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Statement of belief: “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word
is truth.” (John 17:17 KJV)
Created 5927± 05 22 2023 [2007-08-06]
Updated 5940[(?)] 07 20 2027 [2010-10-29]
Food for thought… – By no means to be considered a
basis for the considerations within this article!:
“The Feast of Tabernacles was the closing gathering of
the year. It was God's design that at this time the people should reflect on
His goodness and mercy. The whole land had been under His guidance, receiving
His blessing. Day and night His watchcare had continued. The sun and rain had
caused the earth to produce her fruits. From the valleys and plains of
When Does the Biblical Year Really Begin and End?
Lamentations 2:19: “Pour out your spirit before the
Lord in the beginning of the night
watches.”
Abstract:
Sometimes it may appear as though all traditions are in error, especially when it comes to some religious traditions that apparently have been time honored and religiously held over many centuries or even millennia.
It is a good thing indeed that we do have one certain reference: The Holy Scriptures.
A close and prayerful study of what the Holy
Scriptures are actually teaching regarding the beginning and the end of the
biblical year reveals that, although certainly Aviv is indeed “the beginning of
months” or at least “the foremost one of the months,” and the month numbered
One while fixing also all of the months to the solar year and the seasons, the
beginning of the biblical year as a whole must be considered as beginning with
the Eighth Day, which day signifies something new that is ‘being brought out of’
“the Feast of Ingathering, which is in the end of
the year…” (Exodus 23:16 KJV) and after “the
end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of
release, in the feast of tabernacles” (Deuteronomy 31:10.)
The Seventh Day Shabbat is the last day and the conclusion of
the week. The Sabbatic year is the Seventh and last year concluding a seven
year cycle. Isn’t it only natural and by design that the 7th Moon is
the last Moon concluding the year? Indeed, isn’t that also indicated by these
three (highlighted) Hebrew words:
Lev 23:24 דברH1696 אלH413
בניH1121 ישׂראלH3478 לאמרH559 בחדשׁH2320 השׁביעיH7637 באחדH259 לחדשׁH2320 יהיהH1961 לכם שׁבתוןH7677 זכרוןH2146 תרועהH8643 מקראH4744 קדשׁ׃H6944
Lev 23:24 (KJV+) SpeakH1696
untoH413 the childrenH1121 of
In the Hebrew the words translated “a memorial of blowing of
trumpets” constitute, if I am not mistaken, an adjective and a “construct
state” characterizing the Sabbath here referenced. So then, what “blowing of
trumpets” are to be remembered and called to mind upon this special Shabbat if
not especially those of the twelve or thirteen new moons of the last biblical
year being concluded by the 7th Moon? (Cf. Numbers 10:10:)
Num 10:10 Also in the
day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the
trumpets over your burnt offerings, and
over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that
they may be to you for a memorial before your God:
I am
the LORD your God.
Interestingly enough, I find conclusive evidence that not
only Jeremiah, Ezra, and even the
Book of Esther(!) (cf. Scriptural considerations below!,) but Josephus also reckons the beginning of the
civil year from Tishri 22!
What additional instructions re the Eighth Day may we, you as
well as I, glean out of the words of Moses and in the actions of Aaron and his
two sons, Nadab and Abihu, in Leviticus, chapters nine and ten? Cf. especially
Leviticus 9:1, 6-7; 8:33-35; 10:1-2! For isn’t it true that these Torah
passages tell us something more about what the purpose is for the Eighth Day –
and its importance?!
Scriptural
considerations:
Exo 12:2 (TLT) This month [Aviv] shall be unto you the head of months: it shall
be to you the
foremost among the months of the year.
Exo 12:2 (KJV)
This month [Aviv] shall be
unto you the
beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.
Exo 23:16 KJV
And the feast of
ingathering, which is in the end of the year…
Exo 23:16 TLT
And the feast of
ingathering, at the bringing forth of the new year… [Re
‘end’ vs. ‘bringing forth’ – cf. a simple Hebrew word study looking first of all
at the first instance of Strong’s H3318 as used in Genesis 1:12 (“brought
forth” / ‘bring out’) where it parallels Genesis 1:11’s use of H1876: “bring
forth”/’sprout.’ Cf. Deu 31:10 TLT below and
my findings
re the Scriptural concept of overlapping days.]
Deu 11:12
A land which the LORD thy God careth for the eyes of the LORD thy God are always
upon it, from the
beginning of the year even unto
the end of the year.
Deu 31:10 KJV And
Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the
solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles…
Deu 31:10 TLT And Moses commanded them, saying, From a point in time marking
a beginning of seven years; in
a festival of the year of release; even within the feast of tabernacles
during
which time the moon is beginning to wane; that is, at the very earliest
beginnings of the seventh of the seven years… (Re end vs. beginning,
please cf. my ‘ketz’-word study!)
Jer 28:1 And it came to pass the same year, in the
beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth
year, and in the fifth month, that
Hananiah the son of Azur the prophet, which was of
Gibeon, spake unto me in the house of the LORD, in the presence of the priests
and of all the people, saying…
Jer 28:17
So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.
Jer 39:2
And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month,
the ninth day of the month, the city was broken up.
