Months and Lunar Cycles

I. חֹ֫דֶשׁ282 n.m. Gn 7:11 (f. MT 38:24 but m. Sam Di) (newness), new moon, month (on format. cf. LgBN 144; on usage, names, etc., Muss-ArnoltJBL 1892, 72 ff., 160 ff.)—ח׳ abs. Gn 7:11 +; cstr. (rare) Gn 29:14 +; sf. חָדְשׁוֹ Nu 28:14 + 2 times; חָדְשָׁהּ Ho 2:13 Je 2:24; pl. חֳדָשִׁים Gn 38:24 +; cstr. חָדְשֵׁי Ex 12:2 + 2 times; sf. חֳדָשָׁיו Jb 14:5 + 2 times; חָדְשֵׁיכֶם Is 1:14 Nu 28:11; חָדְשֵׁכֶם Nu 10:10;— †1. new moon=day, time, of new moon, as religious festival 1 S 20:5, 18, 24, 27, 34 (Dr); cf. יֹאכְלֵם ח׳ Ho 5:7 a new moon shall devour them, Hi St VB, but on text v. We; usually ‖ שַׁבָּת Am 8:5 2 K 4:23 Is 1:13 (+קְרֹא מִקְרָא), מִדֵּי חֹדֶשׁ בְּחָדְשׁוֹ 66:23, Ez 46:1, 6 (both יוֹם הַח׳), 1 Ch 23:31 2 Ch 2:3; 8:13; 31:3 Ne 10:34 (all + מוֹעֵד), Ho 2:13 Ez 45:17 (both + חג, מועד); ‖ מוֹעֵד alone Is 1:14 Ez 3:5; ‖ יוֹם חַגֵּנוּ ψ 81:4; (cf. רֹאשׁ הַח׳ Nu 10:10; 28:11; on religious observance of new moon cf. Di Lv p. 578 f BenzArchäol. § 69); as time of augury in Babylon (astrolog. prognost.) Is 47:13. †2. month (as beginning with new moon, lunar month; cf. BenzArchäol. § 30, but then, without ref. to day of beginning): †a. as measure of time during which Gn 38:24 (J), Nu 11:20, 21 (JE), 9:22 (P), Ju 11:37, 38, 39; 20:47 1 S 6:1; 27:7 2 S 2:11; 5:5; 6:11; 24:8, 13 = 1 Ch 21:12, Am 4:7 1 K 4:7; 5:7, 28(×3); 11:16 2 K 15:8; 23:31; 24:8 Ez 39:12, 14 1 Ch 3:4; 13:14 2 Ch 36:2, 9 Est 2:12(×3). In 1 S 10:27 b read prob. כְּמֵחֹרֶשׁ for MT כמחרישׁ, and join to 11:1, so 𝔊 We Dr (cf. Gn 38:24); in combinatios, ח׳ יָמִים a month (of) time (cf. יֶרַח ימים Dt 21:1 2 K 15:23) Gn 29:14 (J), Nu 11:20, 26 (JE), ימים ארבעה ח׳ Ju 19:2; of age מִסְפַּר־ח׳ number of his months=length of his life Jb 14:5; 21:21; cf. especially בֶּן־ח׳ Lv 27:6 Nu 3:15, 22, 28, 34, 39, 40, 43; 18:16; 26:62 (all P). †b. calendar months, †(1) with names ח׳ הָאָבִיב Ex 13:4; 23:15; 34:18(×2) (all JE; = 1st mo. 12:2 P), Dt 16:11; ח׳ זִו 1 K 6:1 (=2nd mo. ib.;=יֶרַח זִו v 37); cf. 8:2 (הַח׳ הַשְּׁבִיעִי = יֶרַח הָאֵתָנִים), 6:38 (הַח׳ הַשְּׁמִינִי = יֶרַח בּוּל); in the postex. books occur Babyl. names (v. the several words):—ח׳ נִיסָן Ne 2:1 Est 3:7 (= 1st mo. Est 3:7); ח׳ סִיוָן Est 8:9=3rd mo.; ח׳ כִּסְלֵו Zc 7:1 Ne 1:1 (=9th mo. Zc 7:1); ח׳ טֵבֵ֑ת Est 2:16=10th mo.; ח׳ שְׁבָט Zc 1:7=11th mo.; ח׳ אֲדָר Est 3:7, 13; 8:12; 9:1 in all=12th mo., 9:15, 17, 19, 21; (cf. also אֱלוּל Ne 6:15, without ח׳ or יֶרַח; this was 6th mo.; v. further SchrCOT Ne 1:1 Benzl.c.).† (2) merely numbered (chiefly P and late) e.g. בַּח׳ הַשֵּׁנִי Gn 7:11, cf. 8:4, 5, 14 Lv 16:29 Nu 1:1, 18 (all P) + often P; Dt 1:3 (P), 1 K 12:32, 33; 2 K 25:1, 3, 8, 25, 27 Je 1:3 + 11 times Je, Ez 24:1; 32:1 Hg 1:1, 15 Zc 1:1; 7:1, 3; 1 Ch 12:15, cf. entire list 27:2–15 2 Ch 3:2 + 12 times 2 Ch; Ezr 3:1 + 10 times Ezr; Ne 7:72; 8:2, 14 Est 3:12; note especially הַח׳ הַזֶּה לָכֶם רֹאשׁ חָדָשִׁ֑ים רִאשׁוֹן הוּא לָכֶם Ex 12:2 (P), as implying that the 1st mo. was formerly not in the spring; observe also usage of omitting ח׳, e.g. בָּרִאשׁוֹן = בַּח׳ הָר׳ Gn 8:13, cf. v 5; so commonly in Ezek.:—Ez 1:1; 8:1; 20:1; 29:1, 17; 30:20; 31:1; 33:21; 45:18, 21, 25 + 26:1; 32:17; 45:20 Co(ח׳ sometimes expr., v. Ez 24:1; 32:1 supr.; on like usage with יום v. יום). (3) special phrases and usages are:— †עֹלַת חֹדֶשׁ בְּחָדְשׁוֹ לְחָדְשֵׁי שָׁנָה Nu 28:14 (P; cf. יום, and Is 66:23 supr. 1); מִיּוֹם לְיוֹם וּמֵחֹדֶשׁ לְחֹדֶשׁ Est 3:7 from day to day and from month to month; חָדְשָׁהּ Je 2:24 of wild she-ass’s mating time.†

