month; the first of which was the last day of the preceding month; and the first day of the month was the second new moon of that month.)

3. The lessons for this day were from Gen. xviii. 1. to Gen. xxiii. 1. and from 2 Sam. iv. 1. to 2 Sam. iv. 38.

6. A fast, appointed on account of Zedekiah's having his eyes put out by the command of Nebuchadnezzar, after he had seen his children slain before his face. (2 Kings xxv. 7. Jer. lii. 10.)

8. The lessons for this day were from Gen. xxiii. 1. to Gen. xxv. 19. and from 1 Sam. i. 1. to 1 Sam. i. 32.

15. The lessons for this day were from Gen. xxv. 19. to Gen. xxviii. 10. and from Mal. i. 1. to Mal. ii. 8.

19. Fast to expiate the crimes committed on account of the feast of tabernacles. 23. A fast in memory of the stones of the altar which the Gentiles profaned, 1 Mac. iv. 46.

The lessons for this day were from Gen. xxviii. 10. to Gen. xxxii. 3. and from Hos. xi. 7. to Hos. xiv. 3.

25. A fast in memory of some places which the Cuthæans seized, and were recovered by the Israelites after the captivity.

In this month the Jews prayed for the rain, which they call Jore, or the autumnal rain, which was very seasonable for their seed. Genebrard pretends that they did not ask for this rain till the next month. Perhaps there might be no stated time for asking for it; that might depend upon their want of it. The Jews say it was in October; and it was called in general the autumnal rain, which season lasted three months.

3. CHISLEU, OR CASLEU.

The THIRD month of the civil year, the NINTH month of the ecclesiastical year; it has thirty days, and corresponds with part of our November and December.

1. The new moon. 2. Prayers for rain.

3. A feast in memory of the idols, which the Asmonæans threw out of the temple. 6. The lessons for this day were, from Gen. xxxii. 3. to Gen. xxxvii. 1. and the whole book of Obadiah, or from Hos. xii. 12. to the end of the book.

7. A fast, instituted because king Jehoiakim burned the prophecy of Jeremiah, which Baruch had written. (Jer. xxxvi. 23.) This fast Dr. Prideaux places on the 29th of this month.1 But Calmet places it on the sixth of this month, and makes the seventh of this month a festival, in memory of the death of Herod the Great, the son of Antipater. Scaliger will have it that it was instituted on account of Zedekiah's having his eyes put out, after his children had been slain in his sight. 10. The lessons for this day were from Gen. xxxvii. 1. to Gen. xli. 1. and from Amos ii. 6. to Amos iii. 9.

17. The lessons for this day were from Gen. xli. 1. to Gen. xliv. 18. and from 1 Sam. iii. 15. to the end of the chapter.

25. The dedication of the temple. This feast lasted eight days.

The lessons for this day were from Gen. xliv. 18. to Gen. xlvii. 27. and from Ezek. xxxvii. 15. to the end of the chapter.

4. THEBETH, OR TEBETH.

The FOURTH month of the civil year, the TENTH month of the ecclesiastical year; it has but twenty-nine days, and corresponds with part of our December and January.

1. The new moon.

3. The lessons for this day were from Gen. xlvii. 27. to the end of the book, and the thirteen first verses of the second chapter of the first book of Samuel.

VOL. III,

1 Connection, part i. book i. under the year 685.
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8. A fast on account of the translation of the Bible into Greek. Philo, in his Life of Moses, says, that the Jews of Alexandria celebrated a feast on this day, in memory of the 72 Interpreters. But the Jews at present abominate that version. 9. A fast, the reason of which is not mentioned by the Rabbins.

10. A fast on account of the siege which the king of Babylon laid to Jerusalem. (2 Kings xxv.)

11. The lessons were the five first chapters of Exodus, and with them from Isa. xxvii. 6. to Isa. xxvii. 14. or else from Jer. i. 1. to Jer. ii. 4.

17. The lessons for this day were from Exod. vi. 1. to Exod. x. 1. and from Ezek. *xviii. 25. to Ezek. xxx. 1.

25. The lessons for this day were from Exod. x. 1. to Exod. xiii. 17. and from Jer. xlvi. 13. to the end of the chapter.

28. A fast in memory of Rabbi Simeon's having driven the Sadducees out of the Sanhedrin, where they had the upper hand in the time of Alexander Jannæus; and his having introduced the Pharisees in their room.

