435. Elul
Lexical Summary
Elul: Elul

Original Word: אֱלוּל
Part of Speech: Noun
Transliteration: Eluwl
Pronunciation: eh-LOOL
Phonetic Spelling: (el-ool')
KJV: Elul
NASB: Elul
Word Origin: [probably of foreign derivation]

1. Elul, the sixth Jewish month

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Elul

Probably of foreign derivation; Elul, the sixth Jewish month -- Elul.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
the sixth Jewish month
NASB Translation
Elul (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
I. אֱלוּל proper name of 6th month, Aug.—Sept. Nehemiah 6:15 (Mishna id., Palestinian אלול, Vog79, Assyrian Ululu COT Nehemiah 1:1, Arabic , Aramaic ).

Topical Lexicon
Overview

Elul is the sixth month of the ecclesiastical year and the twelfth month of the civil year in the biblical calendar, corresponding to late August–September in the modern Gregorian reckoning. Although it is mentioned only once in Scripture, the setting in which it appears—Nehemiah 6:15—connects Elul with themes of completion, vigilance, and preparation that echo through redemptive history.

Biblical Occurrence

Nehemiah 6:15: “So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days.”

The single reference situates Elul at the climax of Jerusalem’s wall-rebuilding project. Spiritual and physical restoration converge in this verse, conveying that what God begins He also brings to completion (Philippians 1:6).

Placement within the Sacred Calendar

1. Sixth month of the religious cycle that begins with Nisan (Exodus 12:2).
2. Final month before Tishri, which hosts the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23).

Because Elul borders these weighty convocations, it became a natural season for soul-searching and renewed dedication.

Historical Significance in Nehemiah’s Day

• The wall’s completion in Elul secured Jerusalem against hostile neighbors (Nehemiah 4:7-8) and reestablished the city as the center of covenant worship.
• The rapid forty-nine-plus-three-day project underscores God’s faithfulness amid opposition, showing that obedience and persistent prayer can accomplish tasks otherwise impossible (Nehemiah 4:9; 6:16).

Spiritual Themes

1. Repentance and Readiness – Elul precedes the trumpet blast of Tishri 1. In later Jewish practice, Psalm 27 is recited daily throughout Elul, its opening cry, “The LORD is my light and my salvation,” summarizing an attitude of humble trust.
2. Watchfulness – As Nehemiah’s laborers carried swords while building (Nehemiah 4:17), believers are reminded to build their lives on Christ while “taking up the full armor of God” (Ephesians 6:13).
3. Completion – The wall finished in Elul typifies the certainty that God will complete His covenant purposes, culminating in the new Jerusalem (Revelation 21:2).

Later Liturgical Remembrance

• Shofar blasts throughout Elul in rabbinic tradition summon hearts to awaken.
• The month’s forty-day span (including the ten days to Yom Kippur) parallels Moses’ final stay on Sinai (Exodus 34:28), reinforcing a pattern of repentance followed by atonement.

Ministry Applications

• Personal Devotion – Churches and families may adopt an “Elul rhythm,” setting aside time near the close of summer for inventory of faith, relationships, and service.
• Leadership – Nehemiah’s example encourages modern leaders to combine prayer, strategic planning, and perseverance when advancing kingdom work.
• Evangelism – The trumpet motif that follows Elul foreshadows the future trumpet of Christ’s return (1 Thessalonians 4:16). Proclaiming the gospel now prepares others to meet the coming King.

Key Related Passages

Nehemiah 4:6; 4:17-18; 6:16 – Tenacity in the face of opposition

Psalm 27 – Confidence in the LORD during a season of self-examination

Leviticus 23:23-32 – Feasts that follow Elul and highlight atonement

Philippians 1:6 – Assurance of divine completion

Revelation 21:2 – Ultimate restoration foreshadowed by Jerusalem’s rebuilt walls

Conclusion

Though Elul appears but once by name, its placement and context imbue the month with enduring biblical resonance. It calls God’s people to finish well, to stand watchfully, and to prepare expectantly for the greater works the Lord will unveil in the seasons that follow.

Forms and Transliterations
לֶאֱל֑וּל לאלול le’ĕlūl le·’ĕ·lūl leeLul
Links
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Englishman's Concordance
Nehemiah 6:15
HEB: בְּעֶשְׂרִ֥ים וַחֲמִשָּׁ֖ה לֶאֱל֑וּל לַחֲמִשִּׁ֥ים וּשְׁנַ֖יִם
NAS: on the twenty-fifth of [the month] Elul, in fifty-two
KJV: and fifth [day] of [the month] Elul, in fifty
INT: the twenty and fifth Elul fifty-two and two

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 435
1 Occurrence


le·’ĕ·lūl — 1 Occ.

434
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