5616 weights and measures, dry
These terms derive originally from the containers used, which held a fixed amount. Measures are given in ascending order, with their approximate imperial and metric equivalents.
Cab (1/18 ephah): about 2 pints (about 1 litre)
2Ki 6:25 This is the only mention in Scripture of this measure.
Omer (1/10 ephah): about 4 pints (about 2 litres)
Ex 16:16-22 This incident records the only mention in Scripture of this measure. See also Ex 16:32,36
Seah (1/3 ephah): about 13 pints (about 7.3 litres)
Ge 18:6 The seah was a measure used for flour and cereals. See also 1Sa 25:18; 1Ki 18:32; 2Ki 7:1
Ephah: about 3/5 bushel (about 22 litres)
Ru 2:17 The ephah was used only for flour and cereals, and had subdivisions of 1/6 and 1/10. See also Lev 5:11; Lev 24:5; Nu 15:4-9; Jdg 6:19; 1Sa 17:17; Eze 45:10-11; Zec 5:6-8 The word for “measuring basket” in the Hebrew is “ephah”.
Lethek (5 ephahs or 1/2 homer): about 3 bushels (about 110 litres)
Hos 3:2 Possibly a Phoenician measure, this is the only mention in Scripture of this measure.
Cor (10 ephahs): about 6 bushels (about 220 litres)
1Ki 4:22 The cor was used for measuring flour and cereals, and also appears to have been used for measuring oil. See also 1Ki 5:11; 2Ch 2:10; 2Ch 27:5; Ezr 7:22; Eze 45:14
Homer (10 ephahs): about 6 bushels (about 220 litres)
Lev 27:16 The homer is an older word than the cor, but is equivalent to it. It originally meant “a donkey load” and was widely used throughout the ancient Near East from the second millennium
Other dry measures found in the NT
Quart (choinix): about 1 1/2-2 pints (about 1 litre) Rev 6:6 The word translated “quart” is “choinix”, a Greek measure.
Saton (equivalent to the OT seah) Mt 13:33 pp Lk 13:21 The “large amount” referred to is “three sata” in the Greek.
Bowl (modius): about 15 1/2 pints (about 8.75 litres) Mt 5:15 pp Mk 4:21 pp Lk 11:33 The word translated “bowl” is the Roman measure “modius”.
Koros (equivalent to the OT cor) Lk 16:7 The measure translated as “a thousand bushels” is “one hundred korous” in the Greek.
See also
4456 | grain |
4542 | wheat |
5558 | storing |
7435 | sacrifice, in OT |