Bible Dictionary
Sabbath day’s journey
A Sabbath day’s journey was the distance Jewish tradition permitted a person to travel on the Sabbath, commonly reckoned as about 2,000 cubits, or somewhat less than half a mile.
Definition
A Sabbath day’s journey was the distance Jewish tradition allowed a person to travel on the Sabbath without violating the law. It was commonly reckoned as about 2,000 cubits, or somewhat less than half a mile.
Biblical Usage
The expression occurs in Acts in describing the distance from Jerusalem to the Mount of Olives.
Historical Background
The customary distance was associated with the separation between the ark and Israel in the wilderness and with the measured suburbs of Levitical cities.
Scripture References
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Easton's Bible Dictionary
Supposed to be a distance of 2,000 cubits, or less than half-a-mile, the distance to which, according to Jewish tradition, it was allowable to travel on the Sabbath day without violating the law (Acts 1:12; comp. Ex. 16:29; Num. 35:5; Josh. 3:4).