Lexical Summary elul: Elul Original Word: אֱלוּל Strong's Exhaustive Concordance thing of nothing For 'eliyl; good for nothing -- thing of nought. see HEBREW 'eliyl NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originsee elil. Brown-Driver-Briggs II. אֱלוּל Jeremiah 14:14 Kt, id quod אֱלִיל, q. v. below Topical Lexicon Calendar placement and chronology Elul designates the sixth month of the religious calendar that begins with Nisan (Exodus 12:2) and the twelfth and final month of the civil year that begins with Tishri. In the present‐day Gregorian system it falls across late August and most of September, occupying the transition from the long, dry summer to the early autumn rains in the land of Israel. Biblical framework and implicit references Although the proper name אֱלוּל is absent from the canonical Hebrew text, the sixth month is repeatedly mentioned. During the post-exilic period the prophet Haggai received and delivered two messages “on the first day of the sixth month” and again “on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month” (Haggai 1:1, 1:15). These oracles stirred the returned remnant to resume temple construction, underscoring that Elul—by whatever title—was already seen as a season for renewed obedience. Nehemiah’s wall-building campaign reached completion on “the twenty-fifth day of the sixth month, in fifty-two days” (compare Nehemiah 6:15), a striking counterpoint to Israel’s earlier failures in the wilderness during the same span of time (cf. Numbers 13:25–26). In the New Testament the phrase “in the sixth month” introduces Gabriel’s annunciation to Mary (Luke 1:26), connecting messianic expectation to a time already associated with preparation. Historical development Outside Scripture, cuneiform tablets from the Persian period equate Elul with the Babylonian ulūlu, indicating that the returning exiles adopted the name while retaining the Mosaic count. By the first century A.D. the rabbinic calendar uniformly used the title, and Elul had become entrenched as the month of self-examination preceding the autumn festivals. Themes of repentance and preparation 1. Self-searching. Later Jewish practice sounds the shofar daily through Elul to awaken consciences. The pattern dovetails with prophetic calls such as “Consider your ways” (Haggai 1:5) issued on the first day of the sixth month. Prophetic and Christological reflections The sixth-month messages of Haggai anticipate a greater temple, ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ (John 2:19-21). Gabriel’s appearance to Mary “in the sixth month” carries the same motif: God moving in redemptive power as the calendar edges toward Tishri, the month of trumpet blasts, atonement, and tabernacles—each fulfilled in the person and work of the Messiah. Practical ministry applications • Personal discipleship: Many churches adopt the weeks leading to the autumn equinox for prayer retreats, fasting, and evangelistic outreaches, mirroring the preparatory spirit of Elul. Summary Though the term Elul never appears in the inspired Hebrew text, the sixth month it represents is woven through redemptive history as a period of repentance, renewed obedience, and expectancy. From the prophetic summons of Haggai to the consummating promise announced to Mary, the season testifies that God meets His people in times set apart for reflection, calling them to build, to watch, and to welcome the coming King. Links Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance wê·lō·hāy — 6 Occ.wê·lō·hāw — 1 Occ. wê·lō·ha·yiḵ — 3 Occ. wê·lō·hê — 13 Occ. wê·lō·hê·hem — 1 Occ. ḇê·lō·hê·nū — 3 Occ. ḇê·lō·hîm — 12 Occ. wa·’ă·lū — 5 Occ. wə·’il·lū — 2 Occ. ’ĕ·lō·w·ah — 40 Occ. ’ĕ·lō·w·hāy — 2 Occ. ’ĕ·lō·hê — 2 Occ. le·’ĕ·lō·w·ah — 2 Occ. mê·’ĕ·lō·w·ha — 1 Occ. we·’ĕ·lō·w·ah — 1 Occ. wə·le·’ĕ·lō·ah — 2 Occ. le·’ĕ·lūl — 1 Occ. bə·’ê·lō·nê — 3 Occ. ’ê·lō·wn — 6 Occ. ’ê·lō·w·nê — 1 Occ. |
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