Chodesh (New Moon)

View This Year's New Moon Dates

Rosh Chodesh (New Moon)

Torah: Genesis 1:14-19; Numbers 28:1-15; Numbers 29:1-6
Prophets: Isaiah 66:22-24; Ezekiel 46:1; Amos 8:1-7
Writings: Psalms 81:1-5
Apostolic: Colossians 2:6-22
Additional: Jubilees 2:8-10; Jubilees 6:23-28

RELATED SCRIPTURES

1 Samuel 20:1-29
1 Samuel 20:24-29
2 Kings 4:20-23
Psalms 104:19
Isaiah 1:10-14
Ezekiel 45:13-20
Ezra 3:1-6
Nehemiah 10:28-34
2 Chronicles 2:4
2 Chronicles 31:1-3

RELATED ADDITIONAL

Jubilees 5:27-31
Jubilees 6:1-22, 23-38
Jubilees 12:16-27
Jubilees 16:16-31
Jubilees 34:10-19
Enoch 41:3-9
Enoch 72:1-37
Enoch 73:1-8; Enoch 74:1-17; Enoch 75:1-9; Enoch 78:1-17; Enoch 79:1-6; Enoch 80:1-8
Sirach 43:6-12
Wisdom of Solomon 13:1-9
2 Esdras 1:28-32
Judith 8:4-8
1 Maccabees 10:31-35
Genesis 1:14-19 from the Jerusalem Targum aka Targum Pseudo-Jonathan
Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus 1.1.1; 3.10.1-5

Rosh Chodesh (New Moon) 2026 (5786/5787) Dates

11th Month Rosh Chodesh Shevat: Evening Sun, Jan 18 to Mon, Jan 19, 2026
12th Month Rosh Chodesh Adar: Evening Tue, Feb 17 to Wed, Feb 18, 2026
1st Month Rosh Chodesh Nisan: Evening Wed, Mar 18 to Thu, Mar 19, 2026
2nd Month Rosh Chodesh Iyyar: Evening Thu, Apr 17 to Shabbat, Apr 18, 2026
3rd Month Rosh Chodesh Sivan: Evening Sat, May 16 to Sun, May 17, 2026
4th Month Rosh Chodesh Tamuz: Evening Mon, Jun 15 to Tue, Jun 16, 2026
5th Month Rosh Chodesh Av: Evening Tue, Jul 14 to Wed, Jul 15, 2026
6th Month Rosh Chodesh Elul: Evening Thu, Aug 13 to Fri, Aug 14, 2026
7th Month Rosh Chodesh (Yom Teruah): Evening Fri, Sep 11 to Shabbat, Sep 12, 2026
8th Month Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan: Evening Sun, Oct 11 to Mon, Oct 12, 2026
9th Month Rosh Chodesh Kislev: Evening Tue, Nov 10 to Wed, Nov 11, 2026
10 Month Rosh Chodesh Tevet: Evening Thu, Dec 10 to Fri, Dec 11, 2026

Often translated as “month,” חֹדֶשׁ chodesh (H2320) literally means “to renew” and is concretely represented by the “new moon,” which is the moon phase when the thin crescent first appears and is perceived as the “renewal” of the moon. חֹדֶשׁ chodesh is equivalent to the Greek word μηνός minós (G3376) also meaning the time of the new moon. For example, בְּרִ֥ית חֲדָשָׁה brit chadashah (H1285 + H2319) means “renewed covenant” (cf. Jeremiah 31:31). On the other hand, the Hebrew word for "moon" is יָרֵחַ yareach (H3394) and literally means "to travel a prescribed path." יָרֵחַ yareach shares the same root as רוּחַ ruach (H7307) which is most often translated as "wind" or "spirit" because both travel a prescribed path, just like the moon.

Torah

Genesis 1:14-19

1:14 Elohim said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens [for the illumination of the day],^(LXX) [to give light upon the land],^(DSS) [and to rule the day and the night],^(LXX) to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and appointed times, days, and years; 15 and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the land;” and it was so. 16 Elohim made the two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He also made the stars. 17 Elohim set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light to the land, 18 and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. Elohim saw that it was good. 19 There was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.

Numbers 28:1-15

28:1 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Command the sons of Israel, and tell them, ‘See that you guard my offering, my bread for my offerings made by fire, as a pleasant aroma to me, in their appointed time.' 3 You shall tell them, ‘This is the offering made by fire which you shall bring to YHWH: male lambs a year old, perfect ones, two day by day, for a continual burnt offering. 4 You shall do the one lamb in the morning, and you shall do the other lamb at evening, 5 with one tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a grain offering, mixed with the fourth part of a hin of beaten oil. 6 It is a continual burnt offering which was ordained in Mount Sinai for a pleasant aroma, an offering made by fire to YHWH. 7 Its libation offering shall be the fourth part of a hin for each lamb. You shall pour out a libation offering of liquor to YHWH in the holy. 8 The other lamb you shall do at evening. As the grain offering of the morning, and as its libation offering, you shall do it, an offering made by fire, for a pleasant aroma to YHWH. 9 On the Sabbath day, two male lambs a year old, perfect ones, and two tenths of an ephah of fine flour for a grain offering mixed with oil, and its libation offering: 10 this is the burnt offering of every Sabbath, in addition to the continual burnt offering and its libation offering. 11 In the head of your new moons, you shall bring a burnt offering to YHWH: two young bulls, one ram, seven male lambs a year old, perfect ones, 12 and three tenths of an ephah of fine flour for a grain offering mixed with oil, for each bull; and two tenth parts of fine flour for a grain offering mixed with oil, for the one ram; 13 and one tenth part of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering to every lamb, as a burnt offering of a pleasant aroma, an offering made by fire to YHWH. 14 Their libation offerings shall be half a hin of wine for a bull, the third part of a hin for the ram, and the fourth part of a hin [of wine]^(DSS) for [each]^(DSS) lamb. This is the burnt offering of every new moon throughout the new moons of the year. 15 Also, one male goat for a sin offering to YHWH shall be offered in addition to the continual burnt offering and its libation offering.

Numbers 29:1-6

29:1 In the seventh new moon, on the first day of the new moon, you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no work of service. It is a day of a shout. 2 You shall offer a burnt offering for a pleasant aroma to YHWH: one young bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without defect; 3 and their grain offering, fine flour mixed with oil: three tenths for the bull, two tenths for the ram, 4 and one tenth for every lamb of the seven lambs; 5 and one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you; 6 in addition to the burnt offering of the new moon with its grain offering, and the continual burnt offering with its grain offering, and their libation offerings, according to their judgment, for a pleasant aroma, an offering made by fire to YHWH.

Prophets

Isaiah 66:22-24

66:22 “For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me,” says YHWH, “so your seed and your name shall remain. 23 It shall happen that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh will come to worship before me,” says YHWH. 24 “They will go out, and look at the dead bodies of the men who have transgressed against me; for their worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind.”

Ezekiel 46:1

[YHWH]^(LXX) says: "The gate of the inner court that looks toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the Sabbath day it shall be opened, and on the day of the new moon it shall be opened."

Amos 8:1-7

8:1 This is what [YHWH]^(DSS)^(LXX) showed me: behold, a basket of summer fruit. 2 He said, “Amos, what do you see?” I said, “A basket of summer fruit.” Then YHWH said to me, “The end has come on my people Israel. I will not again pass by them any more. 3 The songs of the temple will be wailing in that day,” says [YHWH].^(LXX) “The dead bodies will be many. In every place they will throw them out with silence. 4 Hear this, you who desire to swallow up the needy, and cause the poor of the land to fail, 5 saying, ‘When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may market wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel large, and dealing falsely with balances of deceit; 6 that we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals, and sell the sweepings with the wheat?’ ” 7 YHWH has sworn by the pride of Jacob, “Surely I will never forget any of their works.

Writings

Psalms 81:1-5

To the Overseer, on the gittith, to Asaph. 81:1 Sing aloud to Elohim, our strength! Make the shout* to the Elohim of Jacob! 2 Raise a song, and bring here the tambourine, the pleasant lyre with the harp. 3 Blow the shofar in the new moon in the covering to our festival day. 4 For it is a statute for Israel, a judgment of the Elohim of Jacob. 5 He appointed it in Joseph for a witness, when he went out over the land of Egypt, I heard a language that I didn't know.

