Difference between revisions of "Biblical weights and measures"

Revision as of 04:41, July 22, 2025

Old Testament Weights and Measures

Weights
Type of Weight	Old Testament Measure (approximate equivalent)	Imperial Measure (approx. equivalent)	Metric Measure (approx. equivalent)	Biblical References
Bekah	Half-shekel, 10 gerahs	0.22 oz	6.2 g	Exodus 38:26
Dram	Hebrew: adarkon lit, a handful of drachmae or darics	0.31 oz	8.8 g	1st Chr 29:7, Ezra 2:69, Ezra 8:27, Ne 7:70-72
Gerah	1/20 of a shekel	0.022 oz	0.62 g	Exodus 30:13, Lev 27:25, Num 3:47, Num 18:16 Eze 45:12
Gerah	1/20 of a shekel	0.022 oz	3 kg	Ex 30:13, Lev 27:25, Num 3:47, Num 18:16 Eze 45:12
Pound	Heb. mnah 300 shekels	6.6 lbs	0.62 g	1 King 10.17, Ezra 2:69, Neh 7:71-72
Shekel	20 gerahs 2 bekahs	0.44 oz	12.4 g	Gen 23:15-16, Exo 21:32
Shekel of the sanctuary		0.5 oz	14.2 g	Exodus 38:24-25, Lev 27:3-7, Num 7:13-14, Num 18:16
Shekel after the king's weight		Unk; entire weight estimated to have been about 6 lbs / 2.7 kg.		2 Sam 14:26
Talent	Heb. kikar 3,000 shekels	66 lbs.	30 kg	Exodus 25:39, Exodus 37:24, Exodus 38:24-25, 1 King 9:14, 28, 2 King 5:5, 22-23
Lengths
Type of Length	Old Testament Measure (approximate equivalent)	Imperial Measure (approx. equivalent)	Metric Measure (approx. equivalent)	Biblical References
Cubit^[1]	Heb. ammah 2 spans from elbow to fingertip	17.5 inches	445 mm	Gen 6:15-16, Exo 26:28
Royal cubit	2 spans plus 1 handbreadth	20.5 inches	521 mm	2 Chr 3:3, Eze 40:5
Handbreadth	Heb. tophach width of hand at the base	3 inches	76 mm	Exo 37:12, 2 Chr 4:5, Ps 39:5
Reed	Heb. qaneh 6 cubits	105 inches	2.67 meters	Eze 40:3, 5-8, Eze 41:8, Eze 42:16-19
Span^[2]	Heb. zereth width of outstretched hand 3 handbreadths	9 inches	229 mm	Exo 28:16, Exo 39:9, 1 Sam 17:4, Isa 40:12
Liquid Measures
Type of liquid measure	Old Testament Measure (approximate equivalent)	Imperial Measure (approx. equivalent)	Metric Measure (approx. equivalent)	Biblical References
Bath	6 hins	9 gallons	34 liters	1 Ki 7:26, 38, 2 Chr 2:10, 2 Chr 4:5, Ezr 7:22, Isa 5:10, Eze 45:10-11, 14
Hin	12 logs	1.5 gallons	5.7 liters	Exo 29:40, Exo 30:24, Lev 19:36, Num 15:7, Eze 46:5
Homer	10 baths	90 gallons	340 liters	Eze 45:11, 14
Log		less than 1 pint	0.5 liter	Lev 14:10, 12, 15, 21, 24

↑ Goliath's height is provided in cubits in the 1 Samuel 17:4.
↑ In addition to cubits, the "span" is also used in the measurement of Goliath's height, as provided in the 1 Samuel 17:4.

[1] Goliath's height is provided in cubits in the 1 Samuel 17:4.

[2] In addition to cubits, the "span" is also used in the measurement of Goliath's height, as provided in the 1 Samuel 17:4.

[1]

[2]

@@ Line 98: / Line 98: @@
 | [[Ezekiel, Chapter 40|Eze 40:3, 5-8]], [[Ezekiel, Chapter 41|Eze 41:8]], [[Ezekiel, Chapter 42|Eze 42:16-19]]
 |-
-| Span
+| Span<ref>In addition to cubits, the "span" is also used in the measurement of Goliath's height, as provided in the [[1st Samuel, Chapter 17|1 Samuel 17:4]].</ref>
 | <center>Heb. ''zereth''<br/>width of outstretched hand<br/>3 handbreadths</center>
 | <center>9 inches</center>

Difference between revisions of "Biblical weights and measures"

Revision as of 04:41, July 22, 2025

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