Bible Weights and Measurements
Being able to visualize weights and measurements in the Bible is paramount to a clear understanding of its reading.
Click on the measurements listed on the left to view Bible references for that measurement.
| MEASUREMENTS | ENGLISH | METRIC |
|---|
| Lengths | | |
|---|
| Finger | 0.73 inches | 1.85 centimeters |
| Handbreadth (4 fingers) | 2.92 inches | 7.4 centimeters |
| Span | 9 inches | 22.86 centimeters |
| Cubit | 18 inches | 45.72 centimeters |
| Long Cubit | 20.4 inches | 51.9 centimeters |
| Fathom | 6 feet | 1.829 meters |
| Reed (6 cubits) | 8.75 feet | 2.73 meters |
| Furlong | 1/8 mile, 660 feet | 201.2 meters |
| Stadion | 697 feet | 185.4 meters |
| Sabbath day's journey | 3/5 mile | 0.9656 kilometers |
| Day's journey | 20 miles | 32.19 kilometers |
| Weights | | |
|---|
| Gerah | 1/50 ounce | 0.567 grams |
| Bekah (10 gerahs) | 1/5 ounce | 5.67 grams |
| Pim (2/3 shekel) | 1/3 ounce | 9.45 grams |
| Shekel (2 bekahs) | 2/5 ounce | 11.34 grams |
| Mina (50 shekels) | 1.25 pounds | -0.567 kilograms |
| Talent (60 minas) | 75 pounds | 34.02 kilograms |
| Liquid Measures | | |
|---|
| Log | 0.65 pints | 0.31 liters |
| Kab (4 logs) | 2.6 pints | 1.2 liters |
| Hin (12 logs) | 0.98 gallon | 3.7 liters |
| Bath (6 hins) | 5.9 gallons | 22 liters |
| Homer (10 baths) | 59 gallons | 220 liters |
| Kor (10 baths) | 59 gallons | 220 liters |
| Metretes | 10 gallons | 37.85 liters |
| Dray Measures | | |
|---|
| Kab (1/18 ephah) | 2.6 pints | 1.2 liters |
| Omer (1/10 ephah) | 2.3 quarts | 2.2 liters |
| Seah (1/3 ephah) | 7.7 quarts | 7.3 liters |
| Ephah (10 omers) | 0.63 bushels (5.9 gallons) | 22 liters |
| Lethech (5 ephaths) | 3.16 bushels (29 gallons) | 110 liters |
| Homer (10 ephaths) | 6.33 bushels (59 gallons) | 220 liters |
| Kor (10 ephaths) | 6.33 bushels (59 gallons) | 220 liters |
| Money | | |
|---|
| Denarius | Day's wage | C |
| Drachma | Est. 0.035 ounce silver | Est. 1 gram silver |
| Didrachma | Est. 0.07 ounce silver | Est. 2 grams silver |
| Talent, silver | Approx. 100 pounds | Approx. 45.4 kilograms |
| Talent, silver (Alternate) | Approx. 50 pounds | Approx. 22.7 kilograms |
| Talent, gold | Approx. 120 pounds | Approx. 54.4 kilograms |
| Talent, gold (Alternate) | Approx. 60 pounds | Approx. 27.2 kilograms |
| Time | | |
|---|
| Sunrise | 6:00 AM | 6:00 |
| First hour | 7:00 AM | 7:00 |
| Second hour | 8:00 AM | 8:00 |
| Third hour | 9:00 AM | 9:00 |
| Fourth hour | 10:00 AM | 10:00 |
| Fifth hour | 11:00 AM | 11:00 |
| Sixth hour | Noon | 12:00 |
| Seventh hour | 1:00 PM | 13:00 |
| Eighth hour | 2:00 PM | 14:00 |
| Ninth hour | 3:00 PM | 15:00 |
| Tenth hour | 4:00 PM | 16:00 |
| Eleventh hour | 5:00 PM | 17:00 |
| Sunset | 6:00 PM | 18:00 |
| Watches of the Night | | |
|---|
| First watch of night | 6 PM - 9 PM | 18:00 - 21:00 |
| Second watch | 9 PM - midnight | 21:00 - 00:00 |
| Third watch | Midnight - 3 AM | 00:00 - 03:00 |
| Fourth watch | 3 AM - 6 AM | 03:00 - 06:00C |
Below is a list of Bible texts found for some of the measurements listed above. Those measurements shown above but not listed below are measurements from Bible times that are not found in the Bible.
FINGER - Jeremiah 52:21 And concerning the pillars, the height of one pillar was eighteen cubits; and a fillet of twelve cubits did compass it; and the thickness thereof was four fingers: it was hollow.
HANDBREADTH - Exodus 37:12 Also he made thereunto a border of an handbreadth round about; and made a crown of gold for the border thereof round about.
Additional references: 2 Chronicles 4:5; Psalms 39:5
SPAN - Exodus 28:16 Foursquare it shall be being doubled; a span shall be the length thereof, and a span shall be the breadth thereof.
Additional references: Exodus 39:9; Lamentations 2:20
CUBIT - Genesis 6:15 And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits.