Apostolic

Colossians 2:6-22

2:6 As therefore you received Messiah Yeshua the Lord, walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, even as you were taught, abounding in it in thankfulness. 8 Be careful that you don't let anyone rob you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elemental spirits of the world, and not after Messiah. 9 For in him all the fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and in him you are made full, who is the head of all principality and power. 11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh, in the circumcision of Messiah, 12 having been buried with him in immersion, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of Elohim, who raised him from the dead. 13 You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 wiping out the handwriting in the decrees which was against us. He has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross. 15 Having stripped the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. 16 Let no one therefore judge you in eating or drinking, or with part of a festival, or a new moon or a Sabbath, 17 which are a shadow of the things to come, and the body of the Messiah. 18 Let no one rob you of your prize by self-abasement and worshiping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 and not holding firmly to the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and ligaments, grows with Elohim's growth. 20 If you died with Messiah from the elemental spirits of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to decrees, 21 “Don't handle, nor taste, nor touch,” 22 all of which perish with use, according to the precepts and doctrines of men? 23 These things indeed appear like wisdom in self-imposed worship, humility, and severity to the body, but aren't of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.

Additional

Between 1947 and 1956 approximately 15 Jubilees scrolls were found in five caves at Qumran, all written in Hebrew. The large number of manuscripts (more than for any biblical books except for Psalms, Deuteronomy, Isaiah, Exodus, and Genesis, in descending order) indicates that Jubilees was widely used at Qumran. A comparison of the Qumran texts with the Ethiopic version, performed by James VanderKam, found that the Ethiopic was in most respects an accurate and literalistic translation. Scholars have dated Jubilees to have been written sometime around 160-150 B.C.

Jubilees 2:8-10

2:8 And on the fourth day He created the sun and the moon and the stars, and set them in the firmament of the heavens, to give light upon all the earth, and to rule over the day and the night, and divide the light from the darkness. 9 And Elohim appointed the sun 4 to be a great sign on the earth for days and for sabbaths and for new moons and for feasts and for years and for sabbaths of years and for jubilees and for all seasons of the years. 10 And it divideth the light from the darkness [and] for prosperity, that all things may prosper which shoot and grow on the earth. These three kinds He made on the fourth day.

Jubilees 6:23-28

6:23 And on the new moon of the first new moon, and on the new moon of the fourth new moon, and on the new moon of the seventh new moon, and on the new moon of the tenth new moon are the days of remembrance, and the days of the seasons in the four divisions of the year. These are written and ordained as a witness for ever. 24 And Noaḥ ordained them for himself as feasts for the generations for ever, so that they have become thereby a memorial unto him. 25 And on the new moon of the first new moon he was bidden to make for himself an ark, and on that (day) the land became dry and he opened (the ark) and saw the land. 26 And on the new moon of the fourth new moon the mouths of the depths of the abysses beneath were closed. And on the new moon of the seventh new moon all the mouths of the abysses of the land were opened, and the waters began to descend into them. 27 And on the new moon of the tenth new moon the tops of the mountains were seen, and Noaḥ was glad. 28 And on this account he ordained them for himself as feasts for a memorial for ever, and thus are they ordained.

Leap Years and Other Adjustments

This becomes somewhat more complicated in the case of the Jewish calendar, for it is still coordinated with the phases of the moon. Indeed, it is that which determines the times of the Jewish holidays. This is of particular importance with those that fall on the new moon and those that are celebrated at the time of the full moon. In addition, since the 12-month lunar year is a few days shorter than a solar year, strict adherence to a lunar calendar would mean that the holidays would eventually take place at the wrong season. This would mean that every now and then we would celebrate Hanukkah, the mid-winter festival of lights, in the middle of summer and Sukkot, the autumn harvest festival, in the early spring. Therefore, in an attempt to coordinate the traditional lunar year with the solar year Judaism has worked out a system of 19-year cycles, in which there are seven leap years. In distinction to the day added to the secular leap year, the Jewish calendar adds a full month to the end of its year. In this manner the Jewish holidays fluctuate by about a month or so in relationship to the Gregorian calendar, but always fall at the same time of year. It is interesting to note that Islam also follows a lunar calendar. In contrast to Judaism, however, the Islamic calendar is strictly a lunar one and is not coordinated with the solar year. Thus, over the course of time, holidays such as Ramadan, occur at different seasons. - https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/jewish-calendar-solar-and-lunar/

Related Scriptures

1 Samuel 20:24-29

20:24 So David hid himself in the field. When the new moon had come, the king sat himself down to eat food. 25 The king sat on his seat, as at other times, even on the seat by the wall; and Jonathan stood up, and Abner sat by Saul’s side, but David’s place was empty. 26 Nevertheless Saul didn’t say anything that day, for he thought, “Something has happened to him. He is not clean. Surely he is not clean.” 27 On the next day after the new moon, the second day, David’s place was empty. Saul said to Jonathan his son, “Why didn’t the son of Jesse come to eat, either yesterday, or today?” 28 Jonathan answered Saul, “David earnestly asked permission of me to go to Bethlehem. 29 He said, ‘Please let me go, for our family has a slaughter in the city. My brother has commanded me to be there. Now, if I have found favor in your eyes, please let me go away and see my brothers.’ Therefore he has not come to the king’s table.”

2 Kings 4:20-23

4:20 When he had taken him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees until noon, and then died. 21 She went up and laid him on the man of God’s bed, and shut the door on him, and went out. 22 She called to her husband and said, “Please send me one of the servants, and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God and come again.” 23 He said, “Why would you want to go to him today? It is not a new moon or a Sabbath.” She said, “It’s all right.”

Psalms 104:19

104:19 He appointed the moon for appointed times. The sun knows when to set.

Isaiah 1:10-14

1:10 Hear YHWH’s word, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the Torah of our God, you people of Gomorrah! 11 “What are the multitude of your slaughters to me?”, says YHWH. “I have had enough of the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed animals. I don’t delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of male goats. 12 When you come to appear before me, who has required this at your hand, to trample my courts? 13 Bring no more vain offerings. Incense is an abomination to me. New moons, Sabbaths, and convocations— I can’t stand evil assemblies. 14 My soul hates your New Moons and your appointed feasts. They are a burden to me. I am weary of bearing them.

Ezekiel 45:13-20

45:13 This is the offering that you shall offer: the sixth part of an ephah from a homer of wheat, and you shall give the sixth part of an ephah from a homer of barley, 14 and the set portion of oil, of the bath of oil, one tenth of a bath out of the kor, which is ten baths, even a homer, for ten baths are a homer, 15 and one lamb of the flock out of two hundred, from the well-watered pastures of Israel—for a grain offering, for a burnt offering, and for peace offerings, to make atonement for them,” says the Lord YHWH. 16 “All the people of the land shall give to this offering for the lifted up one in Israel. 17 It shall be the lifted up one’s part to give the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the libation offerings, in the festivals, and on the new moons, and on the Sabbaths, in all the appointed times of the house of Israel. He shall prepare the sin offering, the grain offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offerings, to make atonement for the house of Israel.” 18 The Lord YHWH says: “In the first new moon, on the first day of the new moon, you shall take a young bull, a perfect one, and you shall cleanse the sanctuary. 19 The priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering and put it on the door posts of the house, and on the four corners of the ledge of the altar, and on the posts of the gate of the inner court. 20 So you shall do on the seventh day of the new moon for everyone who strays, and for him who is simple. So you shall make atonement for the house.

Ezra 3:1-6

3:1 When the seventh new moon had come, and the sons of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem. 2 Then Yeshua the son of Jozadak stood up with his brothers the priests and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his relatives, and built the altar of the Elohim of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the Torah of Moses the man of Elohim. 3 In spite of their fear because of the peoples of the surrounding lands, they set the altar on its base; and they offered burnt offerings on it to YHWH, even burnt offerings morning and evening. 4 They kept the festival of booths, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the ordinance, as the duty of every day required; 5 and afterward the continual burnt offering, the offerings of the new moons, of all the appointed times of YHWH that were consecrated, and of everyone who willingly offered a freewill offering to YHWH. 6 From the first day of the seventh new moon, they began to offer burnt offerings to YHWH; but the foundation of YHWH’s temple was not yet laid.