Jer 41:1
Now it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael
the son of Nethaniah the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, and the princes of
the king, even ten men with him, came unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to
Mizpah; and there they did eat bread together in Mizpah.
Ezr 3:4
They kept also the feast of tabernacles, as it is
written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to
the custom, as the duty of every day required;
Ezr 3:6
From the first day of the seventh month began
they to offer burnt offerings unto the LORD. But the foundation of the temple
of the LORD was not yet laid.
Ezr 3:8
Now in the second year of their coming unto the house
of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of
Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the
priests and the Levites, and all they that were come out of the captivity unto
Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to set
forward the work of the house of the LORD.
1 Sam 1:20 (TLT)
“And it was towards the cutoffs of the hot
days…” or
1 Sam 1:20 (TLT)
“And it was towards the cutoffs of the
summer…” or
1 Sam 1:20 (TLT)
“And it was towards the cutoffs of the year…”
Esther 1:3 KJV
In the third year of [Ahasuerus] reign, he made a feast unto all
his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and
princes of the provinces, being before him:
Esther 1:4 TLT When he shewed the riches of his glorious
kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, beginning with day one hundred
and fourscore. [Based on the Hebrew original I find that day #1 (of the
180 days) = Tishri 22, 483 BCE, the feast began with day #180 in late
Adar, and the 7th and last day of the feast was day #186 = Nisan 1
[beginning at sunset Friday April 2, 482 BCE.]
Exo 12:2 החדשׁ הזה
לכם ראשׁ
חדשׁים ראשׁון
הוא לכם לחדשׁי
השׁנה׃
Exo 23:16 וחגH2282 האסףH614 בצאתH3318 השׁנהH8141
Deu 11:12 ארץ
אשׁר־יהוה
אלהיך דרשׁ
אתה תמיד עיני
יהוה אלהיך בה
מרשׁית
השׁנה ועד אחרית
שׁנה׃
Deu 31:10
ויצו
משׁה אותם
לאמר מקץ
שׁבע שׁנים במעד
שׁנת השׁמטה בחג
הסכות׃
1Sa 1:20
ויהי
לתקפות הימים ותהר
חנה ותלד בן
ותקרא
את־שׁמו
שׁמואל כי מיהוה
שׁאלתיו׃
Esther 1:3 בשׁנתH8141 שׁלושׁH7969 למלכוH4427 עשׂהH6213 משׁתהH4960 לכלH3605 שׂריוH8269 ועבדיוH5650 חילH2426 פרסH6539 ומדיH4074 הפרתמיםH6579 ושׂריH8269 המדינותH4082 לפניו׃H6440
Esther 1:4 בהראתוH7200 אתH853 עשׁרH6239 כבודH3519 מלכותוH4438 ואתH853 יקרH3366 תפארתH8597 גדולתוH1420 ימיםH3117 רביםH7227 שׁמוניםH8084 ומאתH3967 יום׃H3117
Jer 28:1
ויהי
בשׁנה ההיא
בראשׁית
ממלכת צדקיה
מלך־יהודה בשׁנת הרבעית
בחדשׁ
החמישׁי אמר אלי
חנניה
בן־עזור
הנביא אשׁר
מגבעון בבית
יהוה לעיני
הכהנים
וכל־העם
לאמר׃
Jer 28:17
וימת
חנניה הנביא בשׁנה
ההיא בחדשׁ
השׁביעי׃
Jer 39:2
בעשׁתי־עשׂרה
שׁנה לצדקיהו
בחדשׁ הרביעי
בתשׁעה לחדשׁ הבקעה העיר׃
Jer 41:1
ויהי בחדשׁ
השׁביעי בא
ישׁמעאל
בן־נתניה
בן־אלישׁמע
מזרע המלוכה
ורבי המלך
ועשׂרה
אנשׁים אתו
אל־גדליהו בן־אחיקם
המצפתה
ויאכלו שׁם
לחם יחדו
במצפה׃
Ezr 3:4 ויעשׂו
את־חג
הסכות ככתוב
ועלת יום ביום
במספר כמשׁפט
דבר־יום ביומו׃
Ezr 3:6
מיום
אחד לחדשׁ
השׁביעי החלו
להעלות עלות
ליהוה והיכל
יהוה לא יסד׃
Ezr 3:8
ובשׁנה
השׁנית לבואם
אל־בית
האלהים
לירושׁלם
בחדשׁ השׁני החלו
זרבבל
בן־שׁאלתיאל
וישׁוע
בן־יוצדק ושׁאר
אחיהם הכהנים
והלוים
וכל־הבאים
מהשׁבי
ירושׁלם
ויעמידו
את־הלוים מבן
עשׂרים שׁנה
ומעלה לנצח
על־מלאכת
בית־יהוה׃
Shem Tov’s Hebrew Matthew 12:9
“"His
word was with power." Luke 4:32. Under a variety of representations He
[“Jesus”/Yeshua] warned His hearers of the calamity that would follow all who
rejected the blessings He came to bring them. He had given them every possible
proof that He came forth from God, and made every possible effort to bring them
to repentance. He would not be rejected and murdered by His own nation if He
could save them from the guilt of such a deed.
{White, E.G., DA 452.3}
What is
the beginning of the year and what is the end per Scriptural definitions?
