The Strange Hebrew Calendar

Before Exodus 12:2, the Children of Israel used the Hebrew "numbers" 1 through 12 for the "names" of the months. ( the First month, the Second month etc).

In Exodus 12:2, as the Children of Israel were preparing to leave Egypt, God gave Israel a new calendar.

The Children of Israel used the names of the 12 months that God gave them until the Babylonian captivity, but, during their Babylonian Captivity, they slowly began to use the calendar names of Babylon.

So, this is why we find the first month named "Abib" by God as stated in Ex 13:4 and 23:15, and 34:18, and Deut 16:1, but, during, and after the Babylonian captivity, the Children of Israel called the first month "Nisan", as in Neh 2:1 and Esth 3:7.

To add to the confusion, both the God-Given and Babylonian Calendar names are spelled differently in commentaries and different Bible Versions.

Amazingly, today the Jews only use the Babylonian calendar names in their "Sacred Calendar", and it is very difficult to find any information on the original calendar names that God gave Moses and the Children of Israel.

The only reason given, that I have found, for using the Babylonian Calendar names today, is that God told them "not to look back", when they were leaving Egypt, and to commemorate being freed from their Babylonian captivity!

The Calendar Names in our King James Bible:

1. Only 4 of the original God-given names are used in the Bible:

1st Month, "Abib" in the KJV: Exodus 13:4, 23:15, 34:18, Deuteronomy 16:1.

2nd Month, "Zif" in the KJV: 1 Kings 6:1, 6:37.

7th Month, "Ethanim" in the KJV: 1 Kings 8:2.

8th Month, "Bul" in the KJV : 1 Kings 6:38.

2. Only 7 of theBabylonian Calendar names occur in our Old Testament, during, and after the Babylonian captivity:

1st Month, "Nisan" KJV Esther 3:7, Nehemiah 2:1.

3rd Month, "Sivan" KJV Esther 8:9.

6th Month, "Elul" KJVNehemiah 6:15

9th Month, "Chisleu" KJV" Nehemiah 1:1, Zechariah 7:1.

10th Month, "Tebeth" KJV Esther 2:16.

11th Month, "Sebat" KJV Zechariah 1:7.

12th Month, "Adar" KJV Ezra 6:15, Esther 3:7, 3:13, 8:12, 9:1, 9:15, 9:17, 9:19, and 9:21.

3. The tenth and eleventh Babylonian months are swapped in the Post-Exilic (and the modern) Hebrew calendar.

God-Given Hebrew Month Names / Month Number / Babylonian Month Name / Month Number / Post-Exilic Month Names in Hebrew
- 'aviyv / Aviv (Pre-Exilic) "Abib" KJV Exodus 13:4, 23:15, 34:18, Deuteronomy 16:1 / 1 / Nisanu / 1 / Nissan / Niyan "Nisan" KJV Esther 3:7, Nehemiah 2:1
- Ziv (Pre-Exilic) "Zif" KJV 1 Kings 6:1, 6:37 / 2 / Ayaru / 2 / - Iyar / Iyyar. No mention in the Hebrew Bible
3 / Simanu / 3 / iyvan / Si'-van "Sivan" KJV Esther 8:9
4 / Du'uzu / 4 / Tammuz, Tamuz, Thammuz, or Thamuz No mention in the Hebrew Bible
5 / Abu / 5 / Av - No mention in the Hebrew Bible
6 / Ululu / 6 / Eluwl "Elul" (KJV)Nehemiah 6:15
- Eisanim / 'Eythaniym (Pre-Exilic) "Ethanim" KJV 1 Kings 8:2 / 7 / Tashritu / 7 / No mention of Tishrei, Tishri, Tisrei, or Tisri in the Hebrew Bible
- Buwl (Pre-Exilic) "Bul" KJV 1 Kings 6:38 / 8 / Arach-Samna / Arakhsamna / Arachsamna / 8 / No mention of Cheshvan, Marcheshvan, Heshvan, Marheshvan, Heshwan, or keswan in the Hebrew Bible
9 / Kislimu / 9 / Kislev / Kiclev / "Chisleu" KJV" Nehemiah 1:1, Zechariah 7:1
10 / Tebetu / 11 / Tevet / Teveth / tava' / taval - "Tebeth" KJV Esther 2:16
11 / Shabatu / 10 / Shevat / "Sebat" KJV Zechariah 1:7
12 / Adaru / 12 / Addar / Ataroth-"Adar" KJV Ezra 6:15, and Esther 3:7, 3:13, 8:12, 9:1, 9:15, 9:17, 9:19, and 9:21

Bob