Nehemiah 10:28-34

10:28 The rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, and all those who had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the law of Elohim, their wives, their sons, and their daughters—everyone who had knowledge and understanding— 29 joined with their brothers, their nobles, and entered into an oath and into a vow, to walk in Elohim’s law, which was given by Moses the servant of Elohim, and to observe and do all the commandments of YHWH our Lord, and his ordinances and his statutes; 30 and that we would not give our daughters to the peoples of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons; 31 and if the peoples of the land bring wares or any grain on the Sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy from them on the Sabbath, or on a holy day; and that we would forego the seventh year crops and the exaction of every debt. 32 Also we made ordinances for ourselves, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our Elohim: 33 for the bread of the presence, for the continual grain offering, for the continual burnt offering, for the Sabbaths, for the new moons, for the set feasts, for the holy, for the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our Elohim. 34 We, the priests, the Levites, and the people, cast lots for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our Elohim, according to our fathers’ houses, at times appointed year by year, to burn on YHWH our Elohim’s altar, as it is written in the law

2 Chronicles 2:4

2:4 Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of YHWH my Elohim, to dedicate it to him, to burn before him incense of sweet spices, for the continual bread of the presence, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the Sabbaths, on the new moons, and on the appointed times of YHWH our Elohim. This is an ordinance forever to Israel.

2 Chronicles 31:1-3

31:1 Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah and broke the pillars in pieces, cut down the Asherah poles, and broke down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, also in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had destroyed them all. Then all the sons of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities. 2 Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and the Levites after their divisions, every man according to his service, both the priests and the Levites, for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister, to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of YHWH’s camp. 3 He also appointed the king’s portion of his possessions for the burnt offerings: for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths, for the new moons, and for the appointed times, as it is written in YHWH’s Torah.

Related Additional Readings

Between 1947 and 1956 approximately 15 Jubilees scrolls were found in five caves at Qumran, all written in Hebrew. The large number of manuscripts (more than for any biblical books except for Psalms, Deuteronomy, Isaiah, Exodus, and Genesis, in descending order) indicates that Jubilees was widely used at Qumran. A comparison of the Qumran texts with the Ethiopic version, performed by James VanderKam, found that the Ethiopic was in most respects an accurate and literalistic translation. Scholars have dated Jubilees to have been written sometime around 160-150 B.C.

Jubilees 5:27-31

5:27 And the water prevailed on the face of the land five new moons-one hundred and fifty days. 28. And the ark went and rested on the top of Lûbâr, one of the mountains of Ararat. 29. And (on the new moon) in the fourth new moon the fountains of the great deep were closed and the flood-gates of the heavens were restrained; and on the new moon of the seventh new moon all the mouths of the abysses of the land were opened, and the water began to descend into the deep below. 30. And on the new moon of the tenth new moon [1309 A.M.] the tops of the mountains were seen, and on the new moon of the first new moon the land became visible. 31. And the waters disappeared from above the land in the fifth week in the seventh year thereof, and on the seventeenth day in the second new moon the land was dry.

Jubilees 6:1-22, 23-38

Jubilees 6:1 And on the new moon of the third new moon he went forth from the ark, and built an altar on that mountain. 2. And he made atonement for the land, and took a kid and made atonement by its blood for all the guilt of the land; for everything that had been on it had been destroyed, save those that were in the ark with Noaḥ. 3. And he placed the fat thereof on the altar, and he took an ox, and a goat, and a sheep and kids, and salt, and a turtle-dove, and the young of a dove, and placed a burnt slaughter on the altar, and poured thereon an offering mingled with oil, and sprinkled wine and strewed frankincense over everything, and caused a goodly savour to arise, acceptable before the Lord. 4. And the Lord smelt the goodly savour, and He cut a covenant with him that there should not be any more a flood to destroy the land; that all the days of the land seed-time and harvest should never cease; cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night should not change their order, nor cease for ever. 5. “And you, increase ye and multiply upon the land, and become many upon it, and be a blessing upon it. The fear of you and the dread of you I shall inspire in everything that is on land and in the sea. 6. And behold I have given unto you all beasts, and all winged things, and everything that moveth on the land, and the fish in the waters, and all things for food; as the green herbs, I have given you all things to eat. 7. But flesh, with the life thereof, with the blood, ye shall not eat; for the life of all flesh is in the blood, lest your blood of your lives be required. At the hand of every man, at the hand of every (beast), shall I require the blood of man. 8. Whoso sheddeth man's blood by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of Elohim made He man. 9. And you, increase ye, and multiply on the land.” 10. And Noaḥ and his sons swore that they would not eat any blood that was in any flesh, and he cut a covenant before the Lord Elohim for ever throughout all the generations of the land in this new moon. 11. On this account He spake to thee that thou shouldst cut a covenant with the sons of Israel in this new moon upon the mountain with an oath, and that thou shouldst sprinkle blood upon them because of all the words of the covenant, which the Lord made with them for ever. 12. And this witness is written concerning you that you should observe it continually, so that you should not eat on any day any blood of beasts or birds or cattle during all the days of the land, and the man who eateth the blood of beast or of cattle or of birds during all the days of the land, he and his seed shall be rooted out of the land. 13. And do thou command the sons of Israel to eat no blood, so that their names and their seed may be before the Lord our Elohim continually. 14. And for this law there is no limit of days, for it is for ever. They shall observe it throughout their generations, so that they may continue supplicating on your behalf with blood before the altar; every day and at the time of morning and evening they shall seek forgiveness on your behalf perpetually before the Lord that they may keep it and not be rooted out. 15. And He gave to Noaḥ and his sons a sign that there should not again be a flood on the land. 16. He set His bow in the cloud for a sign of the eternal covenant that there should not again be a flood on the land to destroy it all the days of the land. 17. For this reason it is ordained and written on the heavenly tables, that they should celebrate the feast of weeks in this new moon once a year, to renew the covenant every year. 18. And this whole festival was celebrated in the heavens from the day of creation till the days of Noaḥ-twenty-six jubilees and five weeks of years [1309-1659 A.M.]: and Noaḥ and his sons observed it for seven jubilees and one week of years, till the day of Noaḥ's death, and from the day of Noaḥ's death his sons did away with (it) until the days of Abraham, and they ate blood. 19. But Abraham observed it, and Isaac and Jacob and his children observed it up to thy days, and in thy days the sons of Israel forgot it until ye celebrated it anew on this mountain. 20. And do thou command the sons of Israel to observe this festival in all their generations for a commandment unto them: one day in the year in this new moon they shall celebrate the festival. 21. For it is the feast of weeks and the feast of first fruits: this feast is twofold and of a double nature: according to what is written and engraven concerning it celebrate it. 22. For I have written in the book of the first law, in that which I have written for thee, that thou shouldst celebrate it in its season, one day in the year, and I explained to thee its slaughters that the sons of Israel should remember and should celebrate it throughout their generations in this new moon, one day in every year.

Jubilees 6:23 And on the new moon of the first new moon, and on the new moon of the fourth new moon, and on the new moon of the seventh new moon, and on the new moon of the tenth new moon are the days of remembrance, and the days of the seasons in the four divisions of the year. These are written and ordained as a witness for ever. 24. And Noaḥ ordained them for himself as feasts for the generations for ever, so that they have become thereby a memorial unto him. 25. And on the new moon of the first new moon he was bidden to make for himself an ark, and on that (day) the land became dry and he opened (the ark) and saw the land. 26. And on the new moon of the fourth new moon the mouths of the depths of the abysses beneath were closed. And on the new moon of the seventh new moon all the mouths of the abysses of the land were opened, and the waters began to descend into them. 27. And on the new moon of the tenth new moon the tops of the mountains were seen, and Noaḥ was glad. 28. And on this account he ordained them for himself as feasts for a memorial for ever, and thus are they ordained. 29. And they placed them on the heavenly tables, each had thirteen weeks; from one to another (passed) their memorial, from the first to the second, and from the second to the third, and from the third to the fourth. 30. And all the days of the commandment will be two and fifty weeks of days, and (these will make) the entire year complete. 31. Thus it is engraven and ordained on the heavenly tables. And there is no neglecting (this commandment) for a single-year or from year to year. 32. And command thou the sons of Israel that they observe the years according to this reckoning-three hundred and sixty-four days, and (these) will constitute a complete year, and they will not disturb its time from its days and from its feasts; for everything will fall out in them according to their witness, and they will not leave out any day nor disturb any feasts. 33. But if they do neglect and do not observe them according to His commandment, then they will disturb all their seasons, and the years will be dislodged from this (order), [and they will disturb the seasons and the years will be dislodged] and they will neglect their ordinances. 34. And all the sons of Israel will forget, and will not find the path of the years, and will forget the new moons, and seasons, and sabbaths, and they will go wrong as to all the order of the years. 35. For I know and from henceforth shall I declare it unto thee, and it is not of my own devising; for the book (lieth) written before me, and on the heavenly tables the division of days is ordained, lest they forget the feasts of the covenant and walk according to the feasts of the Nations after their error and after their ignorance. 36. For there will be those who will assuredly make observations of the moon–now (it) disturbeth the seasons and cometh in from year to year ten days too soon. 37. For this reason the years will come upon them when they will disturb (the order), and make an abominable (day) the day of witness, and an unclean day a feast day, and they will confound all the days, the holy with the unclean, and the unclean day with the holy; for they will go wrong as to the new moons and sabbaths and feasts and jubilees. 38. For this reason I command and testify to thee that thou mayest testify to them; for after thy death thy children will disturb (them), so that they will not make the year three hundred and sixty-four days only, and for this reason they will go wrong as to the new moons and seasons and sabbaths and festivals, and they will eat all kinds of blood with all kinds of flesh.