The Feast of Ingathering is the same as the Feast of
Tabernacles, which is defined in Leviticus 23 as the 15th through
the 21st days of the Seventh Moon, which falls somewhere in
September or October each year.
The beginning of the First Moon, Aviv, is defined by
the ripening of the barley in March or April each year.
How is
it that the end of the year is not immediately followed by the First Month of
the year?
Where does the time following the Feast of
Tabernacles but preceding the ripening of the barley belong, that is the time
between the fall and the spring? Should this time, November through February
and more, be reckoned with the preceding year or with the subsequent year?
Within today’s Jewish or Hebrew speaking people there are proponents for both
of these views. Are some of the Karaites (Karaites claim to rest solely upon
the Hebrew Scriptures) truly resting upon solid scriptural ground when claiming
that the year begins with Aviv while apparently ignoring Exodus 23:16? Or are
some of the Orthodox Jews correct when claiming that the year begins with the
beginning of the Seventh Month, Ethanim or Tishri? Can both of them be correct
or are none of them correct?
Or is this a question that can have no certain and
unambiguous answer? Can a doubting Thomas rightfully use an issue such as this
for claiming that the Holy Scriptures are contradicting themselves and cannot
be relied upon?
Could it be that the answer is easily found upon
pursuing a more detailed study of the exact words used in the Scriptures?
Let’s first consider the words “the beginning of
months.” Is there a difference between those words and the words “the beginning
of the year?” There is a distinct difference, is there not?
Are the
months related to the year in a way reminiscent to how the hours are related to
the biblical day?
When is the first hour of the biblical day? It begins
at sunrise, does it not? When is the last hour of the biblical day? It ends at
sunset, does it not? Yet, it is a fact that biblical [24 hour] days are counted
from sunset to sunset, or is that not a fact?
Is there a parallel between the day and the year?
Could it be that the months are, to a certain extent, to be compared with the
hours of the day? Could it be that just as the fourteen hours of day light and
the twelve hours from sunrise to sunset (at the time of the spring and fall
equinoxes) are associated with the time when people are awake and active, so
also the first seven moons are associated with the harvest seasons of every
year while the remaining moons are the colder, rainy, and darker period of the
year when there is much less activity for the agricultural people out upon the
fields. Could it be that just as the Seventh Day of each week is designed for
rest, joy, family, and church relationships under the guidance of the Creator,
so also the Seventh Moon is designed more than any other for such holy
convocations? Or isn’t it true that the Seventh moon has four specified timely
proscriptions, i.e. Day of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, Feast of Tabernacles,
and the Eighth Day, thus covering the greater portion of said moon?
Having asked myself the above questions, am I now
ready to see what the Scriptures actually say? Do the Holy Scriptures have a
definite answer for me?
I believe they do!
It remains for me – or for someone – to let God show
me whether, and to what extent, this way of reckoning has been used in Old and
New Testament chronology, since up to the time I first wrote this article I
have considered the “civil year,” which until then I assumed is usually used in
the bible, as beginning with the first day of the Seventh Moon, and another “sacred
year” used occasionally and in certain situations as beginning with the first
day of the First Moon. It remains to be seen what revisions of this chronology
work of mine may be necessary upon a closer study of these issues… and as time
is passing I am finding these things verified, for instance by my discoveries
re Jeremiah’s and Josephus’ use of a year such
that the seventh moon, or part of it, is still the same year as the last prior
months.
What about the lunar day and the lunar night? – Is
there a parallel there too?
On the First and Second Day of the just expired Feast
of Tabernacles [in the 2007 Gregorian year] I was blessed with sharing a holy
convocation with two Seventh-day Adventist brethren up near the peaks of the
Southern California Mountains. One thing I noticed was that the full moon
actually felt warm on my cheek. It, the full moon, reminded me of the heat of the
noon time sun in the middle of the day. It reminded me that sunset is the time
set in the midst between noon and midnight. What’s the lunar time in the midst
of full moon and new moon? It’s half moon, isn’t it? Half moon coming and half
moon going. Half moon going would correspond to sunset, would it not?
Thus sunset of the 24 hour cycle corresponds to half
moon going of the lunar cycle, which in turn corresponds to the fall of the
year…
What’s more natural than praising the Lord while
paying recognition to, and expectantly looking for, the points in time ending
and beginning each new cycle of time: The day, the week, the month, and the
year?
And aren’t the Scriptures teaching us to do exactly
that?! Isn’t the Eighth Day / Shemini Atzeret / The Last Great Day of the feast
days in the Seventh Moon indicating exactly that, i.e. the beginning of
something new, the new Scriptural year? And if, as stated in Exodus 23:16, the
Feast of Ingathering is the entity of time out of which the new year is being
brought forth, then, in full accord also with the Hebrew and Scriptural usage
of accession periods, the new year must begin with the first period of time
following upon the end of the Feast of Ingathering, that is, Hag HaAzeret, the
Eighth Day, the 22nd day of the seventh moon, Tishri 22. Just the
same as with the plants, which, per Genesis 1:11-12, are being brought forth
out of the earth…
If that is true then I cannot but conclude that the
22nd day of the 7th moon, i.e. Tishri 22, constitutes the
first day of the new year!
