There are several Hebrew words which refer to a long period of time
[4]. These include
qedem which is the main one-word term for 'ancient' and is sometimes translated 'of old';
olam means 'everlasting' or 'eternity' and is translated 'perpetual', 'of old' or 'for ever';
dor means 'a revolution of time' or 'an age' and is sometimes translated 'generations';
tamid means 'continually' or 'for ever';
ad means 'unlimited time' or 'for ever';
orek when used with
yom is translated 'length of days';
shanah means 'a year' or 'a revolution of time' (from the change of seasons);
netsach means 'for ever'. Words for a shorter time span include
eth (a general term for time); and
moed, meaning 'seasons' or 'festivals'. Let us consider how some of these could have been used.
1. Event of long ago
If God had wanted to tell us that the creation events took place a long time in the past, there were several ways He could have said it:
yamim (plural of
yom) alone or with 'evening and morning', would have meant 'and it was days of evening and morning'. This would have been the simplest way, and could have signified many days and so the possibility of a vast age.
qedem by itself or with 'days' would have meant 'and it was from days of old'.
olam with 'days' would also have meant 'and it was from days of old'.
So if God had intended to communicate an ancient creation to us, there were at least three constructions He could have used to tell us this.
However, God chose **not** to use any of these.
2. A continuing event from long ago
If God had wanted to tell us that creation started in the past but continued into the future, meaning that creation took place by some sort of theistic evolution, there were several ways He could have said it:
dor used either alone or with 'days', 'days' and 'nights', or 'evening and morning', could have signified 'and it was generations of days and nights'. This would have been the best word to indicate evolution's alleged aeons, if this had been meant.
olam with the preposition
le, plus 'days' or 'evening and morning' could have signified 'perpetual'; another construction
le olam va-ed means 'to the age and onward' and is translated 'for ever and ever' in Exodus 15:18.
tamid with 'days', 'days' and 'nights', or 'evening' and 'morning', could have signified 'and it was the continuation of days'.
ad used either alone or with olam could have signified 'and it was for ever'.
shanah (year) could have been used figuratively for 'a long time', especially in the plural.
yom rab literally means 'a long day' (cf. 'long season' in Joshua 24:7, or 'long time' in the New American Standard Bible). This construction could well have been used by God if He had meant us to understand that the 'days' were long periods of time.
Thus, if God had wanted us to believe that he used a long-drawn-out creative process, there were several words He could have used to tell us this.
However, God chose **not** to use any of these.