Jubilees 12:16-27

12:16 And in the sixth week, in the fifth year thereof, Abram sat up throughout the night on the new moon of the seventh new moon to observe the stars from the evening to the morning, in order to see what would be the character of the year with regard to the rains, and he was alone as he sat and observed. 17. And a word came into his heart and he said: “All the signs of the stars, and the signs of the moon and of the sun are all in the hand of the Lord. Why do I search (them) out? If He desireth, He causeth it to rain, morning and evening; And if He desireth, He withholdeth it, And all things are in His hand.” And he prayed that night and said “My Elohim, Elohim Most High, Thou alone art my Elohim, And Thee and Thy dominion have I chosen. And Thou hast created all things, And all things that are the work of Thy hands. Deliver me from the hands of evil spirits who have sway over the thoughts of men's hearts, And let them not lead me astray from Thee, my Elohim. And stablish Thou me and my seed for ever That we go not astray from henceforth and for evermore.” 21. And he said Shall I return unto Ur of the Chaldees who seek my face that I may return to them, or am I to remain here in this place? The right path before Thee prosper it in the hands of Thy servant that he may fulfil (it) and that I may not walk in the deceitfulness of my heart, O my Elohim.” 22. And he made an end of speaking and praying, and behold the word of the Lord was sent to him through me, saying: “Get thee up from thy country, and from thy kindred and from the house of thy father unto a land which I shall show thee, and I shall make thee a great and numerous nation. And I shall bless thee And I shall make thy name great, And thou wilt be blessed in the land, And in thee will all families of the land be blessed, And I shall bless them that bless thee, And curse them that curse thee. 24. And I shall be an Elohim to thee and thy son, and to thy son's son, and to all thy seed: fear not, from henceforth and unto all generations of the land I am thy Elohim.” 25. And the Lord Elohim said: “Open his mouth and his ears, that he may hear and speak with his mouth, with the language which hath been revealed”; for it had ceased from the mouths of all the children of men from the day of the overthrow (of Babel). 26. And I opened his mouth, and his ears and his lips, and I began to speak with him in Hebrew in the tongue of the creation. 27. And he took the books of his fathers, and these were written in Hebrew and he transcribed them, and he began from henceforth to study them, and I made known to him that which he could not (understand), and he studied them during the six rainy new moons [the winter].* *i.e. the winter since Israel's winter season is from late October to mid-March. Winter is characterized by rainfall, concentrated in the winter new moons, amounts to around 580 millimeters (23 inches) per annum, and it is quite abundant from December to February.

Jubilees 16:16-31

16:16 And we returned in the seventh new moon, and found Sarah with child before us] and we blessed him, and we announced to him all the things which had been decreed concerning him, that he should not die till he should beget six sons more, and should see (them) before he died; but (that) in Isaac should his name and seed be called: 17. And (that) all the seed of his sons should be Nations, and be reckoned with the Nations; but from the sons of Isaac one should become a holy seed, and should not be reckoned among the Nations. 18. For he should become the portion of the Most High, and all his seed had fallen into the possession of Elohim, that it should be unto the Lord a people for (His) possession above all nations and that it should become a reign and priests and a holy nation. 19. And we went our way, and we announced to Sarah all that we had told him, and they both rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 20. And he built there an altar to the Lord who had delivered him, and who was making him rejoice in the land of his sojourning, and he celebrated a festival of joy in this new moon seven days, near the altar which he had built at the Well of the Oath. 21. And he built booths for himself and for his servants on this festival, and he was the first to celebrate the feast of tabernacles on the land. 22. And during these seven days he brought each day to the altar a burnt-offering to the Lord, two oxen, two rams, seven sheep, one he-goat, for a sin-offering, that he might atone thereby for himself and for his seed. 23. And, as a thank-offering, seven rams, seven kids, seven sheep, and seven he-goats, and their fruit-offerings and their drink-offerings; and he burnt all the fat thereof on the altar, a chosen offering unto the Lord for a sweet smelling savour. 24. And morning and evening he burnt fragrant substances, frankincense and galbanum, and stacte, and nard, and myrrh, and spice, and costum; all these seven he offered, crushed, mixed together in equal parts (and) pure. 25. And he celebrated this feast during seven days, rejoicing with all his heart and with all his soul, he and all those who were in his house; and there was no stranger with him, nor any that was uncircumcised. 26. And he blessed his Creator who had created him in his generation, for He had created him according to His good pleasure; for He knew and perceived that from him would arise the plant of righteousness for the eternal generations, and from him a holy seed, so that it should become like Him who had made all things. 27. And he blessed and rejoiced, and he called the name of this festival the festival of the Lord, a joy acceptable to the Most High Elohim. 28. And we blessed him for ever, and all his seed after him throughout all the generations of the land, because he celebrated this festival in its season, according to the witness of the heavenly tables. 29. For this reason it is ordained on the heavenly tables concerning Israel, that they shall celebrate the feast of tabernacles seven days with joy, in the seventh new moon, acceptable before the Lord–a statute for ever throughout their generations every year. 30. And to this there is no limit of days; for it is ordained for ever regarding Israel that they should celebrate it and dwell in booths, and set wreaths upon their heads, and take leafy boughs, and willows from the brook. 31. And Abraham took branches of palm trees, and the fruit of goodly trees, and every day going round the altar with the branches seven times [a day] in the morning, he praised and gave thanks to his Elohim for all things in joy.

Jubilees 34:10-19

34:10 And in the seventh year of this week [2149 A.M.] he sent Joseph to learn about the welfare of his brothers from his house to the land of Shechem, and he found them in the land of Dothan. 11. And they dealt treacherously with him, and formed a plot against him to slay him, but changing their minds, they sold him to Ishmaelite merchants, and they brought him down into Egypt, and they sold him to Potiphar, the eunuch of Pharaoh, the chief of the cooks, priest of the city of 'Êlêw. 12. And the sons of Jacob slaughtered a kid, and dipped the coat of Joseph in the blood, and sent (it) to Jacob their father on the tenth of the seventh new moon. 13. And he mourned all that night, for they had brought it to him in the evening, and he became feverish with mourning for his death, and he said: “An evil beast hath devoured Joseph”; and all the members of his house [mourned with him that day, and they] were grieving and mourning with him all that day. 14. And his sons and his daughter rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted for his son. 15. And on that day Bilhah heard that Joseph had perished, and she died mourning him, and she was living in †Qafrâtêf† and Dinah also, his daughter, died after Joseph had perished. And there came these three mournings upon Israel in one new moon. 16. And they buried Bilhah over against the tomb of Rachel, and Dinah also, his daughter, they buried there. 17. And he mourned for Joseph one year, and did not cease, for he said “Let me go down to the grave mourning for my son.” 18. For this reason it is ordained for the sons of Israel that they should afflict themselves on the tenth of the seventh new moon–on the day that the news which made him weep for Joseph came to Jacob his father–that they should make atonement for themselves thereon with a young goat on the tenth of the seventh new moon, once a year, for their sins; for they had grieved the affection of their father regarding Joseph his son. 19. And this day hath been ordained that they should grieve thereon for their sins, and for all their transgressions and for all their errors, so that they might cleanse themselves on that day once a year.

