INTRODUCTION
Understanding the biblical months is not about trivia. It is about seeing how the Almighty Heavenly Father orders time, seasons, worship, and remembrance. When Scripture speaks of months, it is speaking of His timetable. The Bible preserves a clear journey of time, from numbered months, to Hebrew agricultural markers, to post exilic names, and finally to how these months roughly align with the modern Gregorian calendar.
SECTION ONE: THE ORDER OF THE HEBREW MONTHS IN SCRIPTURE
In the Torah and early biblical history, the Almighty Heavenly Father identified months by ordered numbers:
1. First month (Exodus 12:2).
2. Second month (1 Kings 6:1).
3. Third month (Exodus 19:1).
4. Fourth month (Jeremiah 39:2).
5. Fifth month (Numbers 33:38).
6. Sixth month (Haggai 1:1).
7. Seventh month (Leviticus 23:24).
8. Eighth month (1 Kings 6:38).
9. Ninth month (Jeremiah 36:9).
10. Tenth month (2 Kings 25:1).
11. Eleventh month (Deuteronomy 1:3).
12. Twelfth month (Esther 3:7).
SECTION TWO: PRE EXILIC BIBLICAL MONTH IDENTIFICATION
Before Israelites were exiled to Babylon, some months had acquired some names while others retained the numbering system. Time was marked by obedience, seasons, and divine instruction rather than labels.
1. First month ABIB meaning ripening barley (Exodus 13:4; Deuteronomy 16:1).
2. Second month ZIV meaning brightness used in Solomon’s time (1 Kings 6:1).
3. Third month identified only by number (Exodus 19:1).
4. Fourth month identified only by number (Jeremiah 39:2).
5. Fifth month identified only by number (Numbers 33:38; Jeremiah 52:12).
6. Sixth month identified only by number (Haggai 1:1).
7. Seventh month ETHANIM meaning enduring streams (Leviticus 23:24; 1 Kings 8:2).
8. Eighth month Bul (1 Kings 6:38).
9. Ninth month identified only by number (Jeremiah 36:9).
10. Tenth month identified only by number (2 Kings 25:1; Jeremiah 52:4).
11. Eleventh month identified only by number (Deuteronomy 1:3).
12. Twelfth month identified only by number (Esther 3:7).
SECTION THREE: POST EXILIC OR BABYLONIAN MONTH NAMES
After the Babylonian exile, Israel adopted foreign month names, and Scripture records this transition openly.
1. First month NISAN formerly ABIB (Nehemiah 2:1; Esther 3:7).
2. Second month IYAR formerly ZIV (1 Kings 6:1; Ezra 6:15).
3. Third month SIVAN formerly the third month (Exodus 19:1; Esther 8:9).
4. Fourth month TAMMUZ formerly the fourth month (Jeremiah 39:2; Zechariah 8:19).
5. Fifth month AB formerly the fifth month (Numbers 33:38; Zechariah 7:3; Zechariah 8:19).
6. Sixth month ELUL formerly the sixth month (Haggai 1:1; Nehemiah 6:15).
7. Seventh month TISHRI formerly ETHANIM (Leviticus 23:24; 1 Kings 8:2; Nehemiah 8:2).
8. Eighth month MARCHESHVAN also called CHESHVAN formerly BUL (1 Kings 6:38; Zechariah 1:1).
9. Ninth month KISLEV formerly the ninth month (Jeremiah 36:9; Nehemiah 1:1; Zechariah 7:1).
10. Tenth month TEVET formerly the tenth month (2 Kings 25:1; Esther 2:16).
11. Eleventh month SHEVAT formerly the eleventh month (Deuteronomy 1:3; Zechariah 1:7).
12. Twelfth month ADAR formerly the twelfth month (Esther 3:7; Esther 9:1).
SECTION FOUR: BIBLICAL MONTHS AND THE GREGORIAN CALENDAR
The Hebrew calendar is lunisolar, so Scripture based months do not lock perfectly into the modern calendar. These correspondences are approximate and shift slightly from year to year.
