Day's Journey

VIEW:46 DATA:01-04-2020

DAY’S JOURNEY.—A ‘day’s journey’ (Num_11:31 f, 1Ki_19:4, Jon_3:4, Luk_2:44; cf. three days’ journey, Gen_30:36, Exo_3:18 etc.; seven days, Gen_31:23) was not, like the ‘sabbath day’s journey’ (see Weights and Measures), a definite measure of length, but, like our ‘stone’s throw,’ ‘bow-shot,’ etc., a popular and somewhat indefinite indication of distance. This would naturally vary with the urgency and impedimenta of the traveller or the caravan. Laban in hot pursuit of Jacob, and the Hebrew host in the wilderness, may be taken to represent the extremes in this matter of a ‘day’s journey’ (reff. above), although it is scarcely possible to take literally the ‘seven days’ journey’ of the former (Gen_31:23)—from Haran to Gilead, circa 350 miles in 7 days. From 20 to 30 miles is probably a fair estimate of an average day’s journey with baggage animals.
A. R. S. Kennedy.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible
Edited by James Hastings, D.D. Published in 1909

jûr?ni (דּרך יום, derekh yōm, Gen_30:36; Num_10:33; Num_11:31; ἡμέρας ὁδός, hēméras hodós, Luk_2:44): The common way of estimating distances in the East is by hours and days. This is natural in a country where roads are mere bridle paths or non-existent, as in the desert. The distance traveled must of course differ largely according to the difficulties of the way, and it is more important to know where night will overtake the traveler than the actual distance accomplished. A day's journey is now commonly reckoned at about 3 miles per hour, the distance usually covered by a loaded mule, the number of hours being about 8. Hence, a day's journey is about 24 miles, and this may be taken as a fair estimate for Bible times.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
PRINTER 1915.

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