Included with: μείς, μηνός, ὁ, nominative singular μείς Refs 8th c.BC+; Doric dialect μής Refs 4th c.BC+; Elean μεύς Refs: nominative singular μήν LXX+8th c.BC+; both μείς and μήν in Refs 4th c.BC+: oblique cases formed from stem μην-, Aeolic dialect μηνν- Refs, Thess. μεινν- Refs; dative plural μησί Refs 5th c.BC+:—month, Refs 8th c.BC+; μηνὸς τετάρτῃ φθίνοντος on the fourth day from the end of the month, Foed. cited in [same work]Refs; Μαιμακτηριῶνος δεκάτῃ ἀπιόντος, i.e. on the 21st, Decrees cited in Refs 4th c.BC+; μηνῶν φθινὰς ἁμέρα the last of the month, Refs 5th c.BC+; τελευτῶντος τοῦ μηνός at the end of the lunar month (when there was no moon-light), Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐκείνου τοῦ μηνός in the course of.., Refs 5th c.BC+; κατὰ μῆνα monthly, Refs 5th c.BC+; κατὰ μῆνα ἕκαστον, κατὰ μῆνας, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐκάστου μηνόςRefs 5th c.BC+; τοῦ μηνός alone, by the month, Refs 5th c.BC+; τόκον δραχμὴν τοῦ μ. τῆς μνᾶς interest a drachma per mina per month, Refs 4th c.BC+; μ. πλήρης, κοῖλος, civil month of 30 or 29 days respectively, Refs 1st c.BC+; μ. ἐμβόλιμος intercalary month, Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 crescent moon, Thphr. [prev. cited] (μείς); the part of the month corresponding to a phase of the moon, Refs; the visible part of the moon, Chrysipp. [prev. cited] (μείς). __3 ornament in form of crescent moon, Refs 5th c.BC+ __3.b ={μηνίσκος} 1, probably in Refs 5th c.BC+ __II as proper name, the god Refs 5th c.BC+ stem mēns- 'moon', 'month', cf. Latin mensis, genitive plural mensum, etc.)

