The history of Israel's ancient calendars is a complex one, full of interesting facts and traditions. While some knowledge of Israelite calendars can be gathered from the Bible, other sources have recently come to light that help paint a more complete picture of the time-keeping methods of these early peoples. Let us now take a deeper look at these ancient calendars and the months that compose them.
The So-Called 'Biblical' Calendar
The modern Western calendar, also referred to as the Gregorian calendar, is far removed from the biblical calendar used by the ancient Israelites. Whilst the Gregorian calendar is broken down into weeks, months, and years, the biblical calendar was mainly composed of seasons. This made up the bulk of the ancient Jewish time-keeping system; with just the
israelite calendar months mentioned in the bible.
The Minhag Yisrael Calendars
While the Hebrew calendar and the biblical calendar are often conflated, they are in fact distinct systems. Also known as the 'Minhag Yisrael,' this type of calendar was mentioned in many sources from the Talmud to the Geonim literature. This system differs from the biblical calendar in several important ways that could've had a significant holding on Jewish governance and practice.
The King's Calendar: A Reconciliation
In a paper recently published by renowned Israeli historian Tamar Lavee, we get an even clearer view of how certain Israelite calendars were used throughout the ages. She proposes an argument that the two main systems of time-keeping used by the ancient Israelites, the biblical and the Minhag Yisrael, were combined and used in a regulated fashion under a single 'King's Calendar'.
The Implications of the Evidence
It is fascinating to observe how such ancient cultures so accurately kept track of their time, its changing seasons, and their festivals. Additionally, we are also privileged to view how these ancient times reacted to the changing tides of power and governance. This evidence can tell us much about both the ancient Israelites, as well as our own current day calendar systems.