The value of the Attic metret'es has already been stated to be 8.GG9G gallons, and consequently the amount of liquid in six stone jars, containing on the average 2^ metretm each, would exceed 110 gallons (John ii, G). Yerj' possibly, however, the Greek term represents the Hebrew hath, and if the bath be taken at the lower es- timate assigned to it, tlie amount would be reduced to about 60 gallons. Even this amount far exceeds the requirements for the purposes of legal purification, the tendency of Pharisaical refinement being to reduce the amount of water to a minimum, so that a quarter of a log would suffice for a person (Mishna, Yad. 1, § 1). The question is one sim])ly of archaiological interest as illustrating the customs of the Jews, and does not affect the character of the miracle with which it is connected. The choenix was -^^ of an Attic medimnus, and contained nearly a quart. It represented the usual amount of corn for a day's food, and hence a chcenix for a ])enny, or denarius, which usually jiurchased a bushel (Cicero, Ven: iii, 81), indicated a great scarcity (Rev. vi, G).
With regard to tJie use of fair measures, various pre- cepts are expressed in the Mosaic law and other parts of the Bible (Lev. xix, 35, 3G; Deut. xxv, 14, 15; Prov. XX, 10; Ezek. xlv, 10), and in all probability standard measures were kept in the Temple, as was usual in the other civilized countries of antiquity (Bockh, p. 12).
IV. The following are the various Biblical weights and measures of all kinds, in the alphabetical order of the original terms, with their correct and conventional renderings, and the nearest modern representative:
Hell, or Gr. Nnme. A.V. Equivalent.
Adaikon Doric " dram" quarter-eagle.
Argurion Hilccrling " piece of sil- ver," etc. . .lialf-croicn.
Assi'irion Assarnis " fiu'ihing" .. .penn;/.
Animi'ih Cubit " cubit" ..... .half-aard.
Biilli Bath " b;it h" qunrter-barrel.
Batos Bath " niensuie" .. qiiarter-harreL
Bcka licka " liekiili," etc.qnarter-ounce.
Cha'iiix Chcenix " nie.isnre" . . .qnart.
Biirkeiiiou .. ..Daric " drum" qnarter-eagle.
Ueiu'iiioii Denarritii " pciinv" shiUiinj.
Doiek, etc. . . . Travel " joiiniey" [ireiieiall.
Uidr: chinoii ..hiilraihvi " iriliuie" quarter-dollar.
Diachmi) Drachma "piece i^f bil-
ver" shillinij.
Eplu'ih liphah " epluih" half-lmshel.
Etsba Fiiiner " liiifrei " finnrr-lennth.
(ieii'ih Genih " ^ersih" 'half-vcninjwH.
Gained Sjan "cnbil" qnarter-ijard.
1 1 ill //(/( " hin" gallon.
II(',iniT Ilnuicr " lionu'i" duiihle-harrel.
l.-sMnhi T,iilh " leiil li deal". . half-peck.
Kill) I<(il> " cal)" qimrt.
K:\iirli /.'• < (/ " iced" hatf-rnd.
Kislicili, etc. .IJdir "b(nv,"etc.. ..(;oi('-K/i«^
Kesitiili Kesita "piece of
money" ingot.
Kibn'ilh, etc.. .Spare " wiiy," etc. . .short distance^
KikUi'ir Talent " talent" hvnrlred-w'ght.
Kodiiinli'S. . . . (jKddriiiiK " fai-thiiij:" . ...farthing.
K.'.mcls Jlaml/iil " liniuirul" .. . . handful.
Km- Kur " cor" htigxhcad.
K<iros Km- " niensurc". . .hogsJiead.
iy.pliin .sV((/<' " mile"' mill.
I/i hcU Leihek- " nieasuie". . .half -hogshead,
Lithos, etc Stmie " slone's-
Ilirow " stone-throw.
I.itra Pound "pound" pound.
I,o^' Log " loi;" half-jnnt.
MaiK'h Mnneh " iiiaiieh'" dovllc-jmund.
Metivlus iletretis " liikin" firkin.
Milion ilile "mile" mile.
Mna Mina " i)ound" tripk-half-
cagle.