1. First month Abib or Nisan roughly March to April (Exodus 12:2).
2. Second month Ziv or Iyar roughly April to May (1 Kings 6:1).
3. Third month Sivan roughly May to June (Exodus 19:1).
4. Fourth month Tammuz roughly June to July (Zechariah 8:19).
5. Fifth month Ab roughly July to August (Zechariah 7:3).
6. Sixth month Elul roughly August to September (Nehemiah 6:15).
7. Seventh month Ethanim or Tishri roughly September to October (Leviticus 23:24).
8. Eighth month Bul or Cheshvan roughly October to November (1 Kings 6:38).
9. Ninth month Kislev roughly November to December (Nehemiah 1:1).
10. Tenth month Tevet roughly December to January (Esther 2:16).
11. Eleventh month Shevat roughly January to February (Zechariah 1:7).
12. Twelfth month Adar roughly February to March (Esther 3:7).
This Post has been prepared by
Bro Mutonga (Pipeline Church, Nakuru, Kenya, East Africa, Africa)
babakevi@gmail.com
+254722808047
Permission granted to freely share it widely in whatever form (Matthew 10:8)
******
KUTOKA ABIB HADI ADAR HADITHI YA MIEZI YA BIBLIA
UTANGULIZI
Kuelewa miezi ya kibiblia si kuhusu mambo ya kawaida tu. Ni kuona jinsi Mwenyezi Baba wa Mbingu anavyopanga muda, misimu, ibada, na kumbukumbu. Wakati Maandiko yanaposema kuhusu miezi, yanazungumzia ratiba yake. Biblia inaonyesha hadithi wazi ya muda, kuanzia kwenye miezi iliyopangwa kwa namba, hadi alama za kilimo za Kiebrania, hadi majina baada ya utawanyiko wa Waisraeli Babeli, na hatimaye jinsi miezi hii inavyolingana takriban na kalenda ya Kisasa ya Kirumi.
SEHEMU YA KWANZA: MPANGILIO WA MIEZI YA KIEBRANIA KATIKA MAANDIKO
Katika Torati na historia ya awali ya kibiblia, Mwenyezi Baba wa Mbingu alitambua miezi kwa mpangilio wake. Miezi iliitanishwa na namba na si kwa jina:
1. Mwezi wa kwanza (Kutoka 12:2).
2. Mwezi wa pili (1 Wafalme 6:1).
3. Mwezi wa tatu (Kutoka 19:1).
4. Mwezi wa nne (Yeremia 39:2).
5. Mwezi wa tano (Hesabu 33:38).
6. Mwezi wa sita (Hagai 1:1).
7. Mwezi wa saba (Kutoka 23:24).
8. Mwezi wa nane (1 Wafalme 6:38).
9. Mwezi wa tisa (Yeremia 36:9).
10. Mwezi wa kumi (2 Wafalme 25:1).
11. Mwezi wa kumi na moja (Kumbukumbu la Torati 1:3).
12. Mwezi wa kumi na mbili (Estheri 3:7).
SEHEMU YA PILI: UTAMBULISHO WA MIEZI KABLA YA KUTEKWA KWA WAISRAELI HADI BABELI
Kabla ya utawanyiko, majina yalikuwa machache na mpangilio wa namba ulikuwa wa kawaida. Muda uliwekwa na ibada, misimu, na maagizo ya Elohim badala ya majina.
1. Mwezi wa kwanza Abib ikimaanisha shina la ngano linalokomaa (Kutoka 13:4; Kumbukumbu la Torati 16:1).
2. Mwezi wa pili Ziv ikimaanisha mwangaza, iliyotumika wakati wa ufalme wa Sulemani (1 Wafalme 6:1).
3. Mwezi wa tatu ulitambulika kwa namba tu (Kutoka 19:1).
4. Mwezi wa nne ulitambulika kwa namba tu (Yeremia 39:2).
5. Mwezi wa tano ulitambulika kwa namba tu (Hesabu 33:38; Yeremia 52:12).
6. Mwezi wa sita ulitambulika kwa namba tu (Hagai 1:1).
7. Mwezi wa saba Ethanim ikimaanisha mito inayodumu (Kutoka 23:24; 1 Wafalme 8:2).
8. Mwezi wa nane Bul (1 Wafalme 6:38).
9. Mwezi wa tisa ulitambulika kwa namba tu (Yeremia 36:9).
10. Mwezi wa kumi ulitambulika kwa namba tu (2 Wafalme 25:1; Yeremia 52:4).
11. Mwezi wa kumi na moja ulitambulika kwa namba tu (Kumbukumbu la Torati 1:3).
12. Mwezi wa kumi na mbili ulitambulika kwa namba tu (Estheri 3:7).
SEHEMU YA TATU: MAJINA YA MIEZI BAADA YA WAISRAELI KUTOKA BABELI
Baada ya utawanyiko wa Babeli, Israeli ilichukua majina ya miezi ya kigeni, na Maandiko yakayandika mabadiliko haya waziwazi.
