Money in the Bible
A denarius was a day’s wage for a labourer (Matthew 20:2), so every sum is shown in days of work and in grams of silver. Today’s money is only a rough guide: wages and prices change every year.
Omrekenaar
Money
| Eenheid | Gelijk aan | Waarde | Bijbelplaatsen |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Denarius
NT
δηνάριον dēnarion
The Roman silver coin and a labourer's pay for a day (Matthew 20:2). Under Augustus it weighed about 3.9 g, from Nero about 3.4 g.
|
Dagen werk: 1
Zilver: ≈ 3,4–3,9 g
[1][3]
|
Matteüs 20:2, Matteüs 22:19, Lukas 10:35 | |
|
Drachma
NT
δραχμή drachmē
The Greek silver coin, reckoned equal to the denarius; the Attic drachma weighed about 4.3 g.
|
≈ 1 × Denarius |
Dagen werk: ≈ 1
Zilver: ≈ 3,4–4,4 g
[3]
|
Lukas 15:8, Handelingen 19:19 |
|
Didrachma
NT
δίδραχμον didrachmon
Two drachmas, the yearly temple tax of half a shekel.
|
= 2 × Drachma |
Dagen werk: ≈ 2
Zilver: ≈ 6,8–8,8 g
|
Matteüs 17:24 |
|
Stater
NT
στατήρ statēr
Four drachmas, the temple tax for two; most likely the Tyrian shekel of about 14 g of silver.
|
= 4 × Drachma |
Dagen werk: ≈ 4
Zilver: ≈ 13,5–14,4 g
[3]
|
Matteüs 17:27 |
|
Piece of silver
NT
ἀργύριον argyrion
A silver coin without a named value; the thirty pieces paid to Judas are usually taken as Tyrian shekels.
|
≈ 1 × Stater |
Dagen werk: ≈ 4
Zilver: ≈ 13,5–14,4 g
|
Matteüs 26:15, Matteüs 27:3 |
|
Assarion
NT
ἀσσάριον assarion
The Roman copper as, a sixteenth of a denarius.
|
= 1/16 × Denarius |
Dagen werk: 1/16
Zilver: ≈ 0,213–0,244 g
|
Matteüs 10:29, Lukas 12:6 |
|
Quadrans
NT
κοδράντης kodrantēs
The smallest Roman coin, a quarter of an as; two lepta make one (Mark 12:42).
|
= 1/4 × Assarion |
Dagen werk: 1/64
Zilver: ≈ 0,0531–0,0609 g
|
Matteüs 5:26, Markus 12:42 |
|
Lepton
NT
λεπτόν lepton
The smallest copper coin in circulation, half a quadrans, 1/128 of a denarius; in the Synodal translation also «полушка».
|
= 1/2 × Quadrans |
Dagen werk: 1/128
Zilver: ≈ 0,0266–0,0305 g
|
Markus 12:42, Lukas 12:59, Lukas 21:2 |
|
Mina (Greek)
NT
μνᾶ mna
A hundred drachmas, about a hundred days of work.
|
= 100 × Drachma |
Dagen werk: ≈ 100
Zilver: ≈ 340–440 g
|
Lukas 19:13, Lukas 19:16 |
|
Talent (Greek)
NT
τάλαντον talanton
Sixty minas, 6000 drachmas: about twenty years of a labourer's work.
|
= 60 × Mina (Greek) |
Dagen werk: ≈ 6 000
Zilver: ≈ 20,4–26,4 kg
|
Matteüs 18:24, Matteüs 25:15 |
|
Shekel of silver
OT
שֶׁקֶל sheqel
Silver by weight, before coins; the price of land, of a slave, of a sacrifice. Reckoned at four drachmas: the half-shekel tax is paid with a didrachma in Matthew 17:24.