Interestingly,
I find that Josephus reckons his
years beginning with Tishri 22, or, more
precisely put, his reckoning of years begin some time after Tishri 10! Cf. Herod
the Great’s reign and the 185th Olympic year!
What
does John, “the disciple whom Jesus
loved,” have
to say about this issue of exactly when is the end of the year?
Which of
the seven day of the Feast of Tabernacles is an extra annual Shabbat? “The
First” or “the Seventh?”
John 7:37 TLT In the last
day, the foremost of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
John 7:37 KJV In the last
day, that
great day of
the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man
thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
(From Zodhiates, Spiros, Th.D., The Complete
WordStudy New Testament, (1994.))
Notice the grammatical notations above the words
“that great,” i.e. “art,aj3173”
in the above copied quote! ‘That’ vs. ‘the!’ The two words are indeed variants
of the definite article, yet, “the great day of the feast” puts the
emphasis on a specific day out of the seven days of the Feast of Tabernacles,
doesn’t it?, whereas “that great day of the feast” could be more of a general reference
to any great day of a feast. Notice also the comma placement! It is not “In the
last day, that great day, of the feast,” but “In the last day, that the
great day of the feast!” Thus, at least to me, it is clear that the words “In
the last day…” is a direct reference, first and foremost, to the last day of
the Scripture year! It so happens that, per the definitions found in Exodus
23:16 and 34:22, the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles always does coincide
with the last day, that is, the end of the year!
Furthermore, this emphasis on “the great day
of the feast” may well have implications as to our understanding of what is
truly the correct translation of Leviticus 23:35, 39 (quoted below!) That is,
which day of the seven feast days is truly the day represented by the Hebrew
word ‘rishon’ meaning ‘foremost,’ ‘the best,’ ‘the most valuable,’ or ‘the most
important?’ Please cf. my Scripture
word study re the true Scriptural meaning and use of the Hebrew word ‘rishon!’
Lev 23:35 ביוםH3117 הראשׁוןH7223 מקראH4744 קדשׁH6944 כלH3605 מלאכתH4399 עבדהH5656 לאH3808 תעשׂו׃H6213
Lev 23:39 אךH389 בחמשׁהH2568 עשׂרH6240 יוםH3117 לחדשׁH2320 השׁביעיH7637 באספכםH622 אתH853 תבואתH8393 הארץH776 תחגוH2287 אתH853 חגH2282 יהוהH3068 שׁבעתH7651 ימיםH3117 ביוםH3117
הראשׁוןH7223 שׁבתוןH7677 וביוםH3117 השׁמיניH8066 שׁבתון׃H7677
Lev 23:40 ולקחתםH3947
לכם ביוםH3117 הראשׁוןH7223 פריH6529 עץH6086 הדרH1926 כפתH3709 תמריםH8558 וענףH6057 עץH6086 עבתH5687 וערביH6155 נחלH5158 ושׂמחתםH8055 לפניH6440 יהוהH3068 אלהיכםH430 שׁבעת[1]-H7651 ימים׃H3117
Leviticus 23:35 TLT On the foremost [the 7th]
day [of the feast] shall be an holy convocation: ye shall
do no servile work therein.
Leviticus 23:39 TLT Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh
month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast
unto the LORD seven days: on the foremost [the great day (cf. KJV: John 7:2,
14, 37); the 7th] day shall be a
sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a
sabbath.
Leviticus 23:40 TLT And ye shall take you on the foremost
[the 7th] day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the
boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before
the LORD your God on the seventh[2]
of those days [of the feast.]
Leviticus 23:35 KJV On the first day shall be an holy
convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
Leviticus 23:39 KJV Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh
month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast
unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath,
and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.
Leviticus 23:40 KJV And ye shall take you on the first
day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the
boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before
the LORD your God seven days.
Leviticus 23:41 KJV And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD
seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your
generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month.
Leviticus 23:42 KJV Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that
are Israelites born shall dwell in booths:
Please notice how the Hebrew word ‘rishon’ is used in Shem
Tov’s Hebrew Matthew relative to the Feast of Unleavened Bread (cf. this same link!) That is, sometimes it
is used to indicate the 7th day of the feast that makes the feast
complete, sometimes it is being used to indicate the very beginning of the
feast. Compare also Genesis 1:1 and Revelation 21:6, 22:13. Yet, the very
beginning of every week is also the end of the last day of the prior week. That
is, the shadows of the new day begin while the light of the waning day is yet
lingering. Yet, we must remember that God, the Creator didn’t rest on the First
Day of the week. Neither did He teach anyone else to do so. God’s People are
called to observe the Feast of Tabernacles by building booths in a timely
manner such that, per Leviticus 23:42, from the very first night at the
beginning of the seven day Feast of Tabernacles: “Ye shall dwell in booths
seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths.” But how can
you do that unless you’ve already prepared yourself prior to the nightfall of
the first night of the feast?
