Dictionary of Bible Themes These terms derive originally from the containers used, which held a fixed amount. Measures are given in ascending order, with their approximate imperial and metric equivalents. 2 Kings 6:25Cab (1/18 ephah): about 2 pints (about 1 litre) This is the only mention in Scripture of this measure. Exodus 16:16-22Omer (1/10 ephah): about 4 pints (about 2 litres) See also Exodus 16:32,36This incident records the only mention in Scripture of this measure. Genesis 18:6Seah (1/3 ephah): about 13 pints (about 7.3 litres) See also 1 Samuel 25:18The seah was a measure used for flour and cereals. 1 Kings 18:322 Kings 7:1 Ruth 2:17 Ephah: about 3/5 bushel (about 22 litres) See also Leviticus 5:11; 24:5The ephah was used only for flour and cereals, and had subdivisions of 1/6 and 1/10. Numbers 15:4-9Judges 6:19 1 Samuel 17:17 Ezekiel 45:10-11 Zechariah 5:6-8 The word for "measuring basket" in the Hebrew is "ephah". Hosea 3:2Lethek (5 ephahs or 1/2 homer): about 3 bushels (about 110 litres) Possibly a Phoenician measure, this is the only mention in Scripture of this measure. 1 Kings 4:22Cor (10 ephahs): about 6 bushels (about 220 litres) See also 1 Kings 5:11The cor was used for measuring flour and cereals, and also appears to have been used for measuring oil. 2 Chronicles 2:10; 27:5Ezra 7:22 Ezekiel 45:14 Leviticus 27:16 Homer (10 ephahs): about 6 bushels (about 220 litres) See also Numbers 11:32The homer is an older word than the cor, but is equivalent to it. It originally meant "a donkey load" and was widely used throughout the ancient Near East from the second millennium B.C. as a measure for cereals. Isaiah 5:10Ezekiel 45:11,13-14 Hosea 3:2 Revelation 6:6 Other dry measures found in the NT Quart (choinix): about 1 1/2-2 pints (about 1 litre) Matthew 13:33The word translated "quart" is "choinix", a Greek measure. Saton (equivalent to the OT seah) pp Lk 13:21 Matthew 5:15The "large amount" referred to is "three sata" in the Greek. Bowl (modius): about 15 1/2 pints (about 8.75 litres) pp Mk 4:21 pp Lk 11:33 Luke 16:7The word translated "bowl" is the Roman measure "modius". Koros (equivalent to the OT cor) See also The measure translated as "a thousand bushels" is "one hundred korous" in the Greek. 4458 grape4544 wine 5558 storing 7435 sacrifice, in OT |
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