Old Testament Times, Seasons, and Festivals

Old Testament times, seasons, and festivals
Month number	Hebrew name	Modern name equivalent	Festivals	Agriculture	Biblical References
1 (7)	Aviv; Nisan	March - April	Passover Unleavened bread Firstfruits	Late spring rains Barley, flax Harvest begins	Exo 12:2, Exo 13:4, Exo 23:15, Exo 34:18, Deu 16:1, Neh 2:1, Est 3:7
2 (8)	Ziv; (Iyyar)	April - May		Beginning of dry season Barley harvest	1 Kin 6:1,37
3 (9)	Sivan	May - June	Pentacost (Weeks)	Wheat harvest	Est 8:9
4 (10)	(Tammuz)	June - July		Tending of vines
5 (11)	(Av)	July - August		Ripening of grapes, figs, olives
6 (12)	Elul	August - September		Processing of grapes, figs, olives	Neh 6:15
7 (1)	Ethanim; (Tishri)	September - October	Trumpets Day of Atonment Tabernacles (Booths)	Early autumn rains begin plowing of fields	1 Kin 8:2
8 (2)	Bul; (Marcheshvan)	October - November		Sowing of wheat, barley	1 Kin 6:38
9 (3)	Kislev	November - December	Hanukkah ("Dedication")	Winter rains begin (snow in some areas)	Neh 1:1, Zec 7:1
10 (4)	Tebeth	December - January			Est 2:16
11 (5)	Shebat	January - February			Zec 1:7
12 (6)	Adar (Adar Shenl, "Second Adar")	February - March	Purim	Citrus fruit harvest Almond trees bloom	Ezra 6:15, Est 3:7,13, Est 8:12, Est 9:1,15,17,19,21

Not listed here are special days which occur either weekly or on certain anniversaries, which include the following:

• The Sabbath day. Set apart by God as a day of rest every seventh day.
• The Sabbatical Year. This occurs every seventh year, when slaves were set free, debts cancelled, and the land uncultivated.
• The Year of Jubillee. Occuring at the end of seven Sabbatical years. In addition to the requirements of the Sabbatical year, this added a complete release of mortgages and land was to revert to its original owners. It also had a moral purpose to unite the people, relieve poverty, and stop oppression.