Measures of capacity in the Bible
Grain was measured by the ephah and the homer, oil and wine by the bath and the hin; the ephah and the bath are the same size. The New Testament adds the Greek and Roman measures: the choinix, the modius and the metretes.
Convertisseur
Capacity
| Unité | Équivaut à | Grandeur | Passages bibliques |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Ephah
AT
אֵיפָה eyfah
The basic dry measure, equal to the liquid bath. About 22 l by jars marked «bath»; Josephus gives a larger value, about 39 l.
|
≈ 21–40 l généralement 22 l
[1][2]
|
Exode 16:36, Ruth 2:17, Ézéchiel 45:11 | |
|
Bath
AT
בַּת bat
The basic liquid measure, equal to the ephah (Ezekiel 45:11).
|
= 1 × Ephah |
≈ 21–40 l généralement 22 l
|
1 Rois 7:26, Ésaïe 5:10, Ézéchiel 45:14 |
|
Homer
AT
חֹמֶר homer
Ten ephahs, a donkey's load.
|
= 10 × Ephah |
≈ 210–400 l généralement 220 l
|
Lévitique 27:16, Ézéchiel 45:11, Osée 3:2 |
|
Kor
AT
כֹּר kor
Equal to the homer, ten baths (Ezekiel 45:14).
|
= 1 × Homer |
≈ 210–400 l généralement 220 l
|
Ézéchiel 45:14, Esdras 7:22 |
|
Lethek
AT
לֶתֶךְ letekh
Traditionally half a homer; the word occurs once.
|
≈ 1/2 × Homer |
≈ 105–200 l généralement 110 l
|
Osée 3:2 |
|
Seah
AT
סְאָה seah
A third of an ephah.
|
= 1/3 × Ephah |
≈ 7–13,3 l généralement 7,33 l
|
Genèse 18:6, 1 Samuel 25:18, 2 Rois 7:1 |
|
Omer
AT
עֹמֶר omer
A tenth of an ephah, the daily portion of manna for one person.
|
= 1/10 × Ephah |
≈ 2,1–4 l généralement 2,2 l
|
Exode 16:16, Exode 16:36 |
|
Tenth deal
AT
עִשָּׂרוֹן issaron
A tenth of an ephah, the measure of flour for offerings; the same amount as the omer.
|
= 1/10 × Ephah |
≈ 2,1–4 l généralement 2,2 l
|
Exode 29:40, Nombres 15:4 |
|
Kab
AT
קַב qav
A sixth of a seah, about 1.2 l.
|
= 1/6 × Seah |
≈ 1,17–2,22 l généralement 1,22 l
|
2 Rois 6:25 |
|
Hin
AT
הִין hin
A sixth of a bath, the measure of wine and oil for offerings.
|
= 1/6 × Bath |
≈ 3,5–6,67 l généralement 3,67 l
|
Exode 29:40, Ézéchiel 45:24 |
|
Log
AT
לֹג log
The smallest liquid measure, a twelfth of a hin, about 0.3 l.
|
= 1/12 × Hin |
≈ 0,292–0,556 l généralement 0,306 l
|
Lévitique 14:10 |
|
Pot (xestes)
NT
ξέστης xestēs
The Roman sextarius, about half a litre; also a jug of that size.
|
≈ 0,5–0,55 l généralement 0,54 l
[1]
|
Marc 7:4 | |
|
Choinix
NT
χοῖνιξ choinix
Two xestai, about a litre of grain, a day's ration for a man.
|
= 2 × Pot (xestes) |
≈ 1–1,1 l généralement 1,08 l
|
Apocalypse 6:6 |
|
Bushel (modios)
NT
μόδιος modios
The Roman modius of sixteen sextarii, about 8.7 l; the «bushel» under which no one puts a lamp.
|
= 16 × Pot (xestes) |
≈ 8–8,8 l généralement 8,64 l
|
Matthieu 5:15, Marc 4:21, Luc 11:33 |
|
Measure (metretes)
NT
μετρητής metrētēs
The Attic liquid measure of 72 xestai, about 39 l.
|
= 72 × Pot (xestes) |
≈ 36–39,6 l généralement 38,9 l
|
Jean 2:6 |
|
Measure (saton)
NT
σάτον saton
The Hebrew seah in Greek form.
|
= 1 × Seah |
≈ 7–13,3 l généralement 7,33 l
|
Matthieu 13:33, Luc 13:21 |
|
Measure (batos)
NT
βάτος batos
The Hebrew bath in Greek form, a measure of oil.
|
= 1 × Bath |
≈ 21–40 l généralement 22 l
|
Luc 16:6 |
|
Measure (koros)
NT
κόρος koros
The Hebrew kor in Greek form, a measure of wheat.
|
= 1 × Kor |
≈ 210–400 l généralement 220 l
|
Luc 16:7 |
Sommes et mesures dans l'Écriture
| Passage | Passages bibliques | Quantité | Équivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| An omer of manna for each person | Exode 16:16 | 1 × Omer | ≈ 2,1–4 l |
| Ruth's ephah of barley | Ruth 2:17 | 1 × Ephah | ≈ 21–40 l |
| A quarter of a kab in the siege of Samaria | 2 Rois 6:25 | 1/4 × Kab | ≈ 0,292–0,556 l |
| The bronze sea | 1 Rois 7:26 | 2 000 × Bath | ≈ 42 000–80 000 l |
| The water jars at Cana, two or three measures each | Jean 2:6 | 2 × Measure (metretes) | ≈ 72–79,2 l |
| Leaven in three measures of flour | Matthieu 13:33 | 3 × Measure (saton) | ≈ 21–40 l |
| A hundred measures of oil | Luc 16:6 | 100 × Measure (batos) | ≈ 2 100–4 000 l |
| A hundred measures of wheat | Luc 16:7 | 100 × Measure (koros) | ≈ 21 000–40 000 l |
Sources
- Marvin A. Powell. Weights and Measures // The Anchor Bible Dictionary, ed. D. N. Freedman. Vol. 6. New York: Doubleday, 1992
- R. B. Y. Scott. Weights and Measures of the Bible // The Biblical Archaeologist 22, no. 2 (1959)