Additional references: Genesis 6:16; Genesis 7:20; Exodus 25:10; Exodus 25:17; Exodus 25:23; Exodus 26:2; Exodus 26:8; Exodus 26:13; Exodus 26:16; Exodus 27:1; Exodus 27:9; Exodus 27:11; Exodus 27:12; Exodus 27:13; Exodus 27:14; Exodus 27:15; Exodus 27:16; Exodus 27:18; Exodus 30:2; Exodus 36:9
Too many references to list all of them.
FATHOM - Acts 27:28 And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms.
REED - Ezekiel 40:3 And he brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate.
Addtonal References: Ezekiel 40:5; Ezekiel 40:6; Ezekiel 40:7; Ezekiel 40:8; Ezekiel 41:8; Ezekiel 42:16; Ezekiel 42:17; Ezekiel 42:18; Ezekiel 42:19; Ezekiel 42:20; Ezekiel 45:1; Ezekiel 48:8; Revelation 11:1; Revelation 21:15; Revelation 21:16
FURLONG - Luke 24:13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.
Additional references: John 6:19; John 11:18; Revelation 14:20; Revelation 21:16
SABBATH DAY'S JOURNEY - Acts 1:12 Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath days journey.
DAY'S JOURNEY - Genesis 30:36 And he set three days journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Labans flocks.
Additional references: Genesis 31:23; Exodus 3:18; Exodus 5:3; Exodus 8:27; Numbers 10:33; Numbers 11:31; Numbers 33:8; Deuteronomy 1:2; 1 Kings 19:4; 2 Kings 3:9; Jonah 3:3; Jonah 3:4; Luke 2:44; Acts 1:12
GERAH - Exodus 30:13 This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the LORD.
Additional references: Leviticus 27:25; Numbers 3:47; Numbers 18:16; Ezekiel 45:12
BEKAH - Exodus 38:26 A bekah for every man, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for every one that went to be numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty men.
SHEKEL - Genesis 23:15 My lord, hearken unto me: the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver; what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.
Additional references: Genesis 23:16; Genesis 24:22; Exodus 21:32; Exodus 30:13; Exodus 30:15; Exodus 30:23; Exodus 30:24; Exodus 38:24; Exodus 38:25; Exodus 38:26; Exodus 38:28; Exodus 38:29; Leviticus 5:15; Leviticus 27:3; Leviticus 27:4; Leviticus 27:5; Leviticus 27:6; Leviticus 27:7; Leviticus 27:16; Leviticus 27:25
Too many references to list all of them.
TALENT - Exodus 25:39 Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels.
Additional references: Exodus 37:24; Exodus 38:24; Exodus 38:25; Exodus 38:27; Exodus 38:29; 2 Samuel 12:30; 1 Kings 9:14; 1 Kings 9:28; 1 Kings 10:10; 1 Kings 10:14; 1 Kings 16:24; 1 Kings 20:39; 2 Kings 5:5; 2 Kings 5:22; 2 Kings 5:23; 2 Kings 15:19; 2 Kings 18:14; 2 Kings 23:33; 1 Chronicles 19:6; 1 Chronicles 20:2
Too many references to list all of them.
LOG - Leviticus 14:10 And on the eighth day he shall take two he lambs without blemish, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish, and three tenth deals of fine flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and one log of oil.
Additional references: Leviticus 14:12; Leviticus 14:15; Leviticus 14:21; Leviticus 14:24
HIN - Exodus 29:40 And with the one lamb a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil; and the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering.
Additional references: Numbers 15:4; Numbers 15:5; Numbers 15:6; Numbers 15:7; Numbers 15:9; Numbers 15:10; Numbers 28:5; Numbers 28:7; Numbers 28:14; Ezekiel 45:24; Ezekiel 46:5; Ezekiel 46:7; Ezekiel 46:11; Ezekiel 46:14
BATH - 1 Kings 7:26 And it was an hand breadth thick, and the brim thereof was wrought like the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies: it contained two thousand baths.
Additional references: 1 Kings 7:38; 2 Chronicles 2:10; 2 Chronicles 4:5; Ezra 7:22; Ezekiel 45:11; Ezekiel 45:14
HOMER - Leviticus 27:16 And if a man shall sanctify unto the LORD some part of a field of his possession, then thy estimation shall be according to the seed thereof: an homer of barley seed shall be valued at fifty shekels of silver.
Additional references: Numbers 11:32; Isaiah 5:10; Ezekiel 45:13; Ezekiel 45:14; Hosea 3:2
OMER - Exodus 16:16 This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents.
Additional references: Exodus 16:22; Exodus 16:32; Exodus 16:33; Exodus 16:36
EPHAH - Leviticus 5:11 But if he be not able to bring two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, then he that sinned shall bring for his offering the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering; he shall put no oil upon it, neither shall he put any frankincense thereon: for it is a sin offering.
Additional references: Leviticus 6:20; Numbers 5:15; Numbers 28:5; Judges 6:19; Ruth 2:17; 1 Samuel 1:24; 1 Samuel 17:17; Ezekiel 45:11; Ezekiel 45:13; Ezekiel 45:24; Ezekiel 46:5; Ezekiel 46:7; Ezekiel 46:11; Amos 8:5; Zechariah 5:6; Zechariah 5:9
This information was gleaned from various sources and a search of the Bible. All Bible references shown on this page are from the King James Version.
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This page designed by Ron Booth (c) 10/21/13 Version #0131021-0950.
All Bible quotes given in the KING JAMES VERSION.
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