I am seeing in the Feast of Tabernacles kind of a mirror
image of the event represented by the words “In the beginning God created…”
(Gen 1:1.) The Feast of Tabernacles begins at the time of the full moon, which
time is the noon of the lunar day, so to speak. Noon is the very earliest time
of the day when the shadows can be said to begin to rise (or grow.) At
the sunset hour those same shadows have a way of rising upon the hills seen in
the east before dusk as the new Scripture day is beginning. Thus the Feast of
Tabernacles may teach us something about the very beginning of the creation
week recorded for us in Genesis 1. Then, at sunset, as on the Eighth Day, we
begin to experience something new, a new day, a new week, a new year, a new
beginning. As we, you and I, go to sleep at night, as we rest in comfort, God
is preparing for us a new day. Likewise, beginning with the Eighth Day, for
about seven days, paralleling the seven days of the creation week, we may
perceive the last half moon waning away and disappear until shortly after midnight
of the lunar cycle the crescent of the New Moon again becomes visible… Yet, at
that hour of midnight most of us are fast asleep, dreaming…
. . . . . .
On the incentive of my son, he and I have lately been
implementing a daily schedule patterned upon the appointed Feast Days of the
year. We feel that the Lord, our Creator, are blessing us abundantly in
consequence of this practice. No doubt we have plenty more to learn and
discover in these and other respects, but presently [Sixth Moon 2008] we are
using a daily schedule based upon these points of time:
05:00 (Local solar time.) First dawn. Time to rise
and spend private time with God. Cf. Aviv 1.
05:40 Preparation time before breakfast. Cf. Aviv 10
and the selection of the sacrificial lamb of Passover.
06:00 – 06:30
06:20 ±10 minutes. Breakfast time begins. Cf. The
Torah prohibition on eating of the barley prior to Hag HaOmer, the Waving of
the Sheaf, on the morning of the 7th Day Shabbat.
07:00 second signal
09:00 third signal
09:20 ±10 Mid-morning brief family get together. Cf.
the 7th week of the Count of Omer; days 42-49 counting towards
Pentecost.
11:00 fourth signal
13:00 fifth signal
15:00 sixth signal
17:00 Announcing the coming evening events. Cf. Yom
Teruah.
17:40 Family at-one-meant time. Cf. Day of
At-One-Meant.
18:00 – 18:30 Sunset. Family worship time. Cf. Feast
of Tabernacles.
18:45 Dark. Bedtime. Cf. Eighth Day.
Well, we tried this for some time, but as our days
rapidly became longer and longer towards summer at our northern latitude, 60
deg North, this practice ended up being quite a testing experience, and one
that made our daily routines rather less regular than desirable for optimal
health, we had to give up this practice in favor of something more regular in
terms of a 24 hour clock cycle… at least so far as our meals and our hours of
communing together.
Lamentations 2:19 Arise,
cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour
out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord: lift
up thy hands toward him for the life of thy young children, that faint for
hunger in the top of every street.
Praise the Lord!
A note re the Hebrew word
transliterated ‘tekufah:’
I very much value Nehemia Gordon’s article (cashed
(2009-02-27)) discussing the four instances of the word ‘tekufah’ in the
Tanach. Even though Nehemia’s article is not recognizing it, the four instances
of this Hebrew word give good support for the main point of the within article:
[Even though the main
point of Nehemia’s article is the non-existence of any direct reference to
the equinox in the Tanach and even though I have seen no direct indication that
Nehemia is as yet aware of the truth and importance of the main message of the
within article, nor of the consistent observance of Hag HaOmer on the Seventh
Day Shabbat, and not on the First Day, throughout biblical times, most
everything else of what I’ve seen Nehemia teach and practice I find most
excellent and well worth studying carefully.]
Re the 1st instance of ‘tekufah’ in the
Scriptures – Exodus 34:22:
Nehemia’s explanation of the use of the word
‘tekufah’ in Exodus 34:22 makes a lot of sense to me. Read
it!
Because Nehemia has not yet recognized the truth of
the within article, it is only reasonable that he does not recognize the
implications and the added support that the word ‘tekufah’ and its context – as
referenced throughout Nehemia’s fine article as well as in the Scriptures -
gives to all the other within referenced evidence for the exact point of the
end of the year (for purposes of dating documents etc.) being Tishri 21, and
the beginning of the year being Tishri 22. In consequence of that fact I must
question Nehemia’s associating the word ‘tekufah’ with any other time of the
year than that which is associated with the seventh moon, and most specifically
with the Eighth day, which very name suggests the beginning of something new, a
new year, albeit much deemphasized in the bible as such, evidently for a
purpose.
Re the 2nd instance of ‘tekufah’ in the
Scriptures – 1 Sam 1:20:
Nehemia
is thus interpreting 1 Sam 1:20 as follows: “ "The same time the following year" [or possibly to the
completion of the term of pregnancy?]” Yet, re his reference to her
pregnancy, Nehemia seems to be oblivious to the fact that one of the least
likely times for a lady to travel is towards the end of her pregnancy, and,
probably more so then than now in the absence of the conveniences of modern
travel, that time of staying put may well as a rule have been extended for some
time until the infant and mother had stabilized following the birth trauma. Indeed,
this matter of traveling is not the issue here (verses 23-24,) given that “she
stayed home until she had weaned him,” which may well have been even three of
four years.
