law from Jesus to the Mishnah (Philadelphia, 1990), 6-23.

Gary M. Burge

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

SABBATH DAYS JOURNEY

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)