Month

The Hebrew calendar was lunar, with each month beginning at the appearance of the new moon. A lunar month of approximately 29½ days was the basic unit, resulting in years of 354 days that required periodic intercalation of an additional month to keep the calendar aligned with the agricultural seasons. The Mosaic law tied the religious calendar closely to the monthly cycle: the new moon itself was marked by special offerings (Num. 28:11–15) and the blowing of trumpets (Num. 10:10; Ps. 81:3), and major festivals fell on the tenth (Day of Atonement), fourteenth (Passover), or fifteenth (Firstfruits, Tabernacles) of specific months. The first month (Abib or Nisan) was established at the Exodus as the beginning of the sacred year (Ex. 12:2). Later, Babylonian month-names were adopted in the post-exilic period. Paul warns against making observance of months a matter of religious obligation (Gal. 4:10; Col. 2:16), since Christ has fulfilled the shadow of the ceremonial calendar.