The Book of Enoch (also known as 1 Enoch) was written during the second century B.C. The older sections (mainly in the Book of the Watchers) of the text are estimated to date from about 300–200 B.C., and the latest part (Book of Parables) probably to 100 B.C. Various Aramaic fragments found in the Dead Sea Scrolls, as well as Koine Greek and Latin fragments, were proof that The Book of Enoch was known by early Jews and Christians.

Enoch 41:3-9

41:3 And there mine eyes saw the secrets of the lightning and of the thunder, and the secrets of the winds, how they are divided to blow over the earth, and the secrets of the clouds and dew, and there I saw from whence they proceed in that place and from whence they saturate the dusty earth. 4 And there I saw closed chambers out of which the winds are divided, the chamber of the hail and winds, the chamber of the mist, and of the clouds, and the cloud thereof hovers over the earth from the beginning of the world. 5 And I saw the chambers of the sun and moon, whence they proceed and whither they come again, and their glorious return, and how one is superior to the other, and their stately orbit, and how they do not leave their orbit, and they add nothing to their orbit and they take nothing from it, and they keep faith with each other, in accordance with the oath by which they are bound together. 6 And first the sun goes forth and traverses his path according to the commandment of the Lord of Spirits, and mighty is His name for ever and ever. 7 And after that I saw the hidden and the visible path of the moon, and she accomplishes the course of her path in that place by day and by night--the one holding a position opposite to the other before the Lord of Spirits. And they give thanks and praise and rest not; For unto them is their thanksgiving rest. 8 For the sun changes oft for a blessing or a curse, And the course of the path of the moon is light to the righteous And darkness to the sinners in the name of the Lord, Who made a separation between the light and the darkness, And divided the spirits of men, And strengthened the spirits of the righteous, In the name of His righteousness. 9 For no angel hinders and no power is able to hinder; for He appoints a judge for them all and He judges them all before Him.

Enoch 72:1-37

72:1 The book of the courses of the luminaries of the heaven, the relations of each, according to their classes, their dominion and their seasons, according to their names and places of origin, and according to their new moons, which Uriel, the holy angel, who was with me, who is their guide, showed me; and he showed me all their laws exactly as they are, and how it is with regard to all the years of the world and unto eternity, till the new creation is accomplished which dureth till eternity. 2. And this is the first law of the luminaries: the luminary the Sun has its rising in the eastern portals of the heaven, and its setting in the western portals of the heaven. (cf. Psalm 104:19; Ecclesiastes 1:5; Sirach 43:1-5) 3. And I saw six portals in which the sun rises, and six portals in which the sun sets and the moon rises and sets in these portals, and the leaders of the stars and those whom they lead: six in the east and six in the west, and all following each other in accurately corresponding order: also many windows to the right and left of these portals. 4. And first there goes forth the great luminary, named the Sun, and his circumference is like the circumference of the heaven, and he is quite filled with illuminating and heating fire. 5. The chariot on which he ascends, the wind drives, and the sun goes down from the heaven and returns through the north in order to reach the east, and is so guided that he comes to the appropriate (lit. ‘ that ‘) portal and shines in the face of the heaven. 6. In this way he rises in the first new moon in the great portal, which is the fourth [those six portals in the cast]. 7. And in that fourth portal from which the sun rises in the first new moon are twelve window-openings, from which proceed a flame when they are opened in their season. 8. When the sun rises in the heaven, he comes forth through that fourth portal thirty, mornings in succession, and sets accurately in the fourth portal in the west of the heaven. 9. And during this period the day becomes daily longer and the night nightly shorter to the thirtieth morning. 10. On that day the day is longer than the night by a ninth part, and the day amounts exactly to ten parts and the night to eight parts. 11. And the sun rises from that fourth portal, and sets in the fourth and returns to the fifth portal of the east thirty mornings, and rises from it and sets in the fifth portal. 12. And then the day becomes longer by two parts and amounts to eleven parts, and the night becomes shorter and amounts to seven parts. 13. And it returns to the east and enters into the sixth portal, and rises and sets in the sixth portal one-and-thirty mornings on account of its sign. 14. On that day the day becomes longer than the night, and the day becomes double the night, and the day becomes twelve parts, and the night is shortened and becomes six parts. 15. And the sun mounts up to make the day shorter and the night longer, and the sun returns to the east and enters into the sixth portal, and rises from it and sets thirty mornings. 16. And when thirty mornings are accomplished, the day decreases by exactly one part, and becomes eleven parts, and the night seven. 17. And the sun goes forth from that sixth portal in the west, and goes to the east and rises in the fifth portal for thirty mornings, and sets in the west again in the fifth western portal. 18. On that day the day decreases by two parts, and amounts to ten parts and the night to eight parts. 19. And the sun goes forth from that fifth portal and sets in the fifth portal of the west, and rises in the fourth portal for one- and-thirty mornings on account of its sign, and sets in the west. 20. On that day the day is equalized with the night, [and becomes of equal length], and the night amounts to nine parts and the day to nine parts. 21. And the sun rises from that portal and sets in the west, and returns to the east and rises thirty mornings in the third portal and sets in the west in the third portal. 22. And on that day the night becomes longer than the day, and night becomes longer than night, and day shorter than day till the thirtieth morning, and the night amounts exactly to ten parts and the day to eight parts. 23. And the sun rises from that third portal and sets in the third portal in the west and returns to the east, and for thirty mornings rises in the second portal in the east, and in like manner sets in the second portal in the west of the heaven. 24. And on that day the night amounts to eleven parts and the day to seven parts. 25. And the sun rises on that day from that second portal and sets in the west in the second portal, and returns to the east into the first portal for one-and-thirty mornings, and sets in the first portal in the west of the heaven. 26. And on that day the night becomes longer and amounts to the double of the day: and the night amounts exactly to twelve parts and the day to six. 27. And the sun has (therewith) traversed the divisions of his orbit and turns again on those divisions of his orbit, and enters that portal thirty mornings and sets also in the west opposite to it. 28. And on that night has the night decreased in length by a ninth part, and the night has become eleven parts and the day seven parts. 29. And the sun has returned and entered into the second portal in the east, and returns on those his divisions of his orbit for thirty mornings, rising and setting. 30. And on that day the night decreases in length, and the night amounts to ten parts and the day to eight. 31. And on that day the sun rises from that portal, and sets in the west, and returns to the east, and rises in the third portal for one-and-thirty mornings, and sets in the west of the heaven. 32. On that day the night decreases and amounts to nine parts, and the day to nine parts, and the night 33 is equal to the day and the year is exactly as to its days three hundred and sixty-four. 33. And the length of the day and of the night, and the shortness of the day and of the night arise-through the course of the sun these distinctions are made (lit. ‘ they are separated ‘). 34. So it comes that its course becomes daily longer, and its course nightly shorter. 35. And this is the law and the course of the sun, and his return as often as he returns sixty times and rises, i.e. the great luminary which is named the sun, for ever and ever. 36 And that which (thus) rises is the great luminary, and is so named according to its appearance, according as the Lord commanded. 37. As he rises, so he sets and decreases not, and rests not, but runs day and night, and his light is sevenfold brighter than that of the moon; but as regards size they are both equal.

Enoch 73:1-8; Enoch 74:1-17; Enoch 75:1-9; Enoch 78:1-17; Enoch 79:1-6; Enoch 80:1-8

Enoch 73:1 And after this law I saw another law dealing with the smaller luminary, which is named the Moon. (cf. Psalm 104:19; Sirach 43:6-8) 2. And her circumference is like the circumference of the heaven, and her chariot in which she rides is driven by the wind, and light is given to her in (definite) measure. 3. And her rising and setting change every new moon: and her days are like the days of the sun, and when her light is uniform (i.e. full) it amounts to the seventh part of the light of the sun. 4. And thus she rises. And her first phase in the east comes forth on the thirtieth morning: and on that day she becomes visible, and constitutes for you the first phase of the moon on the thirtieth day together with the sun in the portal where the sun rises. 5. And the one half of her goes forth by a seventh part, and her whole circumference is empty, without light, with the exception of one-seventh part of it, (and) the 6 fourteenth part of her light. 6. And when she receives one-seventh part of the half of her light, her light amounts to one-seventh part and the half thereof. 7. And she sets with the sun, and when the sun rises the moon rises with him and receives the half of one part of light, and in that night in the beginning of her morning [in the commencement of the lunar day] the moon sets with the sun, and is invisible that night with the fourteen parts and the half of one of them. 8. And she rises on that day with exactly a seventh part, and comes forth and recedes from the rising of the sun, and in her remaining days she becomes bright in the (remaining) thirteen parts.

