the Week of Proper 26 / Ordinary 31
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Bible Encyclopedias
Elul
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
or (Hebrews Elui', אלֵוּל, Nehemiah 6:15; Sept. Ε᾿λούλ, also in 1 Maccabees 14:27; the Macedonian Γορπιαῖυς ) is the name of that month which was the sixth of the ecclesiastical, and the twelfth of the civil year of the Jews, and in which began with the new moon of our August or September, and consisted of 29 days. Several unsatisfactory attempts have been made to find a Syro-Arabian etymology for the word, as it occurs in a similar form in both these languages (see Gesenius, Thes. Hebr. page 1036). The most recent derivation, that of Benfey, deduces it, through many commutations and mutilations, from an original Zend form haurvatat (Monutsnamen, p. 126). According to the Talmud, the following are the days devoted to religious services. (See CALENDAR).
1. The new moon The propitiatory prayers are commenced in the evening service after the new moon
7. The festival of the dedication of the walls of Jerusalem by Nehemiah.
17. A fast because of the death of the spies who brought up the evil report of the Land of Promise (Numbers 14:36-37).
21. The festival of wood offering (Xy'ophoio1o). According to others, this occurred during the previous month.
22. A fast in memory of the punishment of the wicked and incorrigible Israelites.
29. This is the last day of the month, on which the Jews reckoned up the beasts that had been born, the tenths of which belonged to God. They chose to do it on this day because the first day of the month Tisri was a festival, and therefore they could not tithe a flock on that day.
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McClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Elul'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tce/e/elul.html. Harper & Brothers. New York. 1870.
