Ancient Hebrew units of measurement
Length
- Etzbah (finger, meaning the width of a finger) ≈ 1.905[cm]
- Tefach (hand's breadth) = 4 Etzbah ≈ 7.62[cm]
- Zeret (distance between tip of thumb and tip of pinky when fully extended, a.k.a span) = 3 Tefach ≈ 22.86[cm]
- Amma (tip of hand to elbow) = 2 Zeret ≈ 45.72[cm]
Area
Samples of area measurements using cubits (per 1Kings 7:2):
- The Hall of the Forest of Lebanon; 100 long x 50 wide (x 30 high) = 7500 SF or about 1/6 acre
- The Hall of Pillars; 50 long x 30 wide = 1500 SF or about 1/30 acre
Volume, Dry
- Homer or Cor = 10 epah = 12.5 bu
- Lethech = 5 epah = 6.25 bu
- Ephah = 1 epah = 1.25 bu
- Seah = 1/3 epah = 3 1/3 BIG = 4 US gallons
- Issaron = 1/10 epah = 1 BIG = 1.25 US gallons
- there is close agreement to the British Imperial System
Volume, Liquid
- Cor = 10 baths = 100 BIG = 120 US gallons
- Bath = 1 bath = 10 BIG = 12 US gallons
- Hin = 1/6 bath = 1 2/3 BIG = 2 US gallons
- Kab = 1/18 bath = 4 1/2 pints = 2 1/2 US quarts
- Log = 1/72 bath = 1 = 20 fl oz
Weight
Reduced to English troy-weight, the Hebrew weights were:
- 1 Shekel
- equal to 10 pennyweight (0.39 oz; 11.5 g)
- Hebrew word means a "weight"
- 1 Bekah = 1/2 shekel
- equal to 5 pennyweight (0.19 oz; 5.7 g)
- Hebrew word means a "half"
- 1 Pim = 2/3 shekel
- equal to 7.6g
- 1 Gerah = 1/20 shekel
- equal to 12 grains (0.02 oz; 600 mg)
- Hebrew word means a "grain" or "kernel"; hence, a small weight
- 1 profane Ma'neh = 50 shekels
- equal to 1 1/4 lb (571 g)
- Hebrew word means a "part" or "portion"
- 1 sacred Ma'neh = 60 shekels
- equal to 1 1/2 lb (685 g)
- 1 Talent or kikkar = 3,000 shekels
- monetary value between 46.7 kg (75 lb) to 56.7 kg (125 lb) of silver or gold