Difference between revisions of "Biblical weights and measures"
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! width="300" | Biblical References | ! width="300" | Biblical References | ||
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| − | | Cubit<ref>Goliath's height is provided in cubits in the [[1st Samuel, Chapter 17|1 Samuel 17:4]].</ref> | + | | Cubit<ref>Goliath's height is provided in cubits in the [[1st Samuel, Chapter 17|1 Samuel 17:4]], putting his height at 9.5 feet.</ref> |
| <center>Heb. ''ammah''<br/>2 spans<br/>from elbow to fingertip</center> | | <center>Heb. ''ammah''<br/>2 spans<br/>from elbow to fingertip</center> | ||
| <center>17.5 inches</center> | | <center>17.5 inches</center> | ||
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| <center>18 in</center> | | <center>18 in</center> | ||
| <center>450 mm</center> | | <center>450 mm</center> | ||
| − | | [[Matthew, Chapter 6| | + | | [[Matthew, Chapter 6|Matt 6:27]], [[Luke, Chapter 12|Luke 12:25]] |
|- | |- | ||
| Fathom | | Fathom | ||
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| <center>2 dry gallons</center> | | <center>2 dry gallons</center> | ||
| <center>8.8 liters</center> | | <center>8.8 liters</center> | ||
| − | | [[Matthew, Chapter 4| | + | | [[Matthew, Chapter 4|Matt 4:21]], [[Matthew, Chapter 5|Matt 5:15]], [[Luke, Chapter 11|Luke 11:33]] |
| + | |- | ||
| + | !colspan="5" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: #808000 no-repeat scroll top left;"|Money | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | ! width="200" | Type of money | ||
| + | ! width="200" | Greek name used | ||
| + | ! width="200" | U.S. dollar value<br/>(approx. equivalent) | ||
| + | ! width="200" | British pound value<br/>(approx. equivalent) | ||
| + | ! width="300" | Biblical References | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | Drachme<ref>a day's wage</ref> | ||
| + | | <center>Greek: ''drachme''<ref>known also as the ''drachma'' or ''denarius''</ref></center> | ||
| + | | <center>$ 0.16</center> | ||
| + | | <center>£ 0.11</center> | ||
| + | | [[Luke, Chapter 15|Luke 15:8]] | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | Farthing | ||
| + | | <center>Greek: ''kodrantes''<br/>2 lepta<ref>2 of the mites, [[Mark, Chapter 12|Mark 12:42]]</ref></center> | ||
| + | | <center>$ 0.01<ref>usually a quarter of this amount</ref></center> | ||
| + | | <center>£ 0.01<ref>usually a sixth of this amount</ref></center> | ||
| + | | [[Matthew, Chapter 5|Matt 5:26]] | ||
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
Revision as of 00:47, July 23, 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 | Exodus 38:26 | |||
| Dram | lit, a handful of drachmae or darics |
1st Chr 29:7, Ezra 2:69, Ezra 8:27, Ne 7:70-72 | ||
| Gerah | Exodus 30:13, Lev 27:25, Num 3:47, Num 18:16 Eze 45:12 | |||
| Gerah | Ex 30:13, Lev 27:25, Num 3:47, Num 18:16 Eze 45:12 | |||
| Pound | 300 shekels |
1 King 10.17, Ezra 2:69, Neh 7:71-72 | ||
| Shekel | 2 bekahs |
Gen 23:15-16, Exo 21:32 | ||
| Shekel of the sanctuary | Exodus 38:24-25, Lev 27:3-7, Num 7:13-14, Num 18:16 | |||
| Shekel after the king's weight | 2 Sam 14:26 | |||
| Talent | 3,000 shekels |
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] | 2 spans from elbow to fingertip |
Gen 6:15-16, Exo 26:28 | ||
| Royal cubit | plus 1 handbreadth |
2 Chr 3:3, Eze 40:5 | ||
| Handbreadth | width of hand at the base |
