Meaning of WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

The data found in Jewish and other literature about weights and measures cannot be converted to the weights and measures of our time with mathematical rigor.

As with European measurements prior to the implementation of the metric system, there were diverse and changing patterns that had never been rigorously determined.

The same relationships established by ancient authors between Hebrew measurements and Babylonian, Greek or Roman standards do not have absolute precision. As for the Jewish system, it was successively influenced by the systems of the neighboring empires of Palestine, and Israelite scholars themselves do not agree in their evaluations.
I. Weights.

The Hebrews used scales and weights (Lev. 19:36). Gold and silver were heavy, as were merchandise (Jer. 32:10). The main weights were:
(A) The talent (Gr. "taulaton", Heb. kikkãr; "round", "oval"; 1 Kings 9:14).

(B) The mina, or maneh (Gr. "mnã", Heb. "mãneh", ac. "manû": in these two languages the root means "to count"; 1 Kings 10:17.

(C) The shekel, or "shekel," "weight" (Ex. 30:13).

(D) The gera, probably from the ac. "geru", which was originally worth 1/20 of a shekel (Ex. 30:13).

(E) The bekah, or 1/2 shekel (Gen. 24:22; Ex. 38:26).

(F) The pound (Gr. "liter"; Jn. 12:3; 19:39), equivalent to the Roman pound of around 327 gr.
The excavations have also given some indications about approximate equivalences of the ancient Israelite weights. Almost all of the early weights of the Israelites were made of stone.

A weight bearing the inscription "neseph" has been found in Lachish: it weighed 10.5 g.; a dozen weights of the same type have between 9.28 g. and 10.21 g.; two stone weights, with the inscription "pym", that is, 2/3 of a shekel; These two weights weigh 8.13 and 7.8 g.; finally, two weights with the inscription 'beka', weighing 6.15 and 6.09 g.

Most of these Lachish objects probably date from the end of the 7th century and the beginning of the 6th century BC. The existence of pesos of the same name but of different weight allows us to admit that Palestinian patterns differed greatly according to different localities. On the other hand, the scales lacked accuracy.

In Babylon and Assyria, 60 shekels were equivalent to a mina. In these regions a distinction was made between light weights (talents, minas and shekels) and heavy weights of the same denominations. These seconds were equivalent to exactly double the first.

There were also local patterns, in addition to the Sumerian maneh (mine). Some mines preserved in the British Museum weigh from 423 to 570 g., while a certain Babylonian mine, of medium weight, does not weigh more than 505 g. Three patterns are distinguished for the Babylonian mine.

According to the findings made, the shekel did not always have the same weight. At Ras Shamra (40 km southwest of Antioch) the 50-shekel mine was used (see RAS SHAMRA for a discussion of the chronological issues raised).

Among the Hebrews an approximate table can be established as follows:
gera 1/20 of a shekel 0.82 g.
beka 1/2 shekel 8.02 g.
shekel = 16.04 g.

mina 50 shekels = 820 g.
talent 3,000 shekels = 49,200 g.
However, there is great uncertainty about the last two pesos. The mina was worth 15, 50, 60 or even 100 shekels. Likewise, estimates vary between 30 and 50 mines.

II. Lenght measures.
As among ancient peoples, they derive from the dimensions of the human body. The cubit (from the Latin "cubitum", "cubit") was the basic unit; In principle, it was measured from the elbow to the end of the fingers, but it was variant. It talks about
"elbows of a man" (Deut. 3:11),

"cubits, by the old measure" (2 Chr. 3:3, V.M.),
"ordinary cubits," from another cubit "and a span" (Ez. 40:5),
"long cubits" (Ez. 41:8).

As far as we can know, the ordinary cubit was 44 cm, and the large one was around 52 cm. The same thing happened in Babylon: the royal cubit was three finger widths longer than the ordinary Babylonian cubit (Herodotus 1:178). The ordinary Egyptian cubit, about 45 cm., was equivalent to six palms, that is, six times the width of a hand (Herodotus 2:149). The Egyptian royal cubit, which was a span too long, measured around 52 cm, which is demonstrated by the measuring rods found in the tombs.

During the Greco-Roman period distances were measured in miles and stadiums; 5,000 Roman feet were equivalent to a Roman mile of around 1,480 m. The NT stadium measured around 185 m. (Luke 24:13); 8 Roman stadiums were equivalent to one mile. The Greek stadium was divided into 600 feet. As the feet varied, the Olympic stadium measured 192.5 m, while the Attic stadium was only 147.85 m. The term gr. "stadion" designated first the location of the racing field and then the distance traveled by a vigorous man, running without taking breath.

Approximate comparison of lengths:
Finger (width) (Jer. 52:21) 2.5 cm.
Shorter palm (width of four fingers)
(Ex. 25:25) 9.2 cm.

Span, 3 minor spans 27.7 cm.
Elbow, 2 spans 55 cm. (or something less
(Ex. 28:16) sometimes)

Ezekiel's Reed (Ez. 40:5), 6 cubits long 3.32m.
Breaststroke, length of two extended arms
(depth measurement, Acts 27:28) 1.80m.

Stadium (Lk. 24:13; Jn. 6:19) About 185 m.
Mile (Mt. 5:41), 8 furlongs About 1,480 m.
Path on a Saturday, 2,000 cubits 1,100 m.

III. Capacity measures.
Nor are the ancient measures of capacity known exactly, which frequently varied throughout the ages, particularly during and after captivity. The unit of measurement for solids was the ephah; for liquids it was the bato. The content of two units has been identified, despite the diversity of their names (Ez. 45:11). The following general table can be established:

Aggregate measurements:

The Cab (in 2 Kings 6:25 only) was worth 1/18 of an ephah = 2 l. 94cc.
The choinix ("pound" of Rev. 6:6) =1 cab
The omer (Ex. 16:36), 1/10 of an ephah = 3 l. 50cc.

The bushel (lat. "modius", Mt. 5:15), Roman measure = 8 l. 63cc.
The “measure” (seah) (Gen. 18:6; 2Ki. 7:16), 1/3 ephah =11 l. 70cc.

The ephah is equivalent to the batho = 35 l.
The lethek (Hos. 3:2) 1/2 homer = 175 l.

The homer (Hos. 3:2), 10 ephahs = 350 l.
The chor, or "choir" (1 Kings 5:11; Exod. 45:14),
equivalent to homer = 350 l.

Liquid measurements

The log (Lev. 14:10, 12, 15, 24) = 486 cc.
The hin (Ex. 29:40) = 12 logs = 5 l. 832 cc.
The bato (1 Kings 7:38; Ezek. 45:10), 6 hines = 35 l.
The "pitcher" of Jn. 2:6 (gr. «metretes») = 39 l.

IV. Surface Measurements.
In most countries, areas were indicated based on the area that a pair of oxen could plow in a day. Another very old measure corresponded to the amount of grain necessary to sow an area.

In the Reina-Valera version the Heb. is translated as "yugada". "Shemed", "yoke", "pair of oxen" (1 Sam. 14:14; Is. 5:10). The Roman "actus" (furrow) measured 120 Roman feet in length. The Roman unit of surface was the square actus. The "jugerum" (yoke) was equivalent to the area worked in a day by a pair of oxen.

The jugerum was double actus in length and double actus in width, giving a rectangular area of 28,000 Roman square feet (2,518 m2). It is assumed that the Heb. yugada, "Shemed", was analogous, but no further details can be given.