### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **Shᵉbâṭ**, represented by `{{H7627}}`, is the name for a Jewish month, **Sebat**. It is noted as being of foreign origin. It is a very rare term, appearing only **1 time** in **1 unique verse** in the entire biblical text.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The sole appearance of `{{H7627}}` is in [[Zechariah 1:7]], where it functions as a precise chronological marker. The text states, "Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month **Sebat**... came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah". This usage firmly places a prophetic revelation within a specific historical context, dating the event to a particular day and month during the second year of Darius's reign.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words provide context for `{{H7627}}`, primarily terms related to time and calendrical measurement:
* `{{H2320}}` **chôdesh** (month): This word is directly linked to Sebat, which is identified as a **month** [[Zechariah 1:7]]. It serves as the standard unit for organizing the year, marking time for prophetic visions [[Ezekiel 1:1]] and setting the dates for sacred observances like the Day of Atonement [[Leviticus 23:27]].
* `{{H6249}}` **ʻashtêy** (eleventh): Sebat is explicitly identified as the **eleventh** month [[Zechariah 1:7]]. This ordinal number is consistently used to pinpoint specific moments in time, such as dating a prophecy in the **eleventh** year of an exile [[Ezekiel 26:1]] or marking the end of the **eleventh** year of King Zedekiah's reign [[Jeremiah 39:2]].
* `{{H8141}}` **shâneh** (year): The event involving Sebat is dated to a specific **year** [[Zechariah 1:7]]. This term is foundational to biblical chronology, used to measure ages [[Genesis 17:1]], mark key historical events like the death of a king [[Isaiah 6:1]], and establish the framework for annual feasts [[Deuteronomy 16:16]].
* `{{H6240}}` **ʻâsâr** (-teen): This numerical term is a component in compound numbers used for dating, including "eleventh" `{{H6249}}` and "fourteenth" [[Exodus 12:6]]. It is essential for specifying quantities, such as the twelve sons of Jacob [[Genesis 35:22]] or the sixscore thousand people in Nineveh [[Jonah 4:11]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H7627}}` is tied to its function in marking time for divine revelation.
* **Historical Grounding of Prophecy:** By naming a specific month, **Sebat**, the text anchors the "word of the LORD" in a verifiable historical moment [[Zechariah 1:7]]. This demonstrates that God's interaction with humanity is not abstract but occurs within the concrete, datable flow of history.
* **Ordered Divine Plan:** The placement of `{{H7627}}` within a numbered sequence of months `{{H2320}}` and years `{{H8141}}` reflects a divinely ordered creation where time itself is structured. God appointed lights in the heavens to be for signs, seasons, days, and years [[Genesis 1:14]], and prophetic events adhere to this structured timeline.
* **Chronological Precision:** The specific mention of **Sebat** emphasizes the precision of God's timing. The prophecy to Zechariah is not given at a vague or general time but on a particular day of a named month, highlighting the importance of the specific moment chosen for the divine message [[Zechariah 1:7]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H7627}}` **Shᵉbâṭ** is a specific and seldom-used term for the month of **Sebat**. Its single occurrence in scripture serves a clear purpose: to provide a precise historical and chronological anchor for a prophetic message [[Zechariah 1:7]]. While the word itself does not carry deep theological meaning, its usage underscores the principle that God's actions and revelations are intentionally placed within the specific, ordered framework of human time and history. It works alongside related terms for month `{{H2320}}` and year `{{H8141}}` to build a record of divine intervention that is grounded and datable.
TRV