Concise Bible Dictionary:
When God created the lights in the firmament He said, “Let them be for signs and for seasons,” and it is well known that the different seasons on the earth are in great measure caused by the days being longer or shorter, and thus having more or less of the heat of the sun. After the flood, God declared that while the earth remained the seasons should continue (Gen. 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)); these fall approximately thus:
1. Seedtime
Cold
Falling in October to March
Heat
Falling in April to September.
These seasons must overlap each other in Palestine, and are somewhat different in the hill country from what they are in the plains and valleys. Seed-time follows what was called “the early rain,” in October and November, and continues till January. Harvest commences in sheltered places as early as the beginning of April: in the hill country it is a month later; and in the north it extends to the end of July. The rains of November clothe the fields with grass. In January oranges, citrons, and lemons are ripening. In February and March, apple, pear, plum, and apricot trees are in blossom. During May, in some places, apricots and melons are ripe. In June, figs, cherries, and plums begin to ripen, but August is the chief month for fruit. The vintage extends through September. In August the great heat begins to dry up the vegetation, and it gradually changes the whole scene into what appears to be a dry and barren land; but the early rains soon show that it is only the surface that is parched.
In places there are masses of choice wild flowers, and where the land is well cultivated, it is now, as formerly, very productive. “Twenty thousand measures of wheat” year by year were sent to Hiram in exchange for timber (1 Kings 5:1111And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year. (1 Kings 5:11)). Wheat, honey, oil and balm were sent to Tyre as merchandise (Ezek. 27:1717Judah, and the land of Israel, they were thy merchants: they traded in thy market wheat of Minnith, and Pannag, and honey, and oil, and balm. (Ezekiel 27:17)). Barley also is produced plentifully.
The Jewish Calendar here given follows the order usually found in books of reference, but the climate and seasons have somewhat altered. Some of the names of the months apparently point to the time of the year in which they fell. Thus Abib signifies “budding” or “ear of corn;” Zif, “blossom;” and Bul, “rain.” See MONTHS and RAIN.