Enoch 74:1 And another journey, and law, I saw for it, in that according to this law it makes its monthly journey. 2. And Uriel, the Holy Angel who is leader of them all, showed me everything, and I wrote down their positions as he showed them to me. And I wrote down their new moons, as they are, and the appearance of their light, until fifteen days have been completed. 3. In seventh parts it makes all its darkness full, and in seventh parts it makes all its light full, in the east and in the west. 4. And in certain new moons, it changes its setting, and in certain new moons, it follows its own individual course. 5. In two new moons it sets with the Sun, in those two Gates that are in the middle, in the third and in the fourth Gate. 6. It goes out for seven days and turns back, and returns again to the Gate from which the Sun rises. And in that Gate it makes all its light full, and it recedes from the Sun, and comes, in eight days, to the sixth Gate from which the Sun rises. 7. And when the Sun rises from the fourth Gate, the Moon goes out for seven days, until it rises from the fifth Gate. And again it returns in seven days to the fourth Gate, makes all its light full, recedes, and comes to the first Gate in eight days. 8. And again it returns in seven days to the fourth Gate from which the Sun rises. 9. Thus I saw their positions; how the Moon rose and the Sun set in those days. 10. And if five years are added together, the Sun has an excess of thirty days. For each year, of the five years, there are three hundred and sixty four days. 11. And the excess, of the Sun and the stars, comes to six days. In five years, with six days each, they have an excess of thirty days, and the Moon falls behind the Sun and the stars by thirty days. 12. And the Moon conducts the years exactly, all of them according to their eternal positions; they are neither early nor late, even by one day, but change the year in exactly 364 days. 13. In three years, there are 1,092 days, and in five years 1,820 days, so that in eight years there are 2,912 days. 14. For the Moon alone, the days in three years come to 1,062 days, and in five years it is fifty days behind. 15. And there are 1,770 days in five years so that for the Moon the days in eight years amount to 2,832 days. 16. For the difference in eight years is eighty days, and all the days that the Moon is behind, in eight years, are eighty days. 17. And the year is completed exactly, in accordance with their positions, and the positions of the Sun, in that they rise from the Gates from which the Sun rises and sets for thirty days.

Enoch 75:1 And the leaders of the tens of thousands, who are in charge of the whole of creation, and in charge of all the stars, and also the four days which are added, and are not separated from their position, according to the whole reckoning of the year. And these serve on the four days that are not counted in the reckoning of the year. 2. And because of them men go wrong in them. For these lights really serve in the stations of the world, one in the first Gate, and one in the third Gate, and one in the fourth Gate, and one in the sixth Gate. And the exact harmony of the world is completed in the separate 364 stations of the world. 3. For the signs, and the times, and the years, and the days, were showed to me by the Angel Uriel whom the Lord of Eternal Glory has placed in charge of all the Lights of Heaven. In Heaven and in the world, so that they might rule on the Face of Heaven, and appear over the earth, and be leaders of day and night; the Sun, the Moon, the stars, and all the serving creatures who revolve in all the Chariots of Heaven. 4. Likewise, Uriel showed to me twelve Gate-openings in the disc of the chariot of the Sun, in the sky, from which the rays of the Sun come out. And from them heat comes out over the Earth when they are opened at the times that are appointed for them. 5. And there are openings for the winds, and for the spirit of the dew, when they are opened at their times, opened in Heaven, at the ends of the earth. 6. I saw twelve Gates in Heaven, at the ends of the earth, from which the Sun, and the Moon, and the stars, and all the works of Heaven, go out in the east and in the west. 7. And there are many window-openings to the north and to the south, and each window, at its appointed time, sends out heat corresponding to those Gates, from which the stars go out, in accordance with His command to them, and in which they set according to their number. (cf. Sirach 43:9-10) 8. And I saw chariots in Heaven, running through the region above those Gates, in which the stars that never set rotate. 9. And one is bigger than all the others. And it goes round through the whole world.

Enoch 78:1 The names of the Sun are as follows: The first Oryares, and the second Tomases. 2. The Moon has four names: The first name is Asonya, and the second Ebla, and the third Benase, and the fourth Era’e. 3. These are the two great lights; their disc is like the disc of Heaven and in size the two are equal. 4. In the disc of the Sun, are seven parts of light, which are added to it more than to the Moon, and in fixed measure light is transferred to the Moon until a seventh part of the Sun is exhausted. 5. And they set, go into the Gates of the west, go round through the north, and rise through the Gates of the east, on the face of Heaven. 6. And when the Moon rises, it appears in the sky, and has a half of a seventh part of light, and on the fourteenth day it makes all its light full. 7. And fifteen parts of light are transferred to it, until on the fifteenth day its light is full, according to the sign of the year, and amounts to fifteen parts. And the Moon comes into being by halves of a seventh part. 8. And in its waning on the first day, it decreases to fourteen parts of its light. And on the second to thirteen parts, and on the third to twelve parts, on the fourth to eleven parts, and on the fifth to ten parts, and on the sixth to nine parts, and on the seventh to eight parts, and on the eighth to seven parts, and on the ninth to six parts, and on the tenth to five parts, and on the eleventh to four parts, and on the twelfth to three, and on the thirteenth to two, and on the fourteenth to half of a seventh part. And all the light that remains from the total disappears on the fifteenth day. 9. And in certain new moons the Moon has twenty-nine days and once twenty-eight. 10. And Uriel showed me another law: – when light is transferred to the Moon, and on which side it is transferred from the Sun. 11. All the time that the Moon is increasing in its light, it transfers as it becomes opposite the Sun, until in fourteen days it’s light is full in the sky; and when it is all ablaze, it’s light is full in the sky. 12. And on the first day it is called the New Moon, for on that, daylight rises on it. 13. And its light becomes full exactly on the day that as the Sun goes down in the west it rises from the east for the night. And the Moon shines for the whole night until the Sun rises opposite it, and the Moon is seen opposite the Sun. 14. And on the side on which the light of the Moon appears, there again it wanes, until all its light disappears, and the days of the Moon end and its disc remains empty without light. 15. And for three new moons, at its proper time, it achieves thirty days, and for three new moons, it achieves twenty-nine days, during which it completes its waning, in the first period, in the first Gate, 127 days.* 16. And in the time of it’s rising, for three new moons, it appears in each new moon with thirty days. And for three new moons it appears in each new moon with twenty-nine days 17. By night, for twenty days each time, it looks like a man, and by day like Heaven, for there is nothing else in it except it’s light.

* 177 days according to the version of “R.H. Charles Oxford: The Clarendon Press”

Enoch 79:1 And now, my son, I have shown thee everything, and the law of all the stars of the heaven is completed. 2. And he showed me all the laws of these for every day, and for every season of bearing rule, and for every year, and for its going forth, and for the order prescribed to it every new moon and every week: 3. And the waning of the moon which takes place in the sixth portal: for in this sixth portal her light is accomplished, and after that there is the beginning of the waning: 4. (And the waning) which takes place in the first portal in its season, till one hundred and seventy-seven days are accomplished: reckoned according to weeks, twenty-five (weeks) and two days. 5. She falls behind the sun and the order of the stars exactly five days in the course of one period, and when this place which thou seest has been traversed. 6. Such is the picture and sketch of every luminary which Uriel the archangel, who is their leader, showed unto me.

