ירחים , sometimes also called חדשים , new moons, from the circumstance of their commencing with the new moon, anciently had no separate names, with the exception of the first, which was called Abib, that is, "the month of the young ears of corn," Exodus 13:4; Exodus 23:15; Exodus 34:18; Deuteronomy 16:1 . During the captivity, the Hebrews adopted the Babylonian names for their months; which were as follows, and they were reckoned thus:
1. ניסן , Nisan, from the new moon of April, Nehemiah 2:1 .
2. זיו , Kif or Ziv, also called אייר , of May, 1 Kings 6:1 .
3. סיון , Sivan, of June, Esther 8:9 .
4. תמוז , Tammuz, of July.
5. אב , Ab, of August.
6. אלול , Elul, of September, Nehemiah 6:15 .
7. תשרי , Tishri, also ירח האיתנים , of October, 1 Kings 8:2 .
8. בול , Bul, also מרחשון , of November, 1 Kings 6:38 .
9. כסלו , Kisleu, of December, Nehemiah 1:1 .
10. טבת , Tebeth, of January, Esther 2:16 .
11. שבט , Shebat, of February, Zechariah 1:7 .
12. אדר , Adar, of March, Esther 3:7 .
The first month here mentioned, Nisan, was originally called Abib. The intercalary month is denominated in Hebrew אדר .