† אָבִיב n.m. Lv 2:14 coll. (LagBN 207 Inf.) 1. fresh, young ears of barley Ex 9:31; indef. Lv 2:14 מִנְחַת בִּכּוּרִים ליהוה א׳ קָלוּי בָּאֵשׁ. 2. חֹדֶשׁ הָֽאָבִיב month of ear-forming, or of growing green, Abib, month of Exodus & passover, Ex 13:4; 23:15; 34:18, 18 (JE), Dt 16:1, 1 (1st month = c. April = הָרִאשֹׁן, הַחֹדֶשׁ הָר׳ (q.v.) in P; v. Di Ex 12:2; = postexilic נִיסָן q.v.)

† כִּסְלֵו n.pr.[m.] Kislew, ninth month (postex.) = Nov.–Dec., Zc 7:1; בְּחֹדֶשׁ כ׳ Ne 1:1 (𝔗 id.; loan-word from Bab. kislimu, kisliva, Muss-ArnJBL 1892, 167; conj. on etym. by JenZA ii, 210, Anm. 3 Hptib. 265, Anm. 2; Palm. כסלול VogNo. 24; Gk. χασελευ 1 Makk 1:54).

† זִו appar. n.pr. of 2nd month, = c. April–May, named as month of beginning the temple-building; בְּחֹדֶשׁ זִו הוּא הַחֹדֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִי 1 K 6:1 = בְּיֶרַח זִ֑ו v 37; 𝔊B v 1 has simply ἐν μηνὶ τῷ δευτέρῳ, v 37 (in 𝔊 v 4) ἐν μηνὶ Νεισῷ καὶ τῷ δευτέρῳ μηνί; 𝔊 codd. ἐν μηνὶ Ζιου μηνὶ τῷ δευτέρῳ; 𝔊L (only v 37) ἐν δευτέρῳ μηνί, ἐν μηνὶ Ζιου;—(si vera l. comp. perhaps Aramaic זִיו ܙܝܺܘܳܐ brightness, freshness, so Biblical Aramaic Dn 2:31 +; cf. 𝔗 יֶרַח זִיו נִיצָנַיָּא month of brightness of flowers; Assyrian zîmu, DlPr 152 f. cf. NöZMG 1886, 732; Thes al. der. זִו, זִיו (= זְהִיו) from זהה in sense be bright, splendid, etc., cf. Arabic زَهَا increase, thrive (of seed-produce), زَهْوٌ a beautiful and bright, or fresh, plant; Aramaic זְהָא, adj. זָהוֹהָא haughty, proud; ܙܗܳܐ glory, boast, be magnificent; yet cf. Ol§ 174 ad fin.)

† [יְרַח] n.m. month (v. BH);—abs. לִירַח אֲדָר Ezr 6:15; pl. abs. יַרְחִין Dn 4:26.

† כֶּ֫סֶא Pr 7:20, כֶּ֫סֶה ψ 81:4 n.[m.] full moon (cf. Aramaic ܟܶܣܐܴܐ; orig. dubious, cf. LagSymm. i. 93; perhaps Assyrian loan-word; cf. Assyrian kuŝeu, headdress or cap, = agû, id., and also full moon (as tiara of moon-god?), DlHWB, sub kusêu, kubšu, agû; yet v. Brock)—לְיוֹם הַכּ׳ Pr 7:20; as a feast-day, בַּכּ׳ ψ 81:4 (opp. בַּחֹדֶשׁ, at the new moon).