|
≈ 4 × Drachma |
Dagen werk: ≈ 4
Zilver: ≈ 10–13 g
[1][2]
|
Genesis 23:16, Exodus 30:13, 2 Samuel 24:24 |
|
Beka
OT
בֶּקַע beqa
Half a shekel, the ransom paid by every man counted in the census.
|
= 1/2 × Shekel of silver |
Dagen werk: ≈ 2
Zilver: ≈ 5–6,5 g
|
Exodus 38:26 |
|
Gerah
OT
גֵּרָה gerah
A twentieth of a shekel.
|
= 1/20 × Shekel of silver |
Dagen werk: ≈ 1/5
Zilver: ≈ 0,5–0,65 g
|
Exodus 30:13 |
|
Pim
OT
פִּים pim
Two thirds of a shekel, the Philistines' price for sharpening tools.
|
= 2/3 × Shekel of silver |
Dagen werk: ≈ 2 2/3
Zilver: ≈ 6,67–8,67 g
|
1 Samuel 13:21 |
|
Mina of silver
OT
מָנֶה maneh
Fifty shekels of silver.
|
= 50 × Shekel of silver |
Dagen werk: ≈ 200
Zilver: ≈ 500–650 g
|
Ezra 2:69, Nehemia 7:71 |
|
Talent of silver
OT
כִּכָּר kikkar
3000 shekels of silver, about 34 kg: a tribute of kings.
|
= 60 × Mina of silver |
Dagen werk: ≈ 12 000
Zilver: ≈ 30–39 kg
|
2 Koningen 5:5, 2 Koningen 15:19, Ester 3:9 |
|
Daric
OT
אֲדַרְכֹּן adarkon
The Persian gold coin of about 8.4 g. Xenophon counts 3000 darics as ten talents, so a daric is about twenty drachmas; silver here is by that value.
|
≈ 20 × Drachma |
Dagen werk: ≈ 20
Zilver: ≈ 68–88 g
|
1 Kronieken 29:7, Ezra 8:27 |
|
Qesitah
OT
קְשִׂיטָה qesitah
A unit of silver of the patriarchs' time; its value is unknown. Translations render it as «a piece of money» or «a lamb».
|
waarde onbekend | Genesis 33:19, Jozua 24:32, Job 42:11 |
Bedragen en maten in de Schrift
| Plaats | Bijbelplaatsen | Hoeveelheid | Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| The last lepton | Lukas 12:58, 59 | 1 × Lepton |
Dagen werk: 1/128
Zilver: ≈ 0,0266–0,0305 g
|
| The widow's two lepta | Markus 12:41–44, Lukas 21:1–4 | 2 × Lepton |
Dagen werk: 1/64
Zilver: ≈ 0,0531–0,0609 g
|
| The last quadrans | Matteüs 5:25, 26 | 1 × Quadrans |
Dagen werk: 1/64
Zilver: ≈ 0,0531–0,0609 g
|
| Two sparrows for an assarion | Matteüs 10:29–31 | 1 × Assarion |
Dagen werk: 1/16
Zilver: ≈ 0,213–0,244 g
|
| Five sparrows for two assaria | Lukas 12:6, 7 | 2 × Assarion |
Dagen werk: 1/8
Zilver: ≈ 0,425–0,488 g
|
| The lost drachma | Lukas 15:8–10 | 1 × Drachma |
Dagen werk: ≈ 1
Zilver: ≈ 3,4–4,4 g
|
| The woman's ten drachmas | Lukas 15:8–10 | 10 × Drachma |
Dagen werk: ≈ 10
Zilver: ≈ 34–44 g
|
| A choinix of wheat for a denarius | Openbaring 6:6 | 1 × Denarius |
Dagen werk: 1
Zilver: ≈ 3,4–3,9 g
|
| A day's pay in the vineyard | Matteüs 20:1–16 | 1 × Denarius |
Dagen werk: 1
Zilver: ≈ 3,4–3,9 g
|
| The coin of the tax to Caesar | Matteüs 22:15–22, Markus 12:13–17, Lukas 20:20–26 | 1 × Denarius |
