Nisan
Culture & SocietyWhat is the meaning of Nisan in the Bible?
The first month of the Jewish ecclesiastical year, corresponding to the month of Abib in the Pentateuch, during which the festival of Passover is observed.
SIGNIFICANCE
Understanding Nisan provides the chronological framework for the Exodus narrative, clarifying the timing of the Passover event and the subsequent departure of the Israelites from Egypt as recorded in the biblical text.
Bible Study Quick-Reference Guide
Ancient Cultural Lens: Avoid applying 21st-century Western assumptions to Nisan. Examine how first-century or Near Eastern listeners understood this practice within their daily social dynamics.
Bible Study Reflection Prompts:
- Why did the biblical author mention Nisan in this passage?
- What cultural or historical assumption does Nisan clarify?
Source Attribution
Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and shortened for clarity.
How to Cite This Entry
"Nisan." Ancient Context Dictionary. Accessed 2026. https://ancientcontext.com/context/nisan/