Announcement of the 11th Agricultural month of SeBaT / שׁבט

Here is the printable calendar of the up and coming 11th New Moon named SeBaT (שׁבט).

There are only a limited amount of places in holy writ where this month is spoken of, such as: Deuteronomy 1:3; 1 Chronicles 27:14; Zechariah 1:7; 1 Maccabees 16:14.

In Zechariah 1:7 and 1 Maccabees 16:14 the name שׁבט  /Sebat / SheBeTh is found.

שׁבט / Sebat means Rod, Scepter and Tribe, below are a few places where the word is used in common Hebrew terminology:

Genesis 49:10  The scepter (שׁבט / Sebat)  shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

Genesis 49:28  All these are the twelve tribes (שׁבט / Sebat)  of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them.

Exodus 21:20  And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod (שׁבט / Sebat), and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished.

Leviticus 27:32  And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod (שׁבט / Sebat) , the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD.

To show a few…

The 11th Agricultural month called after this name could indicate many things, some say it is of foreign derivation, but the evidence shows that to not be likely.     Rather this word SeBaT / SheBeTh is likely indicating an organic and agricultural meaning, perhaps in relationship to the time pasture animals are more in need of governing by the shepherds rod due to a lack of grass, which would lead the pasture animals to look for food elsewhere and therefore they need guided back home by the rod.

The word Sebat could also refer to this New Moon being the 11th as spoken of in Deuteronomy 1:3 and followed by

Deuteronomy 1:13 “Take you wise men, and understanding, and known among your tribes (שׁבט / Sebat), and I will make them rulers over you.”  (see also the same word in v.15, and v.23).

Because this month was the time of the writing of the Book of Deuteronomy and the organization of Israel’s tribes this month may have been memorialized as well by this term as a reminder, ‘The New Moon of the Tribes’  חדשׁ שׁבט  / Eh-cHoDeSh SeBaT.

Regardless of one or the other reason or both? YHWH has preserved this month’s name for us to remember, so let us do so!

Blessings from RNCM!