The Jewish Rabbins divided the year into six seasons, and their arrangement prevails throughout the lands of Scripture even to the present day. The descendants of Ishmael, roaming a free and unconquered people in the deserts of Arabia, have continued circumcising their sons when thirteen years old, after the example of their great progenitor Ishmael, who was circumcised at that age (Gen. 17:2525And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. (Genesis 17:25)); they also observe the seasons, as is done generally in the east, according to the ancient order noted in Genesis 8:2222While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. (Genesis 8:22). An uninterrupted continuance of the seasons is secured on Divine authority, so long as the “earth remaineth.” The seasons commenced in the middle of the months.
First season or Harvest, from Abib to Sivan — April to June.
Second season or Summer, from Sivan to Ab — June to August.
Third season or Heat, from Ab to Tisri — August to October.
Fourth season or Seed-Time, from Tisri to Chisleu — October to December.
Fifth season or Winter, from Chisleu to Sebat — December to February.
Sixth season or Cold, from Sebat to Abib — February to April.
In the sketch given of the Physical Features of Israel it will be seen that some parts of the land are much more elevated than others; this being the case, the seasons for agricultural purposes necessarily vary more or less for different districts.
The above occurrences are the only intimations of the seasons in the New Testament. We give the traditional list of seasons, usually found in books of reference; and also some statistics of actual observations in the land. It will be seen that these modern statistics do not always agree with the traditional list. For instance, Bul is called the rainy month; the word occurs only once (1 Kings 6:3838And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion of it. So was he seven years in building it. (1 Kings 6:38)) and is supposed to signify ‘rain’; but the statistics show that there is much more rain now in December and January. The early rain and the latter rain are also placed to months in which there appears now to be but little rain; but the terms ‘early’ and ‘latter’ may refer to when the rain is most valuable, and not when it is most plentiful. The climate and seasons may have somewhat altered.
It was foretold that the land of promise should “drink water of the rain of heaven.” They should have rain in due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that they might gather in the corn, the wine, and the oil (Deut. 11:11-1411But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven: 12A 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. 13And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, 14That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil. (Deuteronomy 11:11‑14)).
Dr. Barker gives the average quantity of rain during nine years in Jerusalem as 56.5 inches, which is a great deal more than given in the statistics. As to the temperature at Jerusalem, Dr. Barker gives the highest during five years (1851-5) as 92°, and the lowest 28°; the mean average during the year being 66.5°. The average temperature in January was 49.4°, and in August 79.3°.
Seed time commences as soon as rain has fallen at the end of October or early in November, and continues till January. Harvest in low, protected parts begins at the end of March or early in April; in the hill country it is a month later; and in the north, from June to the end of July. The rains of November clothe the fields with grass. In January citrons, oranges, and lemons are ripe. In February, apple, pear, plum, and apricot trees are in blossom. In May, apricots and melons are ripe in the warm parts. In June, figs, cherries, and plums begin to ripen; but August is the chief month for fruit: the grape, fig, pomegranate, and peach are in their prime, and the vintage extends through September. In August the great heat begins to dry up vegetation, which continues until the whole scene changes to what appears to be a dry and barren land; but the early rains soon show again that it is only the surface that is parched. All are agreed that under better cultivation the land would be very productive.
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Seed-time to occupy
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October and November.
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Winter to occupy
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December and January.
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Cold to occupy
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February and March.
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Harvest to occupy
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April and May.
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Summer to occupy
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June and July.
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Heat to occupy
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August and September.
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Such seasons must necessarily over-lap each other. It is said that the same divisions still exist among the Arabs.
The months were arranged by the new moon becoming visible. New moon to new moon occupies about 29½ days, and it will be seen that the months were alternately 30 and 29 days, which agreed with the changes of the moon very well; but the whole twelve months amounted to only 354 days — 11¼ days short of the solar year. This must have been discovered very soon, because of the first fruits of the barley and wheat harvest having appointed times for their presentation in the temple. In three years a month would be lost, and an additional month was from time to time added, called Ve-adar, the ‘added Adar.’
Jewish Calendars and Its Antitypes
Sebat, Tammuz and Ab are not named in Scripture. The names in italics are used by Josephus and others.
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Sacred
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Civil
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English Months
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Jewish
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Seasons
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Feasts
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Antitypes
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Months
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Months
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Months
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10
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4
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December January
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Tebeth 29 days
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Mid-Winter
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11
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5
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January
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Sebat
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Winter
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February
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30 days
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12
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6
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February March
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Adar 29 days
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Cold Latter Rain Spring
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14. Purim
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15. or Lots
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Esther 3:7; 9:26
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1
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7
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March
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Abib or Nisan 30 days
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Barley Harvest
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14. Passover
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Christ our Passover
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April
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16. Firstfruits of Barley
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The Resurrection
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15-21. Unleavened Bread
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2
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8
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April
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Zit or Iyar
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Summer
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May
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29 days
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3
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9
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May
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Sivan
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Wheat
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6. Feast of Weeks
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Decent of the Holy Spirit
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June
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30 days
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Harvest
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Pentecost
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Acts 2
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First fruits of wheat
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4
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10
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June
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Tammuz
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Hot Season
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July
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29 days
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5
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11
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July
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Ab
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Principal month for fruit
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August
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30 days
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6
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12
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August
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Elul
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Vintage general
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September
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29 days
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7
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1
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September
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Ethanum
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Seed time
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1. Feast of Trumpets
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Israel awakened, afflict their souls, receive their Messiah
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October
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or Tisri
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Early rain
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10. Day of Atonement
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30 days
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15-21 Tablernacles
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8
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2
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October
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Bul or Marchesvan
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Rainy month
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November
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30 days
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9
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3
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November
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Chisleu
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Winter begins
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25. Feast of Dedication
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December
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30 days
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Temperature and Rain in Israel
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In 1887
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Mean of all the highest and lowest
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Rain
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Highest
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Lowest
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Mean
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Highest
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Lowest
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Mean
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Inches
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January
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78
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32.5
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55.2
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63.4
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44.9
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54.1
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5.74
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February
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77
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37
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57
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64.3
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44
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54.2
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2.27
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March
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89
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37
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63
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67.9
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46.6
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57.2
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0.89
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April
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97
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43
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70
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78
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52.9
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65.5
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0.07
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May
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98
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45
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71.5
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80.2
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56.3
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68.3
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0.95
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June
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89
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58
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73.5
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83.9
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62.7
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73.3
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0
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July
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89
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62
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75.5
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85.9
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66.1
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76
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0
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August
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92
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64
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78
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88.5
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69.1
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78.8
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0
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September
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90
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61
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75.5
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86.6
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67.3
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77
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0.08
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October
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100
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57
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78.5
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88.2
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63.8
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76
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0
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November
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82
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52
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67
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77.8
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57.2
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67.5
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1.84
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December
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76
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46
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61
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70.1
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50.9
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60.5
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5.22
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MEAN
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88.1
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49.5
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68.8
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77.9
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56.8
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67.3
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1.42
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In 1887 rain fell only 43 days in the year. The most prevalent winds were West and South West.
The above observations were taken at Sarona, north of the great orange groves of Jaffa, 1.5 miles from the sea shore, and about 55 feet above the level of the sea; taken by Herr J. Dreher and arranged by Jas Glaisher, Esq. F. R. S. The degrees are Fahrenheit. From Quarterly Statement of Palestine Exploration Fund, 1890.