Biblical and Talmudic units of measurement

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Biblical and Talmudic units of measurement refer to the various systems of measurement used in ancient Israel and by Jewish scholars during the Talmudic period. These units were used for measuring length, area, volume, and weight, and they are frequently mentioned in the Hebrew Bible and the Talmud.

Length

The primary units of length in Biblical and Talmudic times included the following:

• Cubit (אמה, amah): The cubit was the basic unit of length, roughly equivalent to the length of a forearm, from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger. It is generally considered to be about 18 inches (45.72 cm).
• Span (unit) (זרת, zeret): The span was half a cubit, approximately 9 inches (22.86 cm).
• Handbreadth (טפח, tefach): The handbreadth was one-sixth of a cubit, about 3 inches (7.62 cm).
• Fingerbreadth (אצבע, etzba): The fingerbreadth was one-twenty-fourth of a cubit, roughly 0.75 inches (1.905 cm).

Area

Units of area were often derived from units of length:

• Beit Seah (בית סאה, beit se'ah): A unit of area used in agriculture, equivalent to the area that could be sown with one seah of seed.
• Beit Kor (בית כור, beit kor): A larger unit of area, equivalent to the area that could be sown with one kor of seed.

Volume

Volume measurements were crucial for trade and daily life:

• Log (unit) (לוג, log): A small unit of liquid measure, approximately 0.3 liters.
• Hin (הין, hin): A larger unit of liquid measure, about 3.6 liters.
• Seah (סאה, se'ah): A dry measure, roughly equivalent to 7.7 liters.
• Ephah (איפה, ephah): A larger dry measure, about 22 liters.
• Kor (unit) (כור, kor): The largest dry measure, approximately 220 liters.

Weight

Weight measurements were essential for commerce and trade:

• Shekel (שקל, shekel): The basic unit of weight, about 11.4 grams.
• Mina (unit) (מנה, mina): A larger unit of weight, equivalent to 50 shekels, approximately 570 grams.
• Talent (measurement) (ככר, kikar): The largest unit of weight, equivalent to 60 minas, about 34.2 kilograms.

Related Pages

• Ancient Hebrew units of measurement
• Biblical numerology
• Jewish law
• Talmud