2887. Tebeth

Lexical Summary

Tebeth: Tebeth

Original Word: טֵבֶת
Part of Speech: Noun
Transliteration: Tebeth
Pronunciation: TAY-veth
Phonetic Spelling: (tay'-beth)
KJV: Tebeth
NASB: Tebeth
Word Origin: [probably of foreign derivation]

1. Tebeth, the tenth Heb. month

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Tebeth

Probably of foreign derivation; Tebeth, the tenth Heb. Month -- Tebeth.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
of foreign origin
Definition
tenth Heb. month
NASB Translation
Tebeth (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

טֵבֵ֑ת proper name 10th month = Dec.-Jan., Esther 2:16 (Nabataean טבת Eut^{No. 3} Palmyrene id., Vog^{No. 66}; loan-word from Assyrian ˆêbêtum, Schr^COT on Nehemiah 1:1, Hpt^{E-Vowel 10}, Jen^{ZA iv (1889) 272 f.}, √ perhaps ‰ebû = טבע see especially Hpt^l.c., Muss-Arn^{JBL xi, 1892, 170}, month of sinking in = muddy month).

Topical Lexicon

Biblical Occurrence

Esther 2:16 records the single named appearance of טֵבֶת (Tebeth): “She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal palace in the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign” (Berean Standard Bible).

Calendar Placement

• Tenth month of the sacred (spring-to-spring) calendar that begins with Nisan (Exodus 12:2).
• Fourth month of the civil (autumn-to-autumn) reckoning that begins with Tishri.
• Corresponds approximately to the latter part of December and the first part of January.

Historical Context

The name Tebeth reflects the post-exilic era in which Israel, living under Persian rule, adopted Babylonian-Akkadian month names. Its use in Esther underscores the book’s exile setting while quietly affirming God’s sovereignty over times and seasons even when His people are under foreign dominion (Daniel 2:21).

Events in Scripture Associated with the Tenth Month

Though the month is named only in Esther, earlier canonical references to “the tenth month” point to weighty redemptive-historical moments:
• 2 Kings 25:1; Jeremiah 39:1 – Nebuchadnezzar began the siege of Jerusalem on the tenth day of the tenth month.
• Ezekiel 29:1 – A prophetic word against Egypt dated to the same month highlights God’s mastery over nations.

These allusions frame Tebeth as a time when divine providence exposed pride, judged rebellion, and prepared the stage for eventual restoration.

Spiritual and Theological Significance

1. Providence in Exile: Esther’s enthronement in Tebeth testifies that the LORD can raise instruments of deliverance in the very courts of pagan power (Esther 4:14).
2. Judgment and Mercy: The siege that began in this month culminated in exile, yet centuries later the same calendar marker hosts an event that leads to Israel’s preservation through Esther—illustrating the unbroken thread of covenant faithfulness.
3. Fasting and Reflection: Zechariah 8:19 references a “fast of the tenth month,” later observed as a memorial of Jerusalem’s siege. While Scripture anticipates these fasts turning to “gladness and cheerful feasts” when hearts are true, the month continues to invite sober remembrance and joyful hope.

Practical Ministry Applications

• Teaching God’s Sovereignty in Secular Settings: Tebeth offers a narrative bridge to encourage believers who serve under secular authorities, reminding them of Esther’s courage and God’s unseen rule.
• Encouraging Faith during Seasons of Darkness: Falling in the winter, Tebeth can illustrate how divine light breaks through the darkest points of redemptive history.
• Integrating Old Testament History into Discipleship: Noting the convergence of siege, exile, and Esther, ministers can trace the storyline of judgment leading to salvation, reinforcing the unity of Scripture.

Related References

Esther 2:16; 2 Kings 25:1; Jeremiah 39:1; Ezekiel 29:1; Zechariah 8:19; Daniel 2:21; Esther 4:14

Forms and Transliterations

טֵבֵ֑ת טבת ṭê·ḇêṯ ṭêḇêṯ teVet

Englishman's Concordance

Esther 2:16
HEB: הוּא־ חֹ֣דֶשׁ טֵבֵ֑ת בִּשְׁנַת־ שֶׁ֖בַע
NAS: is the month Tebeth, in the seventh
KJV: which [is] the month Tebeth, in the seventh
INT: which is the month Tebeth year the seventh

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 2887
1 Occurrence

ṭê·ḇêṯ — 1 Occ.