Ii.

II. Measures of Capacity. — (1.) Dry. A cab, or kab (hollow), 2 Kgs 6:25, one-third of an omer, or two pints. An omer (heap, sheaf), Ex 16:36, one-tenth of an ephah, or six pints. The seah (measure), Gen 18:6; Matt 13:33; Luke 13:21, one-third of an ephah, or twenty pints, was the ordinary measure for household purposes. The ephah — a word of Egyptian origin, but often occurring in the O.T., Ex 16:36; Lev 5:11; Num 5:15; Jud 6:19, etc. — ten omers, or three seahs, or sixty pints. The homer (heap), Isa 5:10, when used for dry measure, one hundred omers, or six hundred pints. The Greek word translated "bushel," Matt 5:15, is supposed by some to answer to the Hebrew word seah. The Roman bushel was very nearly the same with the English peck. (2.) Liquid. — The log (basin). Measures of Capacity. Lev 14:10, six egg-shells full, one-tenth of a hin, or nearly one pint. The hin — a word of Egyptian origin, but often used in the 0.T., Ex 29:40; Ex 30:24; Num 15:4, etc. — one-sixth of a bath or ten pints. The bath (measured), the largest of the liquid measures, contained one-tenth of a homer, seven and a half gallons, or sixty pints. 1 Kgs 7:26; 2 Chr 2:10; Isa 5:10. The firkin, John 2:6, was a Greek measure, containing seven and a half gallons. III. Weights. — In the time of Moses the common weight was a shekel, which signifies a "weight." There were also the parts of a shekel, as the fourth, third, and half. The shekel, the maneh, and the talent were all originally names of weights. When the phrase "shekel of the sanctuary" is used, Ex 30:13, it means, not that this was different from the common shekel, but that it was a true standard weight, according to the authorized standard preserved in the sanctuary, or, as we should say, a sealed weight or measure, to denote that its accuracy is certified by authority. To weigh substances the Jews had — The shekel, Am 8:5, half an ounce avoirdupois. The mineh or mina, Eze 45:12, one hundred shekels, or fifty ounces, equal to three pounds two ounces avoirdupois. The talent, 2 Sam 12:30, three thousand shekels, thirty maneh, fifteen hundred ounces, equal to ninety-three pounds twelve ounces avoirdupois.