† נִיסָן n.pr. of 1st month (loan-wd. from Bab. Nisannu, cf. Schr COT Ne 1:1 Muss-ArnoltJBL xi. 1 (1892), 76; NH = BH; so Nab. Palm. v. Lzb323);—only post-exile: חֹדֶשׁ נ׳ Ne 2:1 Est 3:7 (+ הַחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן), = pre-exile הָאָבִיב (חֹדֶשׁ).—On sacredness of Nisan cf. also RSSem. i. 387; 2d ed. 406 f.

νουμην-ία, ἡ, Attic dialect contraction for νεομηνία (which occurs in Refs 5th c.BC+:—also νευμηνία, Refs 4th c.BC+; νεμονηΐα, Refs; νομενία, Refs 3rd c.BC+:— new moon: the first of the month, Pi.[same place], Refs 5th c.BC+, etc.; ν. κατὰ σελήνην to denote the true or natural new moon, as opposed to to the νουμηνία of the calendars, Refs 5th c.BC+; ν. τοῦ ἔτους, of the spring equinox, Refs 2nd c.AD+

τετρᾰ-μηνος, ον, (μήν) of four months, lasting four months, σπονδαί Refs 5th c.BC+; τετράμηνοι ὀχεύουσι at four months old, Refs 4th c.BC+; τετράμηνον for a space of four months,Refs 3rd c.BC+; ἡ πρώτη τ. Refs 3rd c.BC+; so τετράμηνα Refs 5th c.BC+

τρῐμην-ος, ον, (μήν) of three months, χρόνος Refs 5th c.BC+period of three months, Refs 5th c.BC+; τὸ τ. Refs 2nd c.BC+born after three months, Refs: neuter as adverb, τρίμηνα ἐκτιτρώσκειν Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 three months old, Refs 4th c.BC+ __3 πυροὶ τ. wheat sown in spring, so as to ripen in three months, Refs 5th c.BC+

† I. אֱלוּל n.pr. of 6th month, Aug.–Sept. Ne 6:15 (Mish. id., Pal. אלול Vog79, Assyrian Ululu COT Ne 1:1, Arabic أَيْلُول, Aramaic ܐܻܝܠܘܽܠܴܐ ).

† I. בּוּל n.[m.] Bul, 8th month = Marcheswan, Assyrian Araḫ samna, 1 K 6:38 הַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁמִינִי בְּיֶרַח בּוּל הוּא; (Canaanitish; Ph. ירח בל; a Palm. god is בול (in n.pr. עבדבול, Vog93 זבדבול etc.) & ירחבול (Vog93, moon-god), which DHMBer. Wien. Akkadian cviii. 977 connects with Heb. בּוּל; BaeRel. 87 f. (q.v.) thinks = בעל, cf. Thes p. 560).

† טֵבֵ֑ת n.pr. 10th month = Dec.–Jan., Est 2:16 (Nab. טבת Eut No. 3 Palm. id., Vog No. 66; loan-word from Assyrian Ṭêbêtum, SchrCOT on Ne 1:1, HptE Vowel 10, JenZA iv (1889) 272 f., √ perhaps ṭebû = טבע v. especially Hptl.c., Muss-ArnoltJBL xi, 1892, 170, month of sinking in = muddy month).

† סִיוָן n.pr. of 3rd month, Sîwān = May–June (loan-word from Assyrian-Bab. Simânu, cf. SchrCOT Ne 1:1 Muss-ArnoltJBL xi (1892), 82 ff.; Palm. סיון Lzb328 Cook84);—בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁלִישִׁי הוּא־חֹדֶשׁ ס׳ Est 8:9.

† שְׁבָט n.pr. mens. Shebāṭ, 11th month (post-ex.) = Feb.–March; loan-word from Bab. Šabâṭu (COT Ne 1(×2) DlWB), Zc 1:7 (der. from šabâṭu, strike, kill, destroy (DlProl. 38; WB), Lyon Bib. Sacr. Apr. 1884, 384 JenZA iv (1889), 273 Muss-ArnJBL xi (1892), 171 f. al., as month of destroying rain; another conjecture in ZimKAT 3. 594 n.; this month called שבט also in Nab. Palm., v. Lzb SAC 111).