IMEASUREMENTS

HEBREW • GOOGLE SLIDES • METRIC • Converter

📐 Length

[2] Cubit אַמָּה

2 ft or 24 inches

60 cm ס"מ

[1] Span זֶרֶת

1 ft or 12 inches

30 cm ס"מ

[1/3] Palm טֶפַח

4 inches

10 cm ס"מ

[1/12] Finger אֶצְבַּע

1 inch

2.5 cm ס"מ

💪 Weight

[3000] Talent כִּכָּר

75 lb or 1200 oz

90 lbt or 1080 ozt

30 kg ק"ג

[60] Minah מִינָה

24 oz

21.6 ozt

600 g

[50] Maneh מָנֶה

20 oz

18 ozt

500 g

[1] Sheqel שֶׁקֶל

.4 oz

.36 ozt

10 g

[2/3] Pim פִּים

.3 oz

.24 ozt

6.6 g

2/3 is the only non unit fraction in Egyptian math. Why this is so and why the ancient Hebrews had a special measurement for 2/3's but not 1/3 is something scholars have yet to reveal.

[1/2] Beqa בֶּקַע

.2 oz

.18 ozt

5 g

[1/20] Gerah גֵּרָה

.02 oz

.018 ozt

0.5 g

🌾 Dry Capacity

[1] Kor כֹּר

180 qts

180 L

[1] Homer חֹמֶר

180 qts

180 L

[1/2] Letekh לֵתֶךְ

90 qts

90 L

[1/10] Efah אֵיפָה

18 qts

18 L

[1/30] Seah סְאָה

6 qts

6 L

[1/100] Omer עֹמֶר

1.8 qts

1.8 L

[1/180] Qab קַב

1 qt

1 L

💧 Liquid Capacity

[6] Bat בָּת

18 qts or 1 Efah

18 L

[1] Hin הִין

3 qts

3 L

[1/12] Log לֹג

1/4 qt

.25 L

🚀 Modern Innovations

• 3000 cubits = nemo (≈ 1 nautical mile)
• 1000 square meters = dunam (≈ 1 lakh square palms)
• 1000 drums/barrels = tank (≈ 18,000 L)
• 100 talents = candy (≈ 3000 kg)
• 1/5 finger = knuckle (≈ 0.5 cm)
• 1/5 knuckle = nail (≈ 1 mm)

📝 NOTES

• ❗NOTE: In case you haven't noticed the Omer is a horribly impractical measurement. The Hebrews were very much a dozenal people and had little use for base 10 measurements. Base 12 of course has more factors. So where does this out of sync decimal measurement come from? It wouldn't be so bad if the Ancient Hebrews had any measurement less than an Omer that could divide evenly into it. But they didn't! The Omer is a strictly ceremonial measurement instituted by the creator of heaven and earth. It serves no other purpose but to remind the children of Israel of the 10 commandments as well as the tithe. Other than for religious ceremonies it just wouldn't work in the market place since the other measurements are incompatible with it.
• 📝NOTE: you can reconstruct the entire biblical measuring system with just these three items:
  • 👣 1 American Foot = span
  • 💰 2 quarters or a 50¢ piece = shekel
  • 💧 1 qt or 1 L = qab
  • *28 g = 1 oz
  • *32 g = 1 ozt
• 📝 NOTE: The liquid and dry measurements are exactly like the Babylonian base 60 system. Basically it is based off the degrees of a circle (360). There are 180° between freezing and boiling in the Fahrenheit system. 180 is half the degrees of a circle. Likewise there are 180 qabs in a kor.