שְׁבָט

שְׁבָט

Shebat, a Jewish month

Definition

Shebat (also transliterated Sebat) is the name of the eleventh month in the Hebrew religious calendar, corresponding roughly to January-February in the Gregorian calendar. It is one of the post-exilic month names adopted from the Babylonian calendar during the Jewish exile. In the Bible, it is mentioned only once, in Zechariah 1:7, which dates a prophetic vision to "the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month of Shebat." This places it within the sequence of months used in the restored community after the Babylonian captivity.

Biblical Usage

The word is used exclusively as a proper noun for a month. Its single biblical occurrence is in Zechariah 1:7, where it serves to date a prophetic message received by Zechariah. This usage reflects the post-exilic practice of using Babylonian month names, which became standard in the Hebrew calendar. The context is a historical marker for a divine revelation concerning the rebuilding of the temple and Jerusalem.

Etymology

The word is of foreign (Akkadian/Babylonian) origin, derived from the Babylonian month name "Shabatu." It was adopted into Hebrew during the Babylonian exile (6th century BCE), along with other month names like Nisan and Adar. This adoption marks a significant linguistic and cultural shift for the Jewish people, integrating elements of their captors' calendar into their own religious and national life.

Semantic Range

While the word itself is a calendar term, its theological significance lies in its context in Zechariah. The dating in Zechariah 1:7 anchors God's word in a specific historical moment to the post-exilic community, demonstrating that God speaks into real time and history. The use of a Babylonian name also subtly reflects the theme of God's sovereignty over and redemption from foreign powers, as He repurposes a element of captivity for His revelatory purposes. In its original setting, 'Shebat' was a borrowed month name from the dominant Babylonian culture. For the returning Jewish exiles, using this calendar represented a blend of their Israelite identity with the administrative realities of the Persian Empire. The month typically fell in the late winter rainy season, a time for early almond blossoms in Israel, which may symbolically connect to themes of watchfulness and renewal found in Zechariah's contemporary visions. חֹדֶשׁ (chodesh, H2320) — The generic Hebrew word for 'month' or 'new moon,' referring to the lunar cycle itself, whereas Shebat is a specific named month.

Word Details