Bible Dictionaries
Moon

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Heb. yareah, from its paleness (Ezra 6:15 ), and lebanah, the "white" (Song of Solomon 6:10; Isaiah 24:23 ), was appointed by the Creator to be with the sun "for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years" (Genesis 1:14-16 ). A lunation was among the Jews the period of a month, and several of their festivals were held on the day of the new moon. It is frequently referred to along with the sun (Joshua 10:12; Psalm 72:5,7,17; 89:36,37; Ecclesiastes 12:2; Isaiah 24:23 , etc.), and also by itself (Psalm 8:3; 121:6 ).

The great brilliance of the moon in Eastern countries led to its being early an object of idolatrous worship (Deuteronomy 4:19; 17:3; Job 31:26 ), a form of idolatry against which the Jews were warned (Deuteronomy 4:19; 17:3 ). They, however, fell into this idolatry, and offered incense (2 Kings 23:5; Jeremiah 8:2 ), and also cakes of honey, to the moon (Jeremiah 7:18; 44:17-19,25 ).