Nonetheless,
the point is the timing of the event. The rest of the family was traveling to
Now, I don’t see any real strong indicator in the
text re which particular annual feast, if any, that may have been Elkanah’s
preference. Yet, considering the repeated reference to eating and drinking (1
Sam. 1:7,8,9,13,14,15) without any reference to either unleavened bread,
breaking of the bread, or other reference to the Feast of Unleavened Bread, it
seems more likely to me that the Feast of Tabernacles was the Feast that they
made a habit of attending. Perhaps the fact that Elkanah routinely brought his
wives along is another indication of that being indeed the season of their
travel? For isn’t it true that the Feast
of Tabernacles is, and was, well recognized as a Feast strongly associated with
the marital relationship. Also, we may notice that shortly following this event
at Shiloh Hannah did indeed get pregnant. And isn’t it true that, since very
early times, the beginning of pregnancies were traditionally associated with
the fall season. It seems that originally the mating season was much more
limited in time, and much more regular, than it has since become.
Accordingly, I see no reason at all for not allowing
the word ‘tekufah’ to mean what it most obviously does mean, the cutoff or the
end of the hot season and of the year at the time of the several feasts
ordained for the seventh months. In fact, aren’t these several festivities, the
Day of Trumpets, the Day of At-One-Meant, the Feast of Tabernacles, and the
Eighth Day, a plurality of events all associated with the end of the year; thus
the word “circuits” (‘tekufot’) in plural?! In the Hebrew this passage is even
clearer in that it is using here, not the word “shanot,” but “jamim,” a word
which most fundamentally means “hot” as in “the days of summer” or “days,” i.e.
the hot part of the day when the sun is above the horizon. Accordingly a
literal translation of the three first Hebrew words is: “And it was
towards the cutoffs of the hot
days:”
1Sam 1:20 ויהיH1961 לתקפותH8622 הימיםH3117 ותהרH2029 חנהH2584 ותלדH3205 בןH1121
ותקראH7121 אתH853
שׁמוH8034 שׁמואלH8050 כיH3588
מיהוהH3068 שׁאלתיו׃H7592
Re the 3rd instance of ‘tekufah’ in the
Scriptures – 2 Chron. 24:23:
Likewise in re to 2 Chron. 24:23 and apparently based
upon the assumption
that, without exception, kings always began their war activities in the spring,
Nehemia is associating the use of the word ‘tekufah’ with spring rather than
with fall in 2 Chron. 24:23...
Conclusion re Nehemia’s interpretation of ‘tekufah:’
Accordingly, I do not see any remaining argument left
in support for ‘tekufah’ or ‘tekufot’ (pl.) giving reference to anything but
the days at the end of the summer and the several appointed times of God within
the seventh month, which the Torah is teaching us constitutes the end of the
Scriptural year.
Re the 4th
and last instance of ‘tekufah’ in the Scriptures – Psalms 19:6:
Re the word ‘tekufot’ and Psalms 19:6 I may add this
to Nehemia’s
thoughts, i.e. by replacing the translation “heavens” with “names.” Think
in terms of the reckoning of years using the name of the current king! The
concept of name and proprietorship is a most important one and one given much
emphasis in the Hebrew Scriptures - though unfortunately hidden in most
translations:
Psalms 19:6 (Nehemia’s
translation – including his original bracketed words:) “(7) From the end of the heavens is its [the sun's]
going out and its circuit (Tekufato) is to their [the heavens] ends, and none
is hidden from its heat”
Psalms 19:6 (TLT) (Re end vs. beginning cf. my
‘ketz’-study:) “From the point marking the beginning of the names [pertaining to dating, e.g. the
beginning of Sabbath, the beginning of the new month, the beginning of the new
year etc.] it [the sun] goes forth and progresses in its circular course
[תקופתו]
unto
its points of beginnings [e.g. dawn, day, afternoon, twilight, dusk, and the
next date]: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.”
Indeed, re Nehemiah’s words “in Exodus we saw that the going out of the year
was the end of the year, whereas the going out of the sun
is the beginning of the day,” isn’t it obvious that the
point of “the end of the year” is the
very same point as the beginning of the year, that is, the end of Tishri
21 is also the beginning of Tishri 22, or isn’t that obvious?!!! There is
nothing that is “strange” in the reality behind those last quoted words of
Nehemiah, or at least I don’t see anything strange in it…
A comparison of the word
‘tekufah’ with the word ‘teshovah’
The four instances of ‘tekufah,’ “תּקוּפה,” identified by Nehemiah above
represent the only four instances of Strong’s H8622, “From H5362; a revolution, that is, (of the sun) course,
(of time) lapse.”
Another word, ‘teshovah,’ “תּשׁוּבה,” Strong’s H8666: “From H7725; a recurrence (of time or place); a reply
(as returned),”carries a somewhat similar meaning and is found
eight times in the Scriptures.