Enoch 80:1 And in those days the angel Uriel answered and said to me: ‘ Behold, I have shown thee everything, Enoch, and I have revealed everything to thee that thou shouldst see this sun and this moon, and the leaders of the stars of the heaven and all those who turn them, their tasks and times and departures. 2. And in the days of the sinners the years shall be shortened, And their seed shall be tardy on their lands and fields, And all things on the earth shall alter, And shall not appear in their time: And the rain shall be kept back And the heaven shall withhold (it). 3. And in those times the fruits of the earth shall be backward, And shall not grow in their time, And the fruits of the trees shall be withheld in their time. 4. And the moon shall alter her order, And not appear at her time. 5. [And in those days the sun shall be seen and he shall journey in the evening on the extremity of the great chariot in the west] And shall shine more brightly than accords with the order of light. 6. And many chiefs of the stars shall transgress the order (prescribed). And these shall alter their orbits and tasks, And not appear at the seasons prescribed to them. 7. And the whole order of the stars shall be concealed from the sinners, And the thoughts of those on the earth shall err concerning them, [And they shall be altered from all their ways], Yea, they shall err and take them to be gods. (cf. Deuteronomy 17:3; Wisdom of Solomon 13:1-3; Jeremiah 8:2; Romans 1:25) 8. And evil shall be multiplied upon them, And punishment shall come upon them So as to destroy all.’ (cf. Jonah 2:8; Micah 5:9)

Sirach 43:6-12

Sirach, or Wisdom of Sirach, and also known as the Book of Ecclesiasticus (abbreviated Ecclus.) or Sirach, is a work of ethical teachings, from approximately 200 to 175 B.C., written by the Jewish scribe Sirach of Jerusalem, on the inspiration of his father Joshua son of Sirach, sometimes called Jesus son of Sirach or Yeshua ben Eliezer Sirach. The Sirach was almost completely uncovered in Hebrew in the Dead Sea Scrolls, at Masada, and the Cairo Geniza. The multiplicity of manuscript fragments uncovered in the Cairo Genizah evidence its authoritative status among Egyptian Jewry until the Middle Ages. Quotes from Sirach can be found in Rabbinic literature in multiple places including the Talmud in Bava Kamma 92b:13 and Hagigah 13a:2. Additionally, the Gospels and other Apostolic Scriptures quote from the Book of Sirach including the Song of Miriam in Luke 1:52 (cf. Sirach 10:14); the description of the seed in Mark 4:5, 16–17 (cf. Sirach 40:15); the statement by Yeshua in Matthew 7:16,20 (cf. Sirach 27:6); and Ya’aqov (James) 1:19 (cf. Sirach 5:11).

43:6 The moon marks the changing seasons, declares times, and is a sign for the world. 7 From the moon is the sign of feast days, a light that wanes when it completes its course. 8 The month is called after its name, increasing wonderfully in its changing— an instrument of the army on high, shining in the structure of heaven, 9 the beauty of heaven, the glory of the stars, an ornament giving light in the highest places of the Lord. 10 At the word of the Holy One, they will stand in due order. They won’t faint in their watches. 11 Look at the rainbow, and praise him who made it. It is exceedingly beautiful in its brightness. 12 It encircles the sky with its glorious circle. The hands of the Most High have stretched it out.

Wisdom of Solomon 13:1-9

The Wisdom of Solomon, or Book of Wisdom, is a Jewish work, written in Greek, and most likely composed in Alexandria, Egypt. Generally dated to the mid first century B.C. It is uncertain whether the book has a single author or comes from a school of writers, but recent scholarship has favored regarding it as a unified work. Fragments of the Wisdom of Solomon were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls in the first discovered and excavated cave at Qumran in 1949.

13:1 For truly all men who had no perception of God were foolish by nature, and didn’t gain power to know him who exists from the good things that are seen. They didn’t recognize the architect from his works. 2 But they thought that either fire, or wind, or swift air, or circling stars, or raging water, or luminaries of heaven were gods that rule the world. 3 If it was through delight in their beauty that they took them to be gods, let them know how much better their Sovereign Lord is than these, for the first author of beauty created them. 4 But if it was through astonishment at their power and influence, then let them understand from them how much more powerful he who formed them is. 5 For from the greatness of the beauty of created things, mankind forms the corresponding perception of their Maker.† 6 But yet for these men there is but small blame, for they too perhaps go astray while they are seeking God and desiring to find him. 7 For they diligently search while living among his works, and they trust their sight that the things that they look at are beautiful. 8 But again even they are not to be excused. 9 For if they had power to know so much, that they should be able to explore the world, how is it that they didn’t find the Sovereign Lord sooner?

Judith 8:4-8

The Book of Judith relates the story of God’s deliverance of the Jewish people. This was accomplished “by the hand of a female”—a constant motif meant to recall the “hand” of God in the Exodus narrative. The work may have been written around 100 B.C., but its historical range is extraordinary.

8:4 Judith was a widow in her house three years and four new moons. 5 She made herself a tent upon the roof of her house, and put on sackcloth upon her loins. The garments of her widowhood were upon her. 6 And she fasted all the days of her widowhood, except the eves of the Sabbaths, the Sabbaths, the eves of the new moons, the new moons, and the feasts and joyful days of the house of Israel. 7 She was beautiful in appearance, and lovely to behold. Her husband Manasses had left her gold, silver, menservants, maidservants, cattle, and lands. She remained on those lands. 8 No one said anything evil about her, for she feared God exceedingly.

2 Esdras 1:28-32

2 Esdras, consisting of chapters 3-14, (also called 4 Esdras, Latin Esdras, or Latin Ezra) is the name of a book in many English versions of the Bible. Its authorship is ascribed to Ezra, a scribe and priest of the 5th century B.C., although modern scholarship places its composition between 70 and 218 AD. It is reckoned among the apocrypha by Roman Catholics, Protestants, and most Eastern Orthodox Christians. The Ethiopian Church considers 4 Ezra to be canonical, written during the Babylonian captivity, and calls it “Izra Sutuel” (ዕዝራ ሱቱኤል). It was also often cited by the Fathers of the Church. In the Eastern Armenian tradition it is called 3 Ezra.

1:28 The Lord Almighty says, “Haven’t I asked you as a father his sons, as a mother her daughters, and a nurse her young babies, 29 that you would be my people, and I would be your God, that you would be my children, and I would be your father? 30 I gathered you together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. But now, what should I do to you? I will cast you out from my presence. 31 When you offer burnt slaughters to me, I will turn my face from you, for I have rejected your solemn feast days, your new moons, and your circumcisions of the flesh. 32 I sent to you my servants the prophets, whom you have taken and slain, and torn their bodies in pieces, whose blood I will require from you,” says the Lord.

1 Maccabees 10:31-35

1 and 2 Maccabees are set during the reign of the Seleucid Greek empire (the part of the Greek empire that found its roots in Syria). It tells the story of how the Greek ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes attempted to suppress Temple worship and to destroy the practice of Jewish law. This caused the Maccabean revolt, led by Mattathias and his sons. As a part of the revolt, the Temple was freed from the control of the Greek empire and rededicated (an act that is still commemorated yearly in the festival of Hanukkah). The Maccabees then ruled over Israel, first as High Priests and then as High Priests and Princes of Israel. 1 Maccabees follows this story until the death of Simon (the third son of Mattathias to rule over Israel) at the hands of the Egyptian Greeks (from about 175-134 B.C.).

10:31 Let Jerusalem be holy and free, with her borders, tithes, and taxes. 32 I yield up also my authority over the citadel which is at Jerusalem, and give it to the high priest, that he may appoint in it men whom he chooses to keep it. 33 Every soul of the Jews who has been carried captive from the land of Judah into any part of my kingdom, I set at liberty without payment. Let all officials also cancel the taxes on their livestock. 34 “All the feasts, the Sabbaths, new moons, appointed days, three days before a feast, and three days after a feast, let them all be days of immunity and release for all the Jews who are in my kingdom. 35 No man shall have authority to exact anything from any of them, or to trouble them concerning any matter.

Genesis 1:14-19 from the Jerusalem Targum aka Targum Pseudo-Jonathan

Composed in Talmudic Israel (c.150 – c.250 AD). Targum Pseudo-Jonathan is a western targum (translation) of the Torah (Pentateuch) from the land of Israel (as opposed to the eastern Babylonian Targum Onkelos). Its correct title was originally Targum Yerushalmi (Jerusalem Targum), which is how it was known in medieval times. But because of a printer’s mistake it was later labeled Targum Jonathan, in reference to Jonathan ben Uzziel. Some editions of the Pentateuch continue to call it Targum Jonathan to this day. Most scholars refer to the text as Targum Pseudo-Jonathan. This targum is more than a mere translation. It includes much Aggadic material collected from various sources as late as the Midrash Rabbah as well as earlier material from the Talmud. It is effectively a combination of a commentary and a translation. In the portions where it is pure translation, it often agrees with the Targum Onkelos. The date of its composition is disputed. It cannot have been completed before the Arabic conquest as it refers to Mohammad’s wife Fatimah, but might have been initially composed in the 4th Century AD. However, some scholars date it in the 14th Century.

