אֱלוּל
𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤋
Elul
H435 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
The name given in post-exilic Hebrew to the sixth month of the standardized calendar (the twelfth month in the older pre-exilic system), corresponding to late summer/early autumn (August–September). Used exclusively as a proper noun referencing a calendrical month in biblical and post-biblical contexts; does not have an abstract or common noun use.
Semantic Range
Elul, name of a month in the post-exilic Israelite/Judean calendar, proper noun only
Root / Etymology
Probably of foreign origin, possibly Akkadian (cf. elūlu, 'harvest'), as the name for this month appears in Akkadian and related Semitic languages. Not derived from a recognizable Hebrew root. The word is a loan for the Babylonian calendar month name.
Historical & Contextual Notes
אֱלוּל (ʼĔlûwl) occurs in post-exilic biblical literature (e.g. Nehemiah 6:15; 1 Esdras 5:21) and later Jewish writings. Its use marks the adoption of Babylonian calendrical vocabulary during and after the Babylonian exile. Pre-exilic Israelite texts do not use month names but rather ordinal numbers or agricultural designations. The adoption of אֱלוּל for the month reflected increased integration with Mesopotamian administrative practice. In post-biblical Judaism, Elul became associated with penitential practices leading up to the autumnal festivals, but such associations are not present in biblical contexts. English translations sometimes render אֱלוּל as 'the sixth month'; earlier English usage, influenced by Christian tradition, sometimes called it the 'Jewish month Elul,' but this is anachronistic for pre-Persian-period Israelite history.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
probably of foreign derivation; Elul, the sixth Jewish month; Elul.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
uncertain (uncertain) — proper month name; calendrical designation
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1085 | בִּלְדַּד | Bildad |
| H1095 | בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר | Belteshatsar |
| H1114 | בִּלְשָׁן | Bilshan |
| H1150 | בִּנְעָא | Bin'a |
| H116 | אֱדַיִן | and then |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H435-01 |
לֶ/אֱל֑וּל | leelul | HR/Np |
of Elul | to Elul | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H435-01 |
Nehemiah 6:15 | לֶ/אֱל֑וּל | leelul | HR/Np |
of Elul | to Elul |