Birthdays

Birthdays are neither commanded nor forbidden in the Bible, and the only birthday feasts named are those of Pharaoh and Herod. God forms each person in the womb, gives life and breath, and teaches his people to number their days.

Formed by God

• Psalm 139:13-16
  ¹³For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.For You formed my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. ¹⁴I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works, and I know this very well. ¹⁵My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in secret, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. ¹⁶Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.Your eyes saw my unformed body; all my days were written in Your book and ordained for me before one of them came to be.
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• Jeremiah 1:5
  Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
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• Psalm 22:9-10
  ⁹But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts.Yet You brought me forth from the womb; You made me secure at my mother’s breast. ¹⁰I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly.From birth I was cast upon You; from my mother’s womb You have been my God.
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Life as God's gift

• Job 33:4
  The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
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• Acts 17:25-28
  ²⁵Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;Nor is He served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. ²⁶And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands. ²⁷That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:God intended that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. ²⁸For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.‘For in Him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are His offspring.’
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Numbering our days

• Psalm 90:12
  So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.So teach us to number our days, that we may present a heart of wisdom.
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• Psalm 39:4-5
  ⁴LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am.“Show me, O LORD, my end and the measure of my days. Let me know how fleeting my life is. ⁵Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.You, indeed, have made my days as handbreadths, and my lifetime as nothing before You. Truly each man at his best exists as but a breath. Selah
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• Psalm 31:15
  My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.My times are in Your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me.
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• James 4:13-15
  ¹³Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, and make a profit.” ¹⁴Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. ¹⁵For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that.”
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Blessing for the years ahead

• Numbers 6:24-26
  ²⁴The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:‘May the LORD bless you and keep you; ²⁵The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:may the LORD cause His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; ²⁶The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.may the LORD lift up His countenance toward you and give you peace.’
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• Psalm 65:11
  Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness.You crown the year with Your bounty, and Your paths overflow with plenty.
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• Proverbs 9:11
  For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.For through wisdom your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life.
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• Psalm 91:16
  With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.With long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation.”
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Birthdays named in Scripture

• Genesis 40:20
  And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he held a feast for all his officials, and in their presence he lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker.
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• Mark 6:21
  And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee;On Herod’s birthday, her opportunity arose. Herod held a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.
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See also

• Blessing
• Thankfulness
• Old age
• Image of God
• Children

Notes

1. Verses are quoted in the translation chosen in the Translation menu at the top of the page. See Translations for sources and copyright notices.
2. Each reference links to the full chapter so the verse can be read in context.