The name of the second lunar month of the sacred calendar; the eighth of the secular calendar of the Israelites. (1Ki 6:1, 37) It corresponds to part of April and part of May. The comment on 1 Kings 6:1 in the Soncino Books of the Bible says concerning the month of Ziv: “Now known as Iyyar, the second month after Nisan. It was called Ziv (brightness) because it falls at the time of the year when the earth is ‘brightened’ with blossoms and flowers.” (Edited by A. Cohen, London, 1950) The name Iyyar is found in the Jewish Talmud and other postexilic works.

 By this month the barley harvest has reached up into the hill country and the wheat harvest is under way in the lowlands. The hills of Galilee are ablaze with flowers. The dry season begins during this month, and the early morning clouds soon disappear in the heat of the day. During this time the plants depend upon the nightly dews that form, and they await the end of the dry season in October.​—Ho 6:4; Isa 18:4.

The 14th day of Ziv provided a second opportunity for the Israelites to celebrate the Passover in the event they, because of absence or ceremonial uncleanness, had been prevented from doing so on Nisan 14.​—Nu 9:9-13; 2Ch 30:2, 3.

It was in the month of Ziv that Solomon began the construction of the temple, and nearly 500 years later in the same month, Zerubbabel initiated the work of rebuilding the temple.​—1Ki 6:1; Ezr 3:8.