In the Bible, the term "month" generally refers to a period of 30 days. For example, you can compare the prescribed "month" of mourning described in Deuteronomy 21:13 with the "30 days" of mourning described in Deuteronomy 34:8. If we assume that each month of Ezekiel's calendar had 30 days, we arrive at a total of 420 days in 14 months. However, this falls short of the symbolic 430-day siege of Jerusalem, and Ezekiel claims to be at home on the day after 14 full months as a prophet have elapsed. This discrepancy raises a crucial question: How could Ezekiel's calendar ensure that 14 months didn't fall short of 430 full days?
The most plausible solution is one that looks to the Bible itself for answers. The Bible directly supports the idea that ancient Israel followed a 12-month yearly calendar. Some suggest that a 13th month was occasionally added to the yearly calendar in ancient Israel. The Bible does not support this suggestion. In fact, the circumstantial details documented in the Bible contradict the suggestion of a 13th month. While a solution suggesting more than 12 months in Ezekiel's year might reconcile the discrepancy, it would also raise additional questions. Given the Bible's exclusive support for a 12-month year in ancient times, any solution proposing more than 12 months would bear a significant burden of proof to counter a 12-month calendar explanation. It seems most likely that Ezekiel's account gives us hints of intercalary days-extra days inserted to maintain the delicate balance of time, ensuring at least 430 full days in Ezekiel's 14-month interval.
Unraveling this mystery requires a careful balance between logic and Scripture.
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