Introduction
It was the Greeks who were the mathematicians and so it is not surprising that the Hebrews were not mathematically exact in this area. Measurements and calibration varied from place to place. Measurement was usually limited to counting the number of objects or the length of the human body, such as the length of a hand, arm, etc. Distance was calculated by the distance a man could walk in a day or the distance covered by an arrow. Stones were often used to determine weight.
However this should not be taken to mean that the Hebrews were not concerned with exactness in the area of legal and ethical life. Leviticus 19:35; Deuteronomy 25:13-16; Proverbs 11:1 The Hebrew was to be overly concern with honesty in matters of business. The Levites would control the uniformity of the measurements. 1 Chronicles 23:29
Hebrew coinage was the basis of the weights for the Jews. These were the Gerah, Beka, Pim, Shekel, Mina, and Talent.
For Further Study See Coinage
Measures of Length
Body Lengths
Of the measures of length in the Old Testament some are obviously mere approximations, for practical purposes, and as their meaning is plain they require no comment. Such measurements are
The finger, or finger-breadth .73 inches Jeremiah 52:21
The hand-breadth 2.9 inches Exodus 25:25; Ezekiel 40:5
The span 8.9 inches Exodus 28:16; Ezekiel 43:13
The pace or step 36 inches 2 Samuel 6:13
There are other forms of measurement which call for more special attention.
Cubit
The Ammah, or cubit, was at all periods the ordinary unit length among the Hebrews. Originally it was the length from the elbow to the tip of the fingers; hence we read of 'the cubit of a man'. Deuteronomy 3:11 As to the real length of the ancient Hebrew cubit, the most trustworthy source of information is the so-called Siloam inscription. In this inscription, which was probably made about the 8th century B.C., the distance of a tunnel which measured 1749 feet is described as 1200 cubits. Hence the cubit at that time must have been equal to about 17.49 inches. To this cubit there seems to be a reference in 2 Chron. 3:3, 'cubits after the first (or rather, former) measure'-a phrase which implies that at the time of the chronicles another cubit had come into use. With this agrees the fact that Ezekiel speaks of a cubit longer by a hand-breadth than the ordinary cubit. Ezekiel 40:5
Under the Roman Empire the length of the ordinary Jewish cubit was 21 feet 6 inches, but two other cubits are mentioned in Rabbinical literature, of which one was apparently longer and the other shorter, by a hand-breadth, than the common cubit. It is therefore probable that where in the New Testament we read of a cubit we are to understand the Jewish cubit of 6 hand-breadths (21 feet 6 inches), not the Greek cubit, which measured a little over 18 inches. Matthew 6:27; Luke 12:25; John 21:8; Revelation 21:17
Gomed 11 Inches
The Gomed occurs only in Judges 3:16, where it is variously translated (A.V. and R.V. "cubit"). It was the length of a dagger and not a sword so it could not be considered a cubit. At the most it would measure four handbreadth. It would measure 11 inches or about a foot.
Sabbath - Day's Journey
The Sabbath-Day's Journey is mentioned as the distance from Mount of Olives and Jerusalem. Acts 1:12 The Sabbath-Day's Journey is not mentioned in the Old Testament, but was an invention of the Rabbi's. Because in Exodus 16:29 the Israelites, during their journey through the wilderness, are commanded to 'abide every man in his place' on the Sabbath, and because the extreme ends of the Israelite camp were supposed to have been at a distance of 2000 cubits from the Tabernacle, it was concluded by the Rabbi's that no Israelite should move more than 2000 cubits from his home or city on the Sabbath. Of course various means were discovered for modifying or evading this rule.
Roman Lengths
The following measures, borrowed from the Greeks or Romans, are mentioned in the New Testament.
- The Fathom (Greek orguia)-used to measure depth of water measured about six feet. Acts 27:28
- The Furlong (Greek stadion or stadios)-was equal to about 202 yards or eighth of a Roman mile. Luke 24:13; John 6:19, 11:18; Revelation 14:20,21
- The mile (Greek milion, from the Latin)-was 1000 double paces, or 1620 yards. Matthew 5:41
Measures of Area
Acre
The acre (Hebrew Cemed, i.e. yoke)-, the area which a yoke of oxen could plough in a day. Isaiah 5:10; 1 Samuel 14:14 In Isaiah the Cemed is the measure of vineyard land. Corn fields were also measured by the amount of seed they required. Leviticus 27:16
Measures of Capacity
Liquid Measures
Log
The Log occurs only in Leviticus 14:10-24, and is believed to have been about 32 cubic inches, or 1/2 pint.
Hin
The Hin, according to the Rabbi's, contained 12 logs. It occurs only in Ezekiel and in the ritual portions in the Pentateuch for wine and oil. Exodus 30:24 One sixth of a hin was the least a person was required to drink in one day. Ezekiel 4:11 It would be equivalent to about one gallon.
Bath
The Bath was the common Hebrew liquid measure. It is believed to have contained 6 hins or 6 gallons. The Hebrew word means 'daughter' and it is believed that this is the amount of water that the daughter of a household could carry from the well in one jar. Genesis 24:15 It was used for wine, water and oil. Pottery marked with the name bath has been found and is calculated on the basis of how much these containers could hold.
Dry Measures
Kab
The Kab is only mentioned in 2 Kings 6:25. It is estimated at about 1/18 ephah or about one quart.
Omer
The Omer is used as the name of a measure, only in Exodus 16:16. It was mentioned in conjunction with the gathering of manna. It was each mans portion for one day. A double portion was to be gathered for the Sabbath. It is identified in Exodus 16:36 as containing the tenth part of an ephah. It would be equivalent to about two quarts.
Seah
The Seah is translated Measure and used to measure dry grains and cereals. Genesis 18:6; 1 Samuel 25:18; 1 Kings 18:32; 2 Kings 7:1,16,18 It formed the 3rd part of an ephah making it equal to about 7 quarts.
Ephah
The Ephah was the most usual measure for dry substances. Ezekiel 45:11 declares the ephah equal to the bath (see above). In the A.V. it is sometimes translated "measure". Deuteronomy 25:14,15; Micah 6:10; Proverbs 20:10
Letheh
The Letheh is only mentioned in Hosea 3:2 and is supposed to have been equal to half an homer. That would make it equivalent to about 5 ephahs or 3 bushels. Part of the price for the woman Hosea was to take was a letheh of barley.
Homer
The word homer comes from a Hebrew word which means 'ass-load'. It may have been the amount that donkey could carry. The quail which fell in the wilderness were measured using the homer. The Homer or Cor contained 10 ephahs. Ezekiel 45:11,14 That would make it equal to about 6 bushels. The term cor was used both for solids and fluids. 1 Kings 5:11 Usually it is rendered by "measure" in the KJV. 1 Kings 4:22; 2 Chronicles 2:10, 27:5; Ezra 7:22