For the most part it is a land of sunshine and good weather with constant heavy dews.
January. (Shebat, New Year for trees). This is the coldest month, which brings with it dark and gloomy days and heavy rainfalls.
February. (Adar, almonds blooming). During this month rainy days and sunny days alternated frequently. This is why the Arabs would call this month “the one eyed” because it had a dark face on one side and a bright one on the other. They would also say “February has no bounds” and “the storms have the smell of summer in it.” During this month the almond trees begin to blossom and the late barley seeds are sown.
March. (Nisan, beginning of barley harvest). This month had much sunshine but very heavy winds. The rains of March and April are known in Scripture as the “latter rains”, which supplied nourishment to the barley and wheat crops before they are “white for harvest.” Sometimes this month would receive the heaviest rainfall, the apricot and almond trees would show off their beauty.
April. (Iyyar, barley harvest). This was called the month of flowers, and it was the greenest and considered the most beautiful of all the months. Many times during this month the dry desert winds would blow in for three days at a time, melting the snow, and quickening the vegetation. During this month the harvesting begins in the Jordan valley and on the coastal plain. The fruit trees are in blossom and show their young foliage as the peach, pomegranate, olive, and many more.
May. (Sivan, wheat harvest). During the month of May the heat magnifies and the rain ceases for about five months. Because of the change in landscape of this hot month Jesus may have drawn His analogy “the grass withers and the flowers fade away.” Also in May the harvesting begins in the plains and the lands, the spring fruits are ready, the green almonds, apricots, plums, and the vines are in blossom.
June. (Tammuz, harvesting). During June the land for the most part becomes barren and parched, and harvesting continues in the highlands.
July. (Av, grapes, figs and olives are ripe). During this month the intense summer heat is cooled by the westerly breezes and the commoners are busy on their threshing floors.
August. (Elul, vintage begins). This is the hottest month of the year, and even on the coast it is 90 degrees in the shade, and much hotter inland. During this month the grapes, figs, peaches, apples, and pears ripen.
September. (Tishri, early rains, plowing). During September the summer heat is intensified by the “siroccos” or desert winds, which can last much longer than the winds of spring. The farmers would dry their figs for winter and would make their grapes into raisins, syrup, and wine. The pomegranates and bananas would ripen. Usually around the end of September would be the first shower after a long summer drought.
October. (Heshvan, wheat, barley sowing). Farmers would be finishing with their grape and fig harvests, olives would be gathered, the fattened sheep would be slaughtered, and the sugarcane and dates would ripen, plowing would begin and the rains would loosen up the hard dry ground. During October were the heavier rains known in Scripture as “the former rains.”
November. (Chislev, plowing and sowing). During this month there would be much plowing and sowing of wheat and barley.
December. (Tebeth, rainy winter months). December would bring heavier rains and cooler weather. Fruit trees would ripen with their oranges, citrons, and lemons. The vines would be pruned.
January. (Shebat, New Year for trees). This is the coldest month, which brings with it dark and gloomy days and heavy rainfalls.
February. (Adar, almonds blooming). During this month rainy days and sunny days alternated frequently. This is why the Arabs would call this month “the one eyed” because it had a dark face on one side and a bright one on the other. They would also say “February has no bounds” and “the storms have the smell of summer in it.” During this month the almond trees begin to blossom and the late barley seeds are sown.
March. (Nisan, beginning of barley harvest). This month had much sunshine but very heavy winds. The rains of March and April are known in Scripture as the “latter rains”, which supplied nourishment to the barley and wheat crops before they are “white for harvest.” Sometimes this month would receive the heaviest rainfall, the apricot and almond trees would show off their beauty.
April. (Iyyar, barley harvest). This was called the month of flowers, and it was the greenest and considered the most beautiful of all the months. Many times during this month the dry desert winds would blow in for three days at a time, melting the snow, and quickening the vegetation. During this month the harvesting begins in the Jordan valley and on the coastal plain. The fruit trees are in blossom and show their young foliage as the peach, pomegranate, olive, and many more.
May. (Sivan, wheat harvest). During the month of May the heat magnifies and the rain ceases for about five months. Because of the change in landscape of this hot month Jesus may have drawn His analogy “the grass withers and the flowers fade away.” Also in May the harvesting begins in the plains and the lands, the spring fruits are ready, the green almonds, apricots, plums, and the vines are in blossom.
June. (Tammuz, harvesting). During June the land for the most part becomes barren and parched, and harvesting continues in the highlands.
July. (Av, grapes, figs and olives are ripe). During this month the intense summer heat is cooled by the westerly breezes and the commoners are busy on their threshing floors.
August. (Elul, vintage begins). This is the hottest month of the year, and even on the coast it is 90 degrees in the shade, and much hotter inland. During this month the grapes, figs, peaches, apples, and pears ripen.
September. (Tishri, early rains, plowing). During September the summer heat is intensified by the “siroccos” or desert winds, which can last much longer than the winds of spring. The farmers would dry their figs for winter and would make their grapes into raisins, syrup, and wine. The pomegranates and bananas would ripen. Usually around the end of September would be the first shower after a long summer drought.
October. (Heshvan, wheat, barley sowing). Farmers would be finishing with their grape and fig harvests, olives would be gathered, the fattened sheep would be slaughtered, and the sugarcane and dates would ripen, plowing would begin and the rains would loosen up the hard dry ground. During October were the heavier rains known in Scripture as “the former rains.”
November. (Chislev, plowing and sowing). During this month there would be much plowing and sowing of wheat and barley.
December. (Tebeth, rainy winter months). December would bring heavier rains and cooler weather. Fruit trees would ripen with their oranges, citrons, and lemons. The vines would be pruned.