The FIFTH month of the civil year, the ELEVENTH month of the ecclesiastical year; it has thirty days, and corresponds with part of our January and February.

1. The new moon. In this month the Jews began to reckon the years of the trees which they planted, whose fruit was not to be eaten till after they had been planted three years. Calmet fixes the beginning of this year of trees to the 15th day of this month.

2. A rejoicing for the death of Alexander Jannæus.

3. Now is read from Exod. xiii. 17. to Exod. xviii. 1. and from Jud. iv. 4. to Judg. vi. 1.

A fast in memory of the death of the elders who succeeded Joshua. Jud. ii. 10. 8. A fast, because on this day died the just men who lived in the days of Joshua. (Judg. ii. 10.)

10. The lessons were from Exod. xviii. 1. to Exod. xxi. 1. and the whole sixth chapter of Isaiah.

17. The lessons for this day were from Exod. xxi. 1. to Exod. xxv. 1. and Jer. xxxiv. from v. 8. to the end of the chapter.

23 A fast in memory of the insurrection of the other tribes against that of Benjamin, on account of the death of the Levite's wife. (Judg. xx.)

26. Now is read, from Exod. xxv. 1. to Exod. xxvii. 20. and from 1 Sam. v. 12. to 1 Sam. vi. 14.

29. Now is read from Exod. xxvii. 20. to Exod. xxx. 11. and Ezek. xliii. from the 10th verse to the end of the chapter.

6. ADAR.

The SIXTH month of the civil year, the TWELFTH month of the ecclesiastical year; it has only twenty-nine days, and corresponds with part of our February and March.

1. The new moon. Genebrard places the first fruits on this day.

3. The lessons for this day were from Exod. xxx. 11. to Exod. xxxv. 1. and from 1 Sam. xviii. 1. to 1 Sam. xviii. 39.

7. A fast on account of the death of Moses, the lawgiver of the Jews. (Deut. xxxiv. 5, 6.)

9. A fast. The schools of Schammai and Hillel began to be divided on this day. 12. The lessons are from Exod. xxxv. 1. to Exod. xxxxiii. 21. and from 1 Sam. xvii. 13. to 1 Sam. xvii. 26. (This day is also a feast in memory of the death of Hollianus and Pipus, two Proselytes and brothers, who chose rather to die than violate the Law.)

13. A festival on account of the death of Nicanor. (2 Mac. xv. 37.) Gen. places the fast of Esther (Est. iv. 16.) on this day.

14. Purim the first, or the Little Feast of Lots.

1 Selden, l. 3. c. 13. de Syned. ex Megill, Taanith. Calmet's Calend.

15. Purim the second, or the Great Feast of Lots. (Est. ix. v. 18.) An account of these festivals is given in a subsequent part of this volume.

The dedication of the temple of Zorobabel (Ez. vi. 16.) was made in this month, but the day is not known.

18. Now is read from Exod. xxxviii. 21. to the end of the book; and from 1 Sam. vii. 50. to 1 Sam. viii. 21.

20. A fast in memory of the rain obtained of God, by one Opias Hammagel, in a time of great dearth.

25. The lessons were the five first chapters of Leviticus, and from Isa. xliii. 21. to Isa. xliv. 24.

28. A feast. The Grecian edict, which forbad the Jews the use of circumcision, recalled.

The intercalary month was inserted here, when the year was to consist of thirteen lunar months; and the month so added was called Ve-Adar, that is, the second Adar.

7. ABIB, OR NISAN.

The SEVENTH month of the civil year, the FIRST month of the ecclesiastical year; it has thirty days, and corresponds with part of our March and April.

1. The new moon.

Levit. x. 1.)

A fast on account of the death of the children of Aaron.

3. The lessons were from Lev. vi. 1. to Lev. ix. 1. and from Jer. vii. 21. to Jer. viii. 4.

10. A fast on account of the death of Miriam. (Numb. xx. 1.) On this day every one provided himself with a lamb against the fourteenth.