1. Mwezi wa kwanza Nisan awali Abib (Nehemiya 2:1; Estheri 3:7).
2. Mwezi wa pili Iyar awali Ziv (1 Wafalme 6:1; Ezra 6:15).
3. Mwezi wa tatu Sivan awali mwezi wa tatu (Kutoka 19:1; Estheri 8:9).
4. Mwezi wa nne Tammuz awali mwezi wa nne (Yeremia 39:2; Zekaria 8:19).
5. Mwezi wa tano Ab awali mwezi wa tano (Hesabu 33:38; Zekaria 7:3; Zekaria 8:19).
6. Mwezi wa sita Elul awali mwezi wa sita (Hagai 1:1; Nehemiya 6:15).
7. Mwezi wa saba Tishri awali Ethanim (Kutoka 23:24; 1 Wafalme 8:2; Nehemiya 8:2).
8. Mwezi wa nane Marcheshvan pia inaitwa Cheshvan awali Bul (1 Wafalme 6:38; Zekaria 1:1).
9. Mwezi wa tisa Kislev awali mwezi wa tisa (Yeremia 36:9; Nehemiya 1:1; Zekaria 7:1).
10. Mwezi wa kumi Tevet awali mwezi wa kumi (2 Wafalme 25:1; Estheri 2:16).
11. Mwezi wa kumi na moja Shevat awali mwezi wa kumi na moja (Kumbukumbu la Torati 1:3; Zekaria 1:7).
12. Mwezi wa kumi na mbili Adar awali mwezi wa kumi na mbili (Estheri 3:7; Estheri 9:1).
SEHEMU YA NNE: MIEZI YA BIBLIA NA KALENDA YA KISASA YA KIRUMI
Kalenda ya Kiebrania hutumia mwezi na just (Lunisolar), hivyo miezi hii haiko sahihi kabisa na kalenda ya Kisasa. Ulinganifu huu ni takriban na unaweza kubadilika mwaka hadi mwaka.
1. Mwezi wa kwanza Abib au Nisan takriban Machi hadi Aprili (Kutoka 12:2).
2. Mwezi wa pili Ziv au Iyar takriban Aprili hadi Mei (1 Wafalme 6:1).
3. Mwezi wa tatu Sivan takriban Mei hadi Juni (Kutoka 19:1).
4. Mwezi wa nne Tammuz takriban Juni hadi Julai (Zekaria 8:19).
5. Mwezi wa tano Ab takriban Julai hadi Agosti (Zekaria 7:3).
6. Mwezi wa sita Elul takriban Agosti hadi Septemba (Nehemiya 6:15).
7. Mwezi wa saba Ethanim au Tishri takriban Septemba hadi Oktoba (Kutoka 23:24).
8. Mwezi wa nane Bul au Cheshvan takriban Oktoba hadi Novemba (1 Wafalme 6:38).
9. Mwezi wa tisa Kislev takriban Novemba hadi Desemba (Nehemiya 1:1).
10. Mwezi wa kumi Tevet takriban Desemba hadi Januari (Estheri 2:16).
11. Mwezi wa kumi na moja Shevat takriban Januari hadi Februari (Zekaria 1:7).
12. Mwezi wa kumi na mbili Adar takriban Februari hadi Machi (Estheri 3:7).
Post hii imeandaliwa na
Bro Mutonga (Kanisa la Pipeline, Nakuru, Kenya, Afrika Mashariki, Afrika)
babakevi@gmail.com
+254722808047
Idhini imetolewa ya kusambaza kwa uhuru katika namna yoyote (Mathayo 10:8)