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.

Convertitore

Quantità

Inserisci un numero non negativo fino a 1 000 000: 2, 0,5 o 1/4.

= 1 Bath

In unità metriche: ≈ 21–40 l, in genere 22 l

Capacity

Unità	Equivale a	Grandezza	Passi biblici
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 in genere 22 l ^[1][2]	Esodo 16:36, Rut 2:17, Ezechiele 45:11
Bath AT בַּת bat The basic liquid measure, equal to the ephah (Ezekiel 45:11).	= 1 × Ephah	≈ 21–40 l in genere 22 l	1 Re 7:26, Isaia 5:10, Ezechiele 45:14
Homer AT חֹמֶר homer Ten ephahs, a donkey's load.	= 10 × Ephah	≈ 210–400 l in genere 220 l	Levitico 27:16, Ezechiele 45:11, Osea 3:2
Kor AT כֹּר kor Equal to the homer, ten baths (Ezekiel 45:14).	= 1 × Homer	≈ 210–400 l in genere 220 l	Ezechiele 45:14, Esdra 7:22
Lethek AT לֶתֶךְ letekh Traditionally half a homer; the word occurs once.	≈ 1/2 × Homer	≈ 105–200 l in genere 110 l	Osea 3:2
Seah AT סְאָה seah A third of an ephah.	= 1/3 × Ephah	≈ 7–13,3 l in genere 7,33 l	Genesi 18:6, 1 Samuele 25:18, 2 Re 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 in genere 2,2 l	Esodo 16:16, Esodo 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 in genere 2,2 l	Esodo 29:40, Numeri 15:4
Kab AT קַב qav A sixth of a seah, about 1.2 l.	= 1/6 × Seah	≈ 1,17–2,22 l in genere 1,22 l	2 Re 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 in genere 3,67 l	Esodo 29:40, Ezechiele 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 in genere 0,306 l	Levitico 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 in genere 0,54 l ^[1]	Marco 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 in genere 1,08 l	Apocalisse 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 in genere 8,64 l	Matteo 5:15, Marco 4:21, Luca 11:33
Measure (metretes) NT μετρητής metrētēs The Attic liquid measure of 72 xestai, about 39 l.	= 72 × Pot (xestes)	≈ 36–39,6 l in genere 38,9 l	Giovanni 2:6
Measure (saton) NT σάτον saton The Hebrew seah in Greek form.	= 1 × Seah	≈ 7–13,3 l in genere 7,33 l	Matteo 13:33, Luca 13:21
Measure (batos) NT βάτος batos The Hebrew bath in Greek form, a measure of oil.	= 1 × Bath	≈ 21–40 l in genere 22 l	Luca 16:6
Measure (koros) NT κόρος koros The Hebrew kor in Greek form, a measure of wheat.	= 1 × Kor	≈ 210–400 l in genere 220 l	Luca 16:7

Somme e misure nella Scrittura

Passo	Passi biblici	Quantità	Equivalente
An omer of manna for each person	Esodo 16:16	1 × Omer	≈ 2,1–4 l
Ruth's ephah of barley	Rut 2:17	1 × Ephah	≈ 21–40 l
A quarter of a kab in the siege of Samaria	2 Re 6:25	1/4 × Kab	≈ 0,292–0,556 l
The bronze sea	1 Re 7:26	2 000 × Bath	≈ 42 000–80 000 l
The water jars at Cana, two or three measures each	Giovanni 2:6	2 × Measure (metretes)	≈ 72–79,2 l
Leaven in three measures of flour	Matteo 13:33	3 × Measure (saton)	≈ 21–40 l
A hundred measures of oil	Luca 16:6	100 × Measure (batos)	≈ 2 100–4 000 l
A hundred measures of wheat	Luca 16:7	100 × Measure (koros)	≈ 21 000–40 000 l

Fonti

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)