יֶרַח
a lunation, i.e. month
Definition
The Hebrew noun יֶרַח (yerach) refers to a lunar month, a period measured by the cycles of the moon. It specifically denotes a 'lunation,' the time from one new moon to the next, which was the primary method of marking months in ancient Israel (e.g., 1 Kings 6:37-38). While it can sometimes poetically refer to the moon itself as the celestial body (Deuteronomy 33:14), its predominant meaning is the unit of time. This is distinct from the other common Hebrew word for month, חֹדֶשׁ (chodesh), which emphasizes the 'newness' of the moon. יֶרַח is often used in contexts specifying duration or a particular point in the calendar.
Biblical Usage
יֶרַח appears 13 times in the Old Testament, primarily in historical and poetic books. It is used to specify lengths of time, such as the duration of construction (1 Kings 6:37-38) or periods of waiting (Deuteronomy 21:13). In poetic texts like Job 3:6 and Deuteronomy 33:14, it can refer to the moon as a source of light or a feature of the night sky. A notable pattern is its use in the phrase 'in the month Ziv' and 'in the month Bul' in 1 Kings, showing its role in naming specific months of the year (1 Kings 6:37-38).
Etymology
The word יֶרַח derives from an unused root of uncertain meaning, though it is clearly connected to the moon. It is a cognate with the Akkadian word 'arḫu' and the Arabic 'al-waraḫ,' both meaning 'month.' This shared linguistic root across Semitic languages highlights the common ancient practice of using lunar cycles to measure time. Its meaning developed directly from observation of the moon's phases to signify the period they define.
Semantic Range
While יֶרַח itself is a standard timekeeping term, its use connects to the biblical theme of God's sovereignty over time and creation. The lunar calendar it references was integral to Israel's religious life, governing the timing of festivals like Passover and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles). Understanding that biblical months were lunar, not solar, helps modern readers appreciate the rhythm of Israel's sacred year, which was orchestrated by God's design in the heavens (Psalm 104:19). The poetic use in Deuteronomy 33:14 also ties God's blessing to the fruitfulness influenced by lunar cycles.
In ancient Israel, time was primarily measured by the moon, not a solar calendar. A יֶרַח was a visible, observable unit—the cycle from one thin crescent moon to the next. This is different from our modern, abstract Gregorian months. The beginning of each month was marked by the sighting of the new moon (Rosh Chodesh), which often had religious significance. The use of יֶרַח in passages like 1 Kings 6 for naming months (Ziv, Bul) reflects an early Canaanite or agricultural calendar later supplemented by Babylonian month names after the exile.
חֹדֶשׁ (chodesh, H2320) — More common term for 'month,' emphasizing the 'newness' or renewal of the moon cycle, often used for festival dates. יָרֵחַ (yareach, H3394) — The primary word for the 'moon' as the celestial body itself, not the time period.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
Full methodology & sources →