כִּסְלֵו
𐤊𐤎𐤋𐤅
Kiselev
H3691 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Kiṣlēv designates the ninth month in the pre-exilic Israelite calendar, generally corresponding to late November through December. It functions primarily as a calendrical term, appearing in narrative and administrative contexts to mark particular events and dates. The month is associated with the period of early winter and is attested in both biblical and postbiblical Hebrew literature. In later Jewish tradition, it becomes linked to Hanukkah, though this association is not present in biblical usage.
Semantic Range
the ninth month of the Israelite calendar, a calendrical designation in historical, narrative, and administrative texts, a temporal marker in date formulas
Root / Etymology
Uncertain. The word כִּסְלֵו (Kiṣlēv) is likely of foreign, possibly Akkadian, origin, as Hebrew month names in the post-exilic period were often borrowed from Babylonian sources. Some have suggested a relation to Akkadian 'kislimu,' the name of the ninth Babylonian month, but a definitive Hebrew root is not securely identified. The form and function in Hebrew scripture point to adoption as a loanword rather than native derivation.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In pre-exilic Israelite tradition, months were often numbered or marked by agricultural or cultic festivals. The use of distinct month names, including כִּסְלֵו, becomes prominent in the postexilic period, especially in texts like Ezra, Nehemiah, and Zechariah, reflecting Babylonian influence following the exile. Earlier Hebrew writing generally preferred ordinal numbering of months. In extrabiblical Second Temple and later Rabbinic literature, Kislev acquires additional ritual and cultural associations. English translations traditionally render the term as 'Chisleu' or 'Kislev,' following transliteration patterns rather than conveying meaning; these do not reflect any semantic content beyond naming the month. The month’s identity in the biblical calendar is not tied to religious observance in the Hebrew Bible itself, though later tradition associates it with Hanukkah, a post-biblical holiday.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
probably of foreign origin; Kisleu, the 9th Hebrew month; Chisleu.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
כסלו (k-s-l-w (uncertain)) — uncertain; loan month name
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3691-02 |
כסלו | khslv | HNp |
Kislev | Kislev | 1 |
H3691-01 |
בְּ/כִסְלֵֽו | bekhiselev | HR/Np |
in-Chislev | in Kislev | 1 |
H3691-03 |
כִּסְלֵיו֙ | kiseleyv | HNp |
of Kislev | Kislev | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3691-01 |
Zechariah 7:1 | בְּ/כִסְלֵֽו | bekhiselev | HR/Np |
in-Chislev | in Kislev |
H3691-02 |
Nehemiah 1:1 | כסלו | khslv | HNp |
Kislev | Kislev |
H3691-03 |
Nehemiah 1:1 | כִּסְלֵיו֙ | kiseleyv | HNp |
of Kislev | Kislev |