Dagen werk: 1
Zilver: ≈ 3,4–3,9 g
|
| Two denarii to the innkeeper | Lukas 10:30–37 | 2 × Denarius |
Dagen werk: 2
Zilver: ≈ 6,8–7,8 g
|
| The temple tax | Matteüs 17:24–27 | 1 × Didrachma |
Dagen werk: ≈ 2
Zilver: ≈ 6,8–8,8 g
|
| A stater for two | Matteüs 17:24–27 | 1 × Stater |
Dagen werk: ≈ 4
Zilver: ≈ 13,5–14,4 g
|
| The smaller debt forgiven | Lukas 7:40–43 | 50 × Denarius |
Dagen werk: 50
Zilver: ≈ 170–195 g
|
| The greater debt forgiven | Lukas 7:40–43 | 500 × Denarius |
Dagen werk: 500
Zilver: ≈ 1,7–1,95 kg
|
| A hundred denarii owed by a fellow servant | Matteüs 18:23–35 | 100 × Denarius |
Dagen werk: 100
Zilver: ≈ 340–390 g
|
| The unforgiving servant's debt | Matteüs 18:23–35 | 10 000 × Talent (Greek) |
Dagen werk: ≈ 60 000 000
Zilver: ≈ 204 000–264 000 kg
|
| A mina to each servant | Lukas 19:12–27 | 1 × Mina (Greek) |
Dagen werk: ≈ 100
Zilver: ≈ 340–440 g
|
| Five talents to the first servant | Matteüs 25:14–30 | 5 × Talent (Greek) |
Dagen werk: ≈ 30 000
Zilver: ≈ 102–132 kg
|
| Thirty pieces of silver | Matteüs 26:14–16, Matteüs 27:3–10 | 30 × Piece of silver |
Dagen werk: ≈ 120
Zilver: ≈ 405–432 g
|
| Two hundred denarii of bread | Markus 6:35–44, Johannes 6:5–7 | 200 × Denarius |
Dagen werk: 200
Zilver: ≈ 680–780 g
|
| Ointment worth three hundred denarii | Markus 14:3–9, Johannes 12:1–8 | 300 × Denarius |
Dagen werk: 300
Zilver: ≈ 1,02–1,17 kg
|
| The books burned at Ephesus | Handelingen 19:19 | 50 000 × Drachma |
Dagen werk: ≈ 50 000
Zilver: ≈ 170–220 kg
|
| The cave of Machpelah | Genesis 23:15, 16 | 400 × Shekel of silver |
Dagen werk: ≈ 1 600
Zilver: ≈ 4–5,2 kg
|
| Joseph sold into Egypt | Genesis 37:28 | 20 × Shekel of silver |
Dagen werk: ≈ 80
Zilver: ≈ 200–260 g
|
| Half a shekel of ransom | Exodus 30:13–15 | 1/2 × Shekel of silver |
Dagen werk: ≈ 2
Zilver: ≈ 5–6,5 g
|
| The price of a slave | Exodus 21:32 | 30 × Shekel of silver |
Dagen werk: ≈ 120
Zilver: ≈ 300–390 g
|
| Araunah's threshing floor | 2 Samuel 24:24 | 50 × Shekel of silver |
Dagen werk: ≈ 200
Zilver: ≈ 500–650 g
|
| The field at Anathoth | Jeremia 32:9 | 17 × Shekel of silver |
Dagen werk: ≈ 68
Zilver: ≈ 170–221 g
|
| Thirty pieces of silver for the shepherd | Zacharia 11:12, 13 | 30 × Shekel of silver |
Dagen werk: ≈ 120
Zilver: ≈ 300–390 g
|
Bronnen
- 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)
- Weights and Measures; Money // The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, rev. ed., ed. G. W. Bromiley. Vol. 3–4. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1986–1988