Here are their respective roots:
H5362
נקף,
nâqaph,
naw-kaf'
A primitive root; to strike with
more or less violence (beat, fell, corrode); by
implication (of attack) to knock together, that is, surround
or circulate
H7725
שׁוּב,
shûb,
shoob
A primitive root; to turn back
(hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not
necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to
retreat; often adverbially again
And here are the first Scripture occurrences of each
of those first two words:
Exodus 34:22 KJV And thou
shalt observeH6213 the feastH2282 of weeks,H7620 of the firstfruitsH1061
of wheatH2406 harvest,H7105 and the feastH2282 of ingatheringH614 at the year'sH8141 end.H8622
1 Samuel 7:17 KJV And his returnH8666 was to Ramah;H7414 forH3588 thereH8033 was his house;H1004 and thereH8033 he judgedH8199
(H853) Israel;H3478
and thereH8033 he builtH1129 an altarH4196 unto the LORD.H3068
And here are five out of the
eight instances showing how strongly H8666 is associated with “the time when
kings go
forth to battle:”
2 Samuel 11:1 KJV And it came
to pass,H1961 after the yearH8141 was expired,H8666
at the timeH6256 when kingsH4428 go forthH3318 to battle, that DavidH1732
sentH7971 (H853) Joab,H3097 and his servantsH5650 withH5973 him, and allH3605 Israel;H3478 and they destroyedH7843 (H853)
the childrenH1121 of Ammon,H5983 and besiegedH6696
H5921 Rabbah.H7237
But DavidH1732 tarriedH3427 still at Jerusalem.H3389
1 Kings 20:22 KJV And the
prophetH5030 cameH5066 toH413 the kingH4428 of Israel,H3478 and saidH559 unto him, Go,H1980 strengthen thyself,H2388
and mark,H3045 and seeH7200
(H853) whatH834 thou doest:H6213
forH3588 at the returnH8666
of the yearH8141 the
kingH4428 of SyriaH758 will come upH5927 againstH5921 thee.
1 Kings 20:26 KJV And it came
to passH1961 at the returnH8666
of the year,H8141 that BenhadadH1130 numberedH6485 (H853) the Syrians,H758 and went upH5927 to Aphek,H663 to fightH4421 againstH5973 Israel.H3478
1 Chronicles 20:1 KJV And it came
to pass,H1961 that afterH6256 the yearH8141 was expired,H8666
at the timeH6256 that kingsH4428 go outH3318 to battle, JoabH3097
led forthH5090 (H853) the powerH2428 of the army,H6635 and wastedH7843
(H853) the countryH776 of the
childrenH1121 of Ammon,H5983 and cameH935 and besiegedH6696
(H853) Rabbah.H7237
But DavidH1732 tarriedH3427 at Jerusalem.H3389 And JoabH3097 smoteH5221
(H853) Rabbah,H7237
and destroyedH2040 it.
2 Chronicles 36:10 KJV And when the
yearH8141 was expired,H8666
kingH4428
NebuchadnezzarH5019 sent,H7971 and broughtH935 him to
Babylon,H894 withH5973
the goodlyH2532 vesselsH3627 of the houseH1004 of the LORD,H3068 and madeH4427
(H853) ZedekiahH6667
his brotherH251 king overH5921 JudahH3063 and Jerusalem.H3389
Considering carefully these passages and how strongly
they are associated with the concept of returning to home – as the sun at the sunset of the day… and the year
at the sunset/fall of the year – I am indeed beginning to question the
prevalent wisdom in believing that spring was the time when kings went forth to
war. Indeed, isn’t it true that:
1.
Each
and all of the above passages seem to tell another story, that is, that fall,
the end of the year, is “the time when kings
go forth to battle?”
2.
The
men needed as soldiers would all have been needed for doing agricultural work
in the spring, and the kings would have been “shooting themselves in the foot”
by regularly recruiting them for war activities at that time of the year? Isn’t
fall and winter a much more suitable time for using that valuable resource?
3.
Considering
the dresses of the soldiers, heavy and no doubt hot, how likely would it be for
the soldiers to be willing to dress up in such uniforms during the season of
spring when the tendency of men is to undress and get a good sun tan? Wouldn’t
the coldness of the fall and winter be much more of a reasonable season for
such paraphernalia?
4.
During
the fall and winter seasons the needs of the army for provisioning would be
much more easily met from the recently collected harvests, than would be the
empty or half empty storage places of spring and summer?
5.
-
If I am not entirely mistaken re my discovery - That, indeed, the final battle
between the Philistine army and that of King Saul took
place on January 11 (1043 BCE) - almost in the middle of the winter?
It is doubtless true that some
of those expeditions of war lasted for more than the winter season, yes, even
for more than a full year, and that, thus, there were war actions taking place
also at other seasons of the year. I am thinking of the time when Nabopolassar,
the father of Nebuchadnezzar, died in the midst of the summer, on Av 8, 605
BCE, and when, in consequence, Nebuchadnezzar had to rush home to grab the
reins of the throne after his father…
At any rate, it seems to me
quite clear that both of those Hebrew words pertain to the same annual point in
time, the end of the Scripture year, the end of the Feast of Ingathering, the
end of the Feast of Tabernacles, and the beginning of the year, the Eighth Day,
Hag HaAzaret, the beginning of fall…
Praise the Lord!
. . . . . . .