12. The lessons were from Lev. ix. 1. to Lev. xii. 1. and from 2 Sam. vi. 1. to 2 Sam. vii. 17.

14. The passover. The Jews now burn all the leavened bread they have in their houses.

15. The feast of unleavened bread.

16. The morrow after the feast of the passover. On this second day the Jews offered up to God the Omer, that is, the sheaf of the new barley harvest, which was cut and carried into the temple with much ceremony. The fifty days of Pentecost were reckoned from this day.

19. The lessons were from Lev. xii. 1. to Lev. xiv. 1. and from 2 Sam. iv. 42. to 2 Sam. v. 20.

21. The last day of the feast of unleavened bread.

26. A fast for the death of Joshua. (Josh. xxiv. 29.)

27. The lessons were from Lev. xiv. 1. to Lev. xvi. 1. and 2 Sam. vii. 3. to the end of the chapter.

29. Genebrard observes, that the Jews in this month prayed for the spring rain, or the latter rain, which was seasonable for their harvest. (Deut. xi. 14. Zech. x. 1.) This is that rain which the Hebrews call Malkosh, that is, the rain which prepares for the harvest, and makes the grain swell.

8. JYAR, OR ZIF.

The EIGHTH month of the civil year, the SECOND month of the ecclesiastical year; it has only twenty-nine days, and corresponds with part of our April and May.

1. The new moon.

3. The lessons were from Lev. xvi. 1. to Lev. xix. 1. and 17 verses of Ezek. xxii. 10. A fast for the death of Eli, and the taking of the ark. (1 Sam. iv. 18.)

11. The lessons were from Lev. xix. 1. to Lev. xx. 1. and from Amos ix. 7. to the end; or else from Ezek. xx. 2. to Ezek. xxi. 21.

14. The second passover (Numb. ix. 10, 11.) in favour of those who could not, or were not suffered to celebrate the passover the last month.

19. The lessons were from Lev. xxi. 1. to Lev. xxv. 1. and from Ezek. iv. 15. to the end of the chapter.

23. A feast. Simon takes Gaza, according to Scaliger.

26. The lessons were from Lev. xxv, 1. to Lev. xxvi. 3. and from Jer. xxxii. 6. to Jer xxxii. 28.

28. A fast for the death of Samuel, who was lamented by all the people. (1 Sam. xxv. 1.)

9. SIVAN, OR SIUVAN.

The NINTH month of the civil year, the THIRD month of the ecclesiastical year; it has thirty days, and corresponds with part of our May and June.

1. The new moon.

3. The lessons were from Lev. xxvi. 3. to the end of the book, and from Jer. xvi. 19. to Jer. xvii. 15.

6. The feast of Pentecost, which is also called the feast of weeks, because it fell just seven weeks after the morrow after the feast of the passover.

10. Numbers is begun and read to ch. iv. v. 21. and from Hosea ii. 10. to Hosea ii. 21.

13. A feast in memory of the victories of the Maccabees over the Bathsurites, 1 Mac. v. 52.

17. A feast for the taking of Cæsarea by the Asmonæans.

19. The lessons were from Num. iv. 21. to Numb. viii. 1. and from Judg. ii. 2. to the end of the chapter.

23. A fast, because Jeroboam forbad the ten tribes, which obeyed him, to carry up their first fruits to Jerusalem. (1 Kings xii. 27.)

25. A fast, on account of the murder of the Rabbins, Simon the son of Gamaliel, Ishmael the son of Elisha, and Ananias the Sagan, that is, the high priest's vicar. 26. The lessons were from Num. viii. to Num. xiii. 1. and from Zech. ii. 10. to Zech. iv. 8.

27. A fast, because Rabbi Hanina, the son of Tardion, was burnt, and with him the book of the law.

10. THAMMUZ, OR TAMMUZ.

The TENTH month of the civil year, the FOURTH month of the ecclesiastical year; it has only twenty-nine days, and corresponds with part of our June and July.*

1. The new moon.

3. The lessons were from Num. xiii. 1. to Num. xvi. 1. and the second chapter of Joshua.

10. The lessons were from Num. xvi. 1. to Num. xix. 1. and from 1 Sam. xi. 14. to 1 Sam. xii. 23.

14. A feast for the abolition of a pernicious book of the Sadducees against the oral law and tradition.

17. The fast of the fourth month, because the tables of the law were broken, the perpetual sacrifice ceased, Epistemon burned the law, and set up an idol in the temple. (Exod. xxxii. 19.)

