The New Moon Sighting (Eve)
Most calendars list February 4 as the new moon day this month. But, as I explained in my January 7, 2019 blog in Bible times (and the old ways are the right ways - Jeremiah 6:16) the new moon was determined by the sighting of the first visible crescent, after the dark phase of the moon was over.
Most calendars list February 4 as the new moon day this month. But, as I explained in my January 7, 2019 blog in Bible times (and the old ways are the right ways - Jeremiah 6:16) the new moon was determined by the sighting of the first visible crescent, after the dark phase of the moon was over.
The reckoning of the month is governed by observing the lunar cycle. The new month begins when the first sliver of the new moon is sighted. The Biblical definition of “new moon” is different from the modern astronomical term which pinpoints the instant that the earth, moon and sun are all in alignment – which is called the conjunction. The precise conjunction is a mathematical moment in time that cannot be observed from earth, only calculated.
But what does the Bible say about the new moon? The biblical definition of the term NEW MOON comes from the Hebrew word khodesh, which literally means “renewed”. Khodesh refers to the light of the moon being renewed after a period of darkness.
New moons are another demonstration that God reckons a day from sunset to sunset. The first visible crescent of the new moon will only be sighted at sunset!
If you go out to try to sight the new moon after dark, it will be too late. On the new moon eve (the night of the sighting) the new moon crescent chases the sun downwards as it sets. The moon follows the setting sun, also setting within a short time of the sunset.
As I have already explained in this blog the new moon is a vital part of God's Clock. In fact, the new moon days are necessary for determining the timing of the annual Sabbaths, as listed in Leviticus 23. For more information about this, check out my blog from January 30, 2019.
In the case of the Genesis 7:11 reference to khodesh, it clearly refers to a "month" and not to the actual day of the new moon, which is the first day of the Biblical month. But just because khodesh often refers to a "month" doesn't mean that khodesh can ever be a simple count of any 30 day period. Khodesh is deeply connected to the New Moon and can only refer to a month if it is the count of days from one New Moon to the next.
Genesis 29:14 is an example where the word khodesh is translated as "month", as we see in E-sword, pictured below. But when we look up the word "month" in Strong's (number H2320), we find that it means "the NEW MOON" and is only "a month" by implication (see below):
Clearly, in this verse khodesh is used to refer to the specific day on which the month begins and not the entire month.
The sighting of the new moon is the start of the biblical new moon day (and month). And that sighting is at sunset tonight... So, if you can, go out there and sight it. Enjoy!
As I have already explained in this blog the new moon is a vital part of God's Clock. In fact, the new moon days are necessary for determining the timing of the annual Sabbaths, as listed in Leviticus 23. For more information about this, check out my blog from January 30, 2019.
The Biblical month begins with the evening upon which the crescent New Moon is sighted, which is also called first visible sliver. The Hebrew word for month
(khodesh)
literally means New Moon and only by extension the period between one New Moon
and the next.
The word khodesh
appears 279x in the Bible.
10 times this term refers to a single day
– rosh
khodesh. The
other 269 references are about the moon cycle – or “month”, which goes from one
new moon to the next.
Genesis 7:11 "In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month (khodesh), the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened."
In the case of the Genesis 7:11 reference to khodesh, it clearly refers to a "month" and not to the actual day of the new moon, which is the first day of the Biblical month. But just because khodesh often refers to a "month" doesn't mean that khodesh can ever be a simple count of any 30 day period. Khodesh is deeply connected to the New Moon and can only refer to a month if it is the count of days from one New Moon to the next.
Genesis 29:14 is an example where the word khodesh is translated as "month", as we see in E-sword, pictured below. But when we look up the word "month" in Strong's (number H2320), we find that it means "the NEW MOON" and is only "a month" by implication (see below):
Thus, we see that the
term khodesh predominantly means NEW MOON – or the period of time from one NEW MOON to the
next – as in the month. But, from the definition, we can clearly see that khodesh is too deeply tied to the NEW MOON to be just any period of 30 days… In fact, by definition, a khodesh month must START from the NEW MOON and end on the next NEW MOON.
In summary, the primary meaning of khodesh is actually "New Moon" or "New Moon Day" and it is
only by extension that it came to mean "month", that is, the period
between one New Moon and the next.
This primary meaning is preserved in a
number of passages such as 1 Samuel 20:5 in which Jonathan says to David
"Tomorrow is the New Moon (khodesh)".
Another passage which uses khodesh in
its primary sense is Ezekiel 46:1
which talks about "The day (yom) of the New Moon (ha-khodesh)".
Again, we see that khodesh (New Moon) is a specific event. Also, the
beginning of the month is the day on which this event (New Moon) occurs.
There are key points which are to be found in a study of the Bible references to khodesh. One which is hotly debated, is that New Moon days always begin at sunset, which is the time when the new moon sliver is sighted. Thus, at least one day a month, it is provable that the Biblical day (the New Moon day) begins at sunset. And there are many other gems to be found in the study of the New Moon in the Bible.
I would encourage you to study the subject
of the New Moon more carefully, on your own. To help you do this, I’ve listed
the Scriptures speaking about keeping the New Moon – and have shown briefly
what each Scripture is about.
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As usual this blog delivers more than expected especially in references to specific scriptures.
ReplyDeleteIt is obvious that many of the meanings in the bible are hotly contested amongst scholars. It would seem that so much by way of biblical references make certain positions incontrovertible. Mostly pride steps in the way when it comes to a matter of accepting and living out of proven Truth.
As for me I always refused to accept teachings at face value no matter who was sharing perceived truths. What was missing was full backing by scripture. I waited and Yah finally rewarded my patience in showing me OVERWHELMING evidence of Truths.