נִיסָן
𐤍𐤉𐤎𐤍
Nisan
H5212 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Nisan; the name of a month in the Hebrew calendar corresponding approximately to March–April in the modern Gregorian calendar. In biblical usage, Nisan is identified as the first month of the year in certain calendrical systems, especially in texts reflecting Persian-period practices.
Semantic Range
name of a month in the post-exilic/Persian-era calendar; the first month of the spring in the Judean/Babylonian civil and religious calendars; referred to as the month of "Aviv" in earlier periods
Root / Etymology
Likely of foreign (Akkadian or Old Persian) origin, not native to Semitic roots. The etymology is uncertain but may be related to the Akkadian 'Nisanu,' which designates the first month in the Babylonian calendar, itself probably derived from Sumerian or related ancient Near Eastern sources.
Historical & Contextual Notes
נִיסָן appears only in post-exilic biblical texts (e.g. Nehemiah 2:1; Esther 3:7), reflecting a shift from native Hebrew month names (such as אָבִיב 'Aviv') to Babylonian calendar terminology during and after the Babylonian exile. In earlier periods (patriarchal, monarchic), the month corresponding to Nisan was called Aviv, which referred to the stage of barley ripening. After the exile, with the administrative and cultural influence of Babylon and Persia, Nisan became the standard name, paralleling the broader adoption of Babylonian month names among Judeans. English translations sometimes use 'Nisan' or paraphrase as 'the first month'; however, 'the first month' in pre-exilic texts may refer to 'Aviv,' not 'Nisan.' The term is only attested in late biblical books and post-biblical Jewish tradition, and later English translations (e.g. some KJV traditions) may use 'Nisan' anachronistically in the context of earlier Israelite history. The term 'Jewish sacred year' is a much later conceptualization; biblical texts simply mark this month as the first in certain calendrical reckonings.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
probably of foreign origin; Nisan, the first month of the Jewish sacred year; Nisan.
Bantu Hebrew
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ניסן (uncertain) (n-y-s-n (uncertain)) — month name, first month of post-exilic calendar
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5212-01 |
נִיסָ֔ן | nisan | HNp |
Nisan | Nisan | Nisan | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5212-01 |
Esther 3:7 | נִיסָ֔ן | nisan | HNp |
Nisan | Nisan | Nisan |
H5212-01 |
Nehemiah 2:1 | נִיסָ֗ן | nisan | HNp |
Nisan | Nisan | Nisan |