Biblical Hebrew Forum

[peter_kirk AT sil.org]

But in the same verse (Lev 23:39) the 22nd day of the month is also 
called a sabbath (actually, $AB.FTOWN, a different but obviously 
related word). This would fit the idea of each of the four phases of 
the moon in a lunar calendar being counted as a sabbath, with seven 
day intervals (but presumably also occasional hiatuses in the seven 
day cycle).

I think the texts which everyone but you seems to consider relatively 
old, e.g. Exodus 21-23, point to a lunar calendar being used in early 
Israel, perhaps temporarily eclipsed by a solar calendar in Persian 
times and then reintroduced. Of course the Hosea etc passages about 
new moon festivals presuppose a lunar calendar; and it was widespread 
in the ancient Near East, as is shown by the very quotations you cite 
here. So I am not sure where you are going with this calendar point. 
Both a full moon = fifteenth day of the lunar month sabbath and a 
seven day cycle sabbath are linked to the lunar calendar.

Peter Kirk


______________________________ Reply Separator 
_________________________________
Subject: Re: [Fwd: Sabbath Origins]
Author:  <mc2499 AT mclink.it> at Internet
Date:    03/12/1999 01:48

<snip>


.. Why should the fifteenth day of the seventh month be called a sabbath 
(Lev23:39)?...

<snip>