The Hebrew calendar was composed of 12 lunar months, each of which began when the thin crescent moon was first visible at sunset. They were composed of approximately 29/30 days and were built around the agricultural seasons. Apparently some of the names of the months were changed after the time of Israel’s exile in Babylon (e.g., the first month of Abib changed to Nisan; for dates of the exile, see p. 31). The months of the Hebrew calendar (left column) are compared to the corresponding months of the modern (Gregorian) calendar shown in the center column. Biblical references (in the third column) indicate references to the Hebrew calendar cited in the Bible.
| Hebrew Month | Gregorian (Modern) Month | Biblical References |
|---|---|---|
| First Month: Abib (Preexile) Nisan (Postexile) | March–April | Ex. 13:4; 23:15; 34:18; Deut. 16:1; Neh. 2:1; Est. 3:7 (compare Gen. 8:13; Ex. 12:2, 18; 40:2, 17; Lev. 23:5; Num. 9:1; 20:1; 28:16; 33:3; Josh. 4:19; 1 Chron. 12:15; 27:2, 3; 2 Chron. 29:3, 17; 35:1; Ezra 6:19; 7:9; 8:31; 10:17; Est. 3:7, 12; Ezek. 29:17; 30:20; 45:18, 21; Dan. 10:4) |
| Festivals: 14th: Passover (Ex. 12:18; Lev. 23:5) 15th–21st: Unleavened Bread (Ex. 12:14–20; Lev. 23:6) 16th: First Fruits (Lev. 23:9–11) | Second Month: Ziv (Preexile) Iyyar (Postexile) | April–May |
| 1 Kings 6:1, 37 (compare Gen. 7:11; 8:14; Ex. 16:1; Num. 1:1, 18; 9:11; 10:11; 1 Chron. 27:4; 2 Chron. 3:2; 30:2, 13, 15; Ezra 3:8) | Festival: 14th: Later Passover (Num. 9:10–11) | Third Month: Sivan |
| May–June | Est. 8:9 (compare Ex. 19:1; 1 Chron. 27:5; 2 Chron. 15:10; 31:7; Ezek. 31:1) | Festivals: 4th: Pentecost [Feast of Weeks] (Lev. 23:15–16) |
| Fourth Month: Tammuz | June–July | Ezek. 8:14 (compare 2 Kings 25:3; 1 Chron. 27:7; Jer. 39:2; 52:6; Ezek. 1:1; Zech. 8:19) |
| Fifth Month: Ab | July–August | Not mentioned by name in the Bible (compare Num. 33:38; 2 Kings 25:8; 1 Chron. 27:8; Ezra 7:8, 9; Jer. 1:3; 28:1; 52:12; Ezek. 20:1; Zech. 7:3, 5; 8:19) |
| Sixth Month: Elul | August–September | Neh. 6:15 (compare 1 Chron. 27:9; Ezek. 8:1; Hag. 1:1, 15) |
| Seventh Month: Ethanim (Preexile) Tishri (Postexile) | September–October | 1 Kings 8:2 (compare Gen. 8:4; Lev. 16:29; 23:24, 27, 34, 39, 41; 25:9; Num. 29:1, 7, 12; 2 Kings 25:25; 1 Chron. 27:10; 2 Chron. 5:3; 7:10; 31:7; Ezra 3:1, 6; Neh. 7:73; 8:2, 14; Jer. 28:17; 41:1; Ezek. 45:25; Hag. 2:1; Zech. 7:5; 8:19) |
| Festivals: 1st: Trumpets (Lev. 23:24; Num. 29:1) 10th: Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:29–34; 23:27–32) 15th–21st: Booths (Lev. 23:34–40) 22nd: Solemn assembly (Lev. 23:36) | Eighth Month: Bul (Preexile) Marchesvan (Postexile) | October–November |
| 1 Kings 6:38 (compare 1 Kings 12:32, 33; 1 Chron. 27:11; Zech. 1:1) | Ninth Month: Chislev (Kislev) | November–December |
| Neh. 1:1; Zech. 7:1 (compare 1 Chron. 27:12; Ezra 10:9; Jer. 36:9, 22; Hag. 2:10, 18) | Festival: 25th: Dedication (John 10:22) | Tenth Month: Tebeth |
| December–January | Est. 2:16 (compare Gen. 8:5; 2 Kings 25:1; 1 Chron. 27:13; Ezra 10:16; Jer. 39:1; 52:4; Ezek. 24:1; 29:1; 33:21; Zech. 8:19) | Eleventh Month: Shebat |
| January–February | Zech. 1:7 (compare Deut. 1:3; 1 Chron. 27:14) | Twelfth Month: Adar* |
| February–March | Ezra 6:15; Est. 3:7, 13; 8:12; 9:1, 15, 17, 19, 21 (compare 2 Kings 25:27; 1 Chron. 27:15; Jer. 52:31; Ezek. 32:1; 32:17) |
*Periodically, a 13th month was added so that the lunar calendar would account for the entire solar year.