M<5dios Modius " Imsliel" ]>erk.
Omer <>vier " onici" half-peck.
Oi-friiia Fiitlioni " I'atlioin" fathom.
Pichus Kll " ciiliit" hal.f-gard.
Reba Fourth " fointli" half-quarter-
ounce.
Si'iton Seah " measure" . . .peck.
Sc li Seah , " seali" peck.
!>lialisb Third " third" peck.
METROLOGY
199
METROPHANES
Heb.
Name. A. V. Equivalent.
Shekel Shekel " shekel" . . . [haif. dollar.
Studios or) g^ ^^g a fiirlono;" .... furlong.
Stadioa ) , . ~ „
Stater Stater "piece of
money" half-crown.
Talantiou ....Talmt "talent" thousand dol-
TOphach Hand-breadth." hand- '"'"t., „.
hvendth" . .Iiand-breadth.
Tsnade Pace " pace" pace.
Xest6s Sextarius " meaeure" . . .pint.
Zereth Span " span" span.
V. The following tables exhibit at one view the ap- proximate results of the foregoing investigations : I. HEBREW WEIGHTS.
Troy Weight.
Grains.
Lba.
Oz.
Gerah
11
110
220 11,000 060,000
1
114
h 11
T
10
'20
2 jShekel
lOOO
100 50
Maueh.
60,000
(iOOO 1 3000
60 iKikkar.
II. SCRIPTURE MONEY!
Name. | Nation.
Metal.
Prop.Valuation.
Current Worth.
1 cts. mills.
$ cts. mills.
Lepton
Greek
Copper
1.9
Qiiadrans
Roman
3.8
3.8
Assarius
"
1 5.4
1 5.4
Denarius
"
Silver
15 4.T
15 4.7
Greek
"
IT 5.9
15 4.7
Didiachm
"
35 1.9
30 9.4
Stater
"
"
70 3.7
61 8.9
Shekel
Jewish
"
60
Mina
Greek
"
17 59 3.2
15 47 3.S
Talent
"
1058 59
928 43
III. HEBREW MEASURES OP LENGTH.
Inches.
Finser
0.75
3.02
9.07
18.14
108.84
12
3
Span
24
«
2
Cubit
144
36
12
6 IReed.
IV. HEBREW LIQUID MEASURES.
Hin.
6 I Bath
60 I 10 I Cor.
1 1 1.85 8 2 3.2 89
3 0.72 5 0 0.32 50 1 1.2
V. HEBREW DRY MEASURES.
Cab
iflOmer
6| H IS I 10 180 1 100
Ephah.
10 I Homer]
3 1.1
1 3 1.7
1 0 2 3.2 11 0 4
2
6 1.44!
2 4 0.32'
1 1 1.2
VI. Literature. — J. D. Michaelis, Supplem. ad Lex. Hebr. p. 1521; Hussey, Essay on the Ancient Weights, Money, etc. (Oxford, 1836); F. P. Bayer, De Nummis Hebi-ceo-Samaritanis (Valenti;^ Edetanornm. 17S1 : writ- ten in reply to Die Undchthdt <!< r Jiiil. Miiii.u/. 15lit- zow, 1779); Hupfeld, Betrach/m/,/ ,bnil:hr Si.lhni,/ der A. T. Textgeschichte, in the Stinik-ii and Krlukni. 1830, ii, 247-301; Thenius, ihid. 1846, i, 78 sq. ; (i. Seyffarth, Beitrdije zur Kenntniss der Literatur, Kunst. Mythol, und Geschichte des alien Aegypten; Cumberland, Essay on Weights and Measures; Arbuthnot, Tables of Ancient Coins, etc. ; Bockh's Metrologische Untersvchungen ; Mommsen's Geschichte des Rumischen MUuzingi us ; Don V.Vazquez Queipo's Essai sur les Sy^t' nn >■ Mi/n'ijues et Monetaires des Anciens Peuples ; jMIiIKt. I'lli. d. heil Maase der Hebr der und Hellenen (Freib. 1859) ; Hozfeld, Metrologische Voruntersuchungen (Leips. 18G3-5); Tuck- ermann, Dasjudische Maas-System (Breslau, 1867).