19. The lessons were from Num. xix. 1. to Num. xxii. 2. and the eleventh chapter of Judges to the 34th verse.

26. The lessons were from Numb. xxii. 2. to Numb. xxv. 10. and from Mic. v. 7. to Mic. vi. 9.

29. The lessons were from Num. xxv. 10. to Num. xxx. 2. and from 1 Sam. xviii. 46. to the end of the chapter.

11. AB.

The ELEVENTH month of the civil year, the FIFTH month of the ecclesiastical year; it has thirty days, and corresponds with part of our July and August.

1. The new moon. A fast on account of the death of Aaron the high-priest. (Num. xxxiii. 38.)

I See Prideaux's Con. p. 1. b. 1. under the year 588.

3. The lessons were from Numb. xxx. 2. tó Numb. xxxiii. 1. and from Jer. i. 1. to Jer. ii. 4.

9. The fast of the fifth month, because the temple was first burnt by the Chaldees, and afterwards by the Romans, on this day; and because God on this day declared in time of Moses that none of those who came out of Egypt should enter into the land of promise. (Num. xiv. 29. 31.)

12. The book of Numbers is now finished; and from Jer. ii. 4. to Jer. ii. 29. is also read.

18. A fast, because in the time of Ahaz the evening lamp went out.

calls this lamp the Western Lamp.

Genebrard

20. Deuteronomy is begun and read from i. 1. to iii. 23. and the first chapter of Isaiah to verse 28.

21. Selden asserts that this was the day that all the wood which was wanted in the temple was brought into it; but others think that this was done in the next month.

24. A feast for the Maccabees having abolished that law of the Sadducees whereby sons and daughters inherited alike.

28. The lessons were from Deut. iii. 23. to Deut. vii. 12. and Isa. xl. to verse 27.

12. ELUL.

The TWELFTH month of the civil year, the SIXTH month of the ecclesiastical year; it has but twenty-nine days, and corresponds with part of our August and September.

1. The new moon.

3. The lessons were from Deut. vii. 12. to Deut. xi. 26. and from Isa. xlix. 14. to Isa. li. 4.

7. The dedication of the walls of Jerusalem by Nehemiah.

12. The lessons were from Deut. xi. 27. to Deut. xvi. 18. and from Isa. liv. 11, to Isa. lv. 4.

17. A fast, because of the death of the spies who brought up the evil report of the land of promise. (Numb. xiv. 36, 37.)

20. The lessons were from Deut. xvi. 18. to Deut. xxi. 10. and from Isa. li. 12. to Isa. lii. 18.

21. The festival of wood offering (xylophoria).

22. A feast in memory of the punishment of the wicked and incorrigible Israelites.

28. The lessons were from Deut. xxi. 10. to Deut. xxvi. 1. and Isa. liv. to verse 11. 29. This is the last day of the month, on which the Jews reckoned up the beasts that had been born, the tenths of which belonged to God. They chose this day to do it in, because the first day of the month Tisri was a festival, and therefore they could not tithe a flock on that day.

VI. In common with other nations, the Jews reckoned any part of a period of time for the whole, as in Exod. xvi. 35. An attention to this circumstance will explain several apparent contradictions in the sacred writings: thus, a part of the day is used for the whole,

and part of the year for an entire year.

In Gen. xvii. 12. circumcision is enjoined to be performed when child is eight days old, but in Lev. xii. 3. on the eighth day; accordingly, when Jesus Christ is said to have been circumcised when eight days were accomplished (Luke ii. 21.), and John the Baptist on the eighth day (Luke i. 59.), the last, which was the constant usage, explains the former passage. Abenezra, an eminent Jewish commentator (on Levit. xii. 3.), says, that if an infant were born in the last hour of the day, such hour was counted for one whole day. This observation critically reconciles the account of our Lord's resurrection in Matt. xxvii. 63. and Mark viii. 31. "three days after," with that of his resurrection "on the third day," according to Matt. xvi. 21.