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 accommodated from Babylon following the time that the Israelites were exiled there.
View this chart online at http://kindle.esvsb.org/c5
| Month | Hebrew Month | Gregorian (Modern) Month | Festivals | Biblical References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Month |
| March–April |
| Ex. 13:4; 23:15; 34:18; Deut. 16:1; Neh. 2:1; Est. 3:7 (cf. 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) |
| Second Month |
| April–May | 14th: Later Passover (Num. 9:10–11) | 1 Kings 6:1, 37 (cf. 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) |
| Third Month | Sivan | May–June | 4th: Pentecost [Feast of Weeks] (Lev. 23:15–16) | Est. 8:9 (cf. Ex. 19:1; 1 Chron. 27:5; 2 Chron. 15:10; 31:7; Ezek. 31:1) |
| Fourth Month | Tammuz | June–July | Ezek. 8:14 (cf. 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 (cf. 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 (cf. 1 Chron. 27:9; Ezek. 8:1; Hag. 1:1, 15) | |
| Seventh Month |
| September–October |
| 1 Kings 8:2 (cf. 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) |
| Eighth Month |
| October–November | 1 Kings 6:38 (cf. 1 Kings 12:32, 33; 1 Chron. 27:11; Zech. 1:1) | |
| Ninth Month | Chislev (Kislev) | November–December | 25th: Dedication (John 10:22) | Neh. 1:1; Zech. 7:1 (cf. 1 Chron. 27:12; Ezra 10:9; Jer. 36:9, 22; Hag. 2:10, 18) |
| Tenth Month | Tebeth | December–January | Est. 2:16 (cf. 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 (cf. 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 (cf. 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.