And the Lord said, Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens, to distinguish between the day and the night; and let them be for signs and for festival times, and for the numbering by them the account of days, and for the sanctifying of the beginning of new moons, and the beginning of years, the passing away of new moons, and the passing away of years, the revolutions of the sun, the birth of the moon, and the revolvings (of seasons). [JERUSALEM. And let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for the sanctifying by them of the beginning of new moons and years.] And let them be for luminaries in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth. And it was so. And the Lord made two great luminaries; and they were equal in glory twenty and one years, less six hundred and two and seventy parts of an hour. And afterwards the moon recited against the sun a false report; and she was diminished, and the sun was appointed to be the greater light to rule the day; and the moon to be the inferior light to rule in the night, and the stars. And the Lord ordained them unto their offices, in the expanse of the heavens, to give forth light upon the earth, and to minister by day and by night, to distinguish between the light of the day and the darkness of the night. And the Lord beheld that it was good. And it was evening, and it was morning, Day the Forth.

Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus 1.1.1; 3.10.1-5

Josephus was born Joseph ben Mattathias in 37 AD in Jerusalem of a priestly and royal family. He excelled in his studies of Jewish law and studied with the Sadducees, Pharisees, and the Essenes, eventually aligning himself with the Pharisees. In 62 AD he went to Rome to free some imprisoned priests. After accomplishing this mission through the intercession of Nero’s wife, Poppaea, he returned to Jerusalem in 65 AD to find the country in revolt against Rome. Josephus shrewdly reinterpreted the Messianic prophecies. He predicted that Vespasian would become the ruler of the ‘entire world’. His prophecy became true in 68 AD when Nero committed suicide and Vespasian became Ceasar. As a result, Josephus was freed; he moved to Rome and became a Roman citizen, taking the Vespasian family name Flavius. Vespasian commissioned Josephus to write a history of the war, which he finished in 78 AD, the Jewish War. His second major work, the Antiquities of the Jews, was completed in 93 AD. The extant manuscripts of the book Antiquities of the Jews contain two references to Yeshua of Nazareth (18.3.3. and 20.9.1.) and one reference to the imprisonment and death of John the Baptist (18.5.2.).

1.1.1. ...On the fourth day he adorned the heavens with the sun, the moon, and the other stars, and appointed them their motions and courses, that the vicissitudes of the seasons might be clearly signified... 3.10.1. The law requires, that out of the public expenses a lamb of the first year be killed every day, at the beginning and at the ending of the day; but on the seventh day, which is called the Sabbath, they kill two, and slaughter them in the same manner. At the new moon, they both perform the daily slaughters, and slay two bulls, with seven lambs of the first year, and a kid of the goats also, for the expiation of sins; that is, if they have sinned through ignorance. 3.10.2. But on the seventh new moon, which the Macedonians call Hyperberetaeus, they make an addition to those already mentioned, and slaughter a bull, a ram, and seven lambs, and a kid of the goats, for sins. 3.10.3. On the tenth day of the same lunar new moon, they fast till the evening; and this day they slaughter a bull, and two rams, and seven lambs, and a kid of the goats, for sins. And, besides these, they bring two kids of the goats; the one of which is sent alive out of the limits of the camp into the wilderness for the scapegoat, and to be an expiation for the sins of the whole multitude; but the other is brought into a place of great cleanness, within the limits of the camp, and is there burnt, with its skin, without any sort of cleansing. With this goat was burnt a bull, not brought by the people, but by the high priest, at his own charges; which, when it was slain, he brought of the blood into the holy place, together with the blood of the kid of the goats, and sprinkled the ceiling with his finger seven times, as also its pavement, and again as often toward the holy of holies, and about the golden altar: he also at last brings it into the open court, and sprinkles it about the great altar. Besides this, they set the extremities, and the kidneys, and the fat, with the lobe of the liver, upon the altar. The high priest likewise presents a ram to Elohim as a burnt-offering. 3.10.4. Upon the fifteenth day of the same new moon, when the season of the year is changing for winter, the law enjoins us to pitch tabernacles in every one of our houses, so that we preserve ourselves from the cold of that time of the year; as also that when we should arrive at our own country, and come to that city which we should have then for our metropolis, because of the temple therein to be built, and keep a festival for eight days, and offer burnt-offerings, and slaughter thank-offerings, that we should then carry in our hands a branch of myrtle, and willow, and a bough of the palm-tree, with the addition of the pome citron: That the burnt-offering on the first of those days was to be a slaughter of thirteen bulls, and fourteen lambs, and fifteen rams, with the addition of a kid of the goats, as an expiation for sins; and on the following days the same number of lambs, and of rams, with the kids of the goats; but abating one of the bulls every day till they amounted to seven only. On the eighth day all work was laid aside, and then, as we said before, they slaughtered to Elohim a bullock, a ram, and seven lambs, with a kid of the goats, for an expiation of sins. And this is the accustomed solemnity of the Hebrews, when they pitch their tabernacles.24 3.10.5. In the new moon of Xanthicus, which is by us called Nisan, and is the beginning of our year, on the fourteenth day of the lunar new moon, when the sun is in Aries, [for in this new moon it was that we were delivered from bondage under the Egyptians,] the law ordained that we should every year slay that slaughter which I before told you we slew when we came out of Egypt, and which was called the Pesach; and so we do celebrate this passover in companies, leaving nothing of what we slaughter till the day following. The feast of unleavened bread succeeds that of the passover, and falls on the fifteenth day of the new moon, and continues seven days, wherein they feed on unleavened bread; on every one of which days two bulls are killed, and one ram, and seven lambs. Now these lambs are entirely burnt, besides the kid of the goats which is added to all the rest, for sins; for it is intended as a feast for the priest on every one of those days. But on the second day of unleavened bread, which is the sixteenth day of the new moon, they first partake of the fruits of the land, for before that day they do not touch them. And while they suppose it proper to honor Elohim, from whom they obtain this plentiful provision, in the first place, they offer the first fruits of their barley, and that in the manner following: They take a handful of the ears, and dry them, then beat them small, and purge the barley from the bran; they then bring one tenth deal to the altar, to Elohim; and, casting one handful of it upon the fire, they leave the rest for the use of the priest. And after this it is that they may publicly or privately reap their harvest. They also at this participation of the first fruits of the land, slaughter a lamb, as a burnt-offering to Elohim.

Other References

"In Old Testament times, Jews visited the Temple of Jerusalem for a special slaughter, held a family celebration, and generally abstained from business and work." - Britannica "New Moon" https://www.britannica.com/topic/New-Moon-Jewish-festival "For much of early Jewish history, Rosh Chodesh was observed much more seriously. In some Biblical sources, Rosh Hodesh is described as a day when business is not conducted (cf. Amos 8:5) and which seems to have been devoted to worship (cf. 2 Kings 4:23; Isaiah 66:23; Ezekiel 46:1) and feasting (cf. 1 Samuel 20:24-29). This is corroborated by an inscription from the Arad ostraca (c. 600 B.C.E) where a military commander is told to deliver goods on the first of the month, but only to record this delivery in writing on the second of the month (seemingly because writing was considered a forbidden melakha). In the Second Temple period, too, Rosh Chodesh was considered a day of rest according to some sources (cf. 1 Maccabees 10:34). In the Talmudic period, one passage considered Rosh Chodesh to be a day on which work ceased (bittul) (cf. Rosh Hashana 23a); another passage suggests that work ceased (bittul) but was not forbidden (assur) (cf. Megillah 22b)." "According to the Talmud, women do not engage in work on Rosh Chodesh (cf. Megillah 22b). Rashi, in commenting on this passage, delineates the activities from which they must refrain: spinning, weaving, and sewing—the skills that women contributed to the building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle). The Shulchan Aruch writes that "Those women whose custom is not to do work on [Rosh Chodesh] have a good custom" (cf. Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 417)."

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