טֵבֶת
𐤈𐤁𐤕
Tevet
H2887 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
The tenth month of the Israelite calendar, typically corresponding to late December and early January in the modern Gregorian calendar. Used primarily as a calendrical designation without intrinsic meaning beyond denoting the specific month in official or narrative dating formulae.
Semantic Range
the tenth month of the Israelite/Babylonian calendar, month name used in post-exilic Hebrew, foreign/loanword for month designation
Root / Etymology
The term טֵבֶת (Ṭêḇeṯ) is likely of foreign, possibly Akkadian origin, rather than native to Hebrew. The root is uncertain and does not correspond to a Hebrew verbal root. It may be related to Akkadian Ṭebētu, also denoting the tenth month.
Historical & Contextual Notes
טֵבֶת appears only in late biblical texts (notably Esther 2:16), reflecting the adoption of Babylonian month names during or after the Babylonian exile. Before the exile, Israelite months were sometimes designated numerically or with agricultural/seasonal names, but starting in the Persian period, Babylonian names (like Nisan, Tammuz, Tebeth) became standard. The term itself carries no specific cultural or religious connotation besides its function in reckoning time. In the KJV and many translations, טֵבֶת is simply rendered 'Tebeth,' aligning to the name but conveying little of its foreign origin or the calendrical shifts—there is no implication of ethnicity or religious identity in the term itself. The month of Tebeth held no particular festival significance in biblical Israelite practice, though later post-biblical developments saw some observances fall within this period.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
probably of foreign derivation; Tebeth, the tenth Hebrew month; Tebeth.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
טבת (uncertain origin) (ṭ-b-t (uncertain)) — calendrical designation, tenth month
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2887-01 |
טֵבֵ֑ת | tevet | HNp |
Tebeth | Tevet, the tenth month | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2887-01 |
Esther 2:16 | טֵבֵ֑ת | tevet | HNp |
Tebeth | Tevet, the tenth month |