Passover observance is set for the evening of Nisan 14 on the Hebrew calendar. Multiple scriptures clearly instruct that Passover is to be observed on the fourteenth day, specifically at twilight, which is also rendered as "even" or "between the evenings" in various translations, using the Hebrew term "ben ha arbayim." This term first appears in Genesis 1:5, where it is translated as "the evening," indicating the start of the day in God's reckoning, before the daylight portion. God defines the day as beginning with evening, followed by morning, establishing that sunset marks the start of the evening and thus the beginning of a new day. In Exodus 12:5-6, the instruction is to keep the Passover lamb until the fourteenth day and to kill it at twilight, reinforcing that "ben ha arbayim" signifies the evening at the start of Nisan 14.

The phrase "ben ha arbayim," often translated as "twilight," holds significant importance in understanding the timing of the Passover sacrifice as originally commanded by God. In Exodus 12:6, it is explicitly stated that the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill the Passover lamb at ben ha arbayim, indicating a specific time of day for this sacred act. This timing is further clarified in Exodus 16:12-13, where God instructs the children of Israel that at ben ha arbayim they shall eat meat, specifically quail, which follows the period of ba erev, or the going down of the sun. This distinction reveals that ben ha arbayim occurs after ba erev, meaning it is not at sunset but in the twilight period that follows. In contrast, Deuteronomy 16:6, as presented in certain translations, uses the term ba erev, translated as "at even" or "at the going down of the sun," for the timing of a sacrifice referred to as the Passover offering. This discrepancy in terminology between ben ha arbayim and ba erev suggests that the sacrifice mentioned in Deuteronomy 16 is not the Passover lamb as described in Exodus 12, since the latter must be killed at ben ha arbayim. The clear difference in timing indicates that whatever sacrifice is being discussed in Deuteronomy 16 does not align with the original command for the Passover lamb, highlighting a significant distinction in the intended observance as given by God.

The concept of 'ben ha arbayim' is crucial in understanding the timing of the Passover as described in the Scriptures. It is clear from comparisons in Leviticus 23:27 and 32 that 'ba erev' marks the end of a day at sunset, signaling the transition from one day to the next. Further examination in Exodus 16:12-13 establishes that 'ben ha arbayim,' translated as twilight or dusk, occurs after 'ba erev,' not before. This period, known as 'between the two evenings,' is characterized by diminishing light, beginning with significant light and lasting approximately one hour in the spring. It is during this specific time of 'ben ha arbayim' at the very beginning of the fourteenth day that the Israelites were instructed to kill the Passover lamb, not at the end of the day. This timing, rooted in God's Word, underscores the precise moment for the Passover sacrifice as the day commences.