Exo 37:12, 2 Chr 4:5, Ps 39:5 | ||
| Reed | 6 cubits |
Eze 40:3, 5-8, Eze 41:8, Eze 42:16-19 | ||
| Span[2] | width of outstretched hand 3 handbreadths |
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 | 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 | Exo 29:40, Exo 30:24, Lev 19:36, Num 15:7, Eze 46:5 | |||
| Homer | Eze 45:11, 14 | |||
| Log | Lev 14:10, 12, 15, 21, 24 | |||
| Dry Measures | ||||
| Type of dry measure | Old Testament Measure (approximate equivalent) |
Imperial Measure (approx. equivalent) |
Metric Measure (approx. equivalent) |
Biblical References |
| Cab | 2 Ki 6:25 | |||
| Ephah | Exo 16:36, Lev 5:11, Lev 6:20, Lev 19:36, Num 5:15, Num 28:5, Ruth 2:17 | |||
| Homer | Lev 27:16, Num 11:32, Isa 5:10, Ruth 45:11,13, Hos 3:2 | |||
| Measure | 6 cabs |
2 Ki 7:1,16,18 | ||
| Omer | 10% of an ephah |
Exo 16:16,18,32,33,36 | ||
| Money | ||||
| Type of money | Hebrew name used | U.S. dollar value (approx. equivalent) |
British pound value (approx. equivalent) |
Biblical References |
| Piece of money | Gen 33:19, Jos 24:32 | |||
| Piece of silver | Gen 20:16 | |||
| Shekel | Exo 30:15, Lev 5:15 | |||
| Talent | "circle"[4] |
Exo 25:39, 1 Kings 9:14 | ||
| New Testament Weights and Measures | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weights | ||||
| Type of Weight | New Testament Measure (approximate equivalent) |
Imperial Measure (approx. equivalent) |
Metric Measure (approx. equivalent) |
Biblical References |
| Pound | Rev 16:21, John 19:39 | |||
| Talent | John 12:3, John 19:39 | |||
| Length | ||||
| Type of length | New Testament Measure (approximate equivalent) |
Imperial Measure (approx. equivalent) |
Metric Measure (approx. equivalent) |
Biblical References |
| Cubit | elbow to fingertip, or 2 spans |
Matt 6:27, Luke 12:25 | ||
| Fathom | Acts 2:28 | |||
| Furlong | Luke 24:13, John 6:19, Rev 14:20, Rev 21:16 | |||
| Mile | Roman mile |
Luke 24:13, John 6:19, Rev 14:20, Rev 21:16 | ||
| Liquid Measures | ||||
| Type of liquid measure | New Testament Measure (approximate equivalent) |
Imperial Measure (approx. equivalent) |
Metric Measure (approx. equivalent) |
Biblical References |
| Firkin | Heb: bath |
John 2:6 | ||
| Dry Measures | ||||
| Type of dry measure | New Testament Measure (approximate equivalent) |
Imperial Measure (approx. equivalent) |
Metric Measure (approx. equivalent) |
Biblical References |
| Bushel | Matt 4:21, Matt 5:15, Luke 11:33 | |||
| Money | ||||
| Type of money | Greek name used | U.S. dollar value (approx. equivalent) |
British pound value (approx. equivalent) |
Biblical References |
| Drachme[7] | Luke 15:8 | |||
| Farthing | 2 lepta[9] |
Matt 5:26 | ||
Footnotes
- ↑ Goliath's height is provided in cubits in the 1 Samuel 17:4, putting his height at 9.5 feet.
- ↑ In addition to cubits, the "span" is also used in the measurement of Goliath's height, as provided in the 1 Samuel 17:4.
- ↑ called "pieces of silver" in Job 42:11
- ↑ a reference to the shape of the talent itself, and not the weight
- ↑ Both dollar and pound amounts are unknown due to the approximate weight of the talent, which was estimated to be about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms
- ↑ or 0.944 length of a modern mile
- ↑ a day's wage
- ↑ known also as the drachma or denarius
- ↑ 2 of the mites, Mark 12:42
- ↑ usually a quarter of this amount
- ↑ usually a sixth of this amount