Table of Weights and Measures
and Monetary Units
The following table is based on the best generally accepted information available for biblical weights, measures, and monetary units. All equivalents are approximate. Weights and measures varied somewhat in different times and places in the ancient world. Most weights, measures, and monetary units are also explained in footnotes on the pages where they occur in the ESV text.
| Biblical Unit | Approximate American and Metric Equivalents | Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| bath | A bath was about 6 gallons or 22 liters | 1 ephah |
| beka | A beka was about 1/5 ounce or 5.5 grams | 10 gerahs |
| cor | A cor was about 6 bushels or 220 liters | 10 ephahs |
| cubit | A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters | 6 handbreadths |
| daric | A daric was a coin of about 1/4 ounce or 8.5 grams | |
| denarius | A denarius was a day’s wage for a laborer | |
| ephah | An ephah was about 3/5 bushel or 22 liters | 10 omers |
| gerah | A gerah was about 1/50 ounce or 0.6 gram | 1/10 beka |
| handbreadth | A handbreadth was about 3 inches or 7.5 centimeters | 1/6 cubit |
| hin | A hin was about 4 quarts or 3.5 liters | 1/6 bath |
| homer | A homer was about 6 bushels or 220 liters | 10 ephahs |
| kab | A kab was about 1 quart or 1 liter | 1/22 ephah |
| lethech | A lethech was about 3 bushels or 110 liters | 5 ephahs |
| log | A log was about 1/3 quart or 0.3 liter | 1/72 bath |
| mina | A mina was about 1 1/4 pounds or 0.6 kilogram | 50 shekels |
| omer | An omer was about 2 quarts or 2 liters | 1/10 ephah |
| pim | A pim was about 1/3 ounce or 7.5 grams | 2/3 shekel |
| seah | A seah was about 7 quarts or 7.3 liters | 1/3 ephah |
| shekel | A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams | 2 bekas |
| span | A span was about 9 inches or 22 centimeters | 3 handbreadths |
| stadion | A stadion was about 607 feet or 185 meters | |
| talent | A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms | 60 minas |