Re the
date for the baptism of Yeshua Messiah
Upon reviewing my
old notes re the baptism of Yeshua and recognizing that since first having
written those notes I’ve learned of Shem Tov’s Hebrew Matthew, I came to
realize also that now I may have available to me the Hebrew words behind the
Greek word ‘Xylophori’ of Matthew 3:12, which passage and Greek word I had
previously included in said note. Well, realizing that there seems to be little
or nothing in that Hebrew verse indicating anything beyond the normal
activities at the end of the harvest season and the time of the Feast of
Ingathering, I realize also that per the translation of George Howard in his
book Hebrew
Gospel of Matthew, verse 11 makes it quite clear that the season for John’s
baptismal activities and the time of Yeshua’s baptism was exactly this time of
the year, the fall, the end of the year and the beginning of a new year, that
is, “in the days of ‘teshovah’
“:
Matthew Chapter 3:
11 John
answered all of them: Behold I truly baptize you in the days of repentance
[bejami teshova,] but another comes mightier than I…
13 Then
came Jesus from Galilee (to) the Jordan to be baptized by John…
(From Howard, George, Hebrew
Gospel of Matthew.)
Finding this piece of evidence confirmed also by the
record of Yeshua’s
age, that is, relative to his
exact birthday, at the time of his baptism as found in Luke 3:22-23, that
is, “Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age,” I conclude that the
time for Yeshua’s baptism was in the fall, at the beginning of the Scripture
year, that is, not too long after Tishri 22, and that the year of that event
was certainly the 16th year of Caesar Tiberius, that is, in consequence
of the record of Luke 3:21 KJV: “Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of
Tiberius Caesar…” That is, the 16th Scripture year of Caesar
Tiberius beginning Tishri 22, 15 CE… Upon very carefully having considered and
studied all the facts available re this particular I find the following:
- The details of the Scripture makes it
almost certain that Yeshua was baptized upon the Shabbat of Bul
15, 15 CE
[the day beginning at sunset Fri November 15, 15 CE (Julian day #1726855,)] which day was not only the first day of that month
when the sun rose in the east before the moon set in the west, such that both
sun and moon could be seen at the same time, similar(?) to the timing of King Saul’s death, but…
- Notice!, it was
also the day that Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, king of
Israel, dedicated in commemoration unto himself.
- Likewise, the last
and fortieth day of temptations occurred on Kislev 25, 15 CE [beginning Wednesday
night December 25 and Thursday, 15 CE, i.e. beginning on Christmas Day.]
- Notice the
associations between Yeshua’s last temptation, Thursday, and Ascension Day on the one hand, and on the other Yeshua’s last temptation,
December 25, and Christmas Day!
. . . . . . . . .
A note re the Elephantine papyri vs. the possibility that
some of them could potentially have been dated in Tishri using a Scriptural
calendar:
The following note (in smaller font,) re the
Elephantine papyri evidencing scribal use at the time of a calendar beginning
the year with Tishri 22, is now obviated by:
1.
The recognition that the
presumed “scribal error” of Kraeling 8 is based upon the false assumption of
Horn and Wood that "it is impossible
for the same month to coincide with Tishri four years later;"
2.
upon my discovery that an Egyptian regnal year 2 at times (AP 6) begin
prior to the end of a Babylonian or Scriptural accession year (affecting AP 8,
AP 9, & AP 10;) and
3.
upon my own prior assumption that many of the Elephantine papyri are
using the Scriptural calendar (only Kraeling 6 has been shown to do that.)
Nevertheless, two (AP
8 & Kraeling 8) of the three presumed “scribal errors,” per Horn and Wood,
are now resolved in favor of the scribes, while the third (AP 10) is resolved
on the basis indicated above! (Cf. also this
link!)
The Elephantine papyri from the 5th
century BCE is evidence that the Eighth Day was then used as the beginning of
the year:
Of the 22 double dated papyri discovered there are
four dated in the month of Tishri (cf. Sigfried H. Horn, Ph.D. and Lynn H.
Wood, Ph.D., The
Chronology of Ezra 7, Appendix, pp. 39-40:)
1.
AP
15. [Tishri 25] = Epiphi 6, year [30 (or 16 /gs)] of [Artaxerx]es I (435 (or
449 /gs) BC)
2.
Kraeling
4. Tishri 25 = Epiphi 25, year 31 of Artaxerxes 1 (434 BC.)
3.
Kraeling
7. Tishri = Epiphi, year 4 of Darius II (420 BC.)
4.
Kraeling
8. Tishri 6 = Payni 22, year 8 of Darius II (416 BC.)
It is generally believed that Tishri 1 constitutes
the beginning of “the Jewish civil year.” However, using that assumption
creates a problem with the last one of the above papyri: Kraeling 8, which is
the only one dated in Tishri prior to Tishri 22. In consequence of the
unawareness of the biblical, or then current Jewish, calendar beginning with
Tishri 22 said problem is generally attributed to a “scribal error” since
Tishri 6 would then, under that false assumption, belong to the new year.
Restoring the “Tishri 6” date to the old year where it belongs resolves this
problem (without resorting to blaming the scribe for habitually writing the
name of the old Egyptian month (Payni) in place of the new one (Epiphi) or else
prematurely writing the name of the subsequent, yet future, Jewish month
(Tishri) in place of the current one (Elul,)) and thus this particular papyrus
is evidence that in the 5th century BCE Tishri 22, the Eight Day,
was considered the beginning of the year.
Hallelujah, praise the Lord!
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