Bible Lengths

The Bible Lengths calculator converts lengths in biblical units to modern length units such as meters and feet.

INSTRUCTIONS: Enter the following:

• (U) choose STADIA, CUBIT, SPAN or HANDBREADTH
• (n) Number of Units Chosen

Biblical Lengths(BL): The equivalent lengths are returned in both feet and meters. However, these can be automatically converted into compatible units via the pull-down menu.

The Math / Science

The Bible contains references to lengths units used in ancient times.  The generally accepted set of units are as follows:

• stadia = 190 meters
• cubit = 0.5 meters
• span = 23 cm
• handbreadth = 8 cm

Noah's Ark

In Genesis chapter 6, the Bible provides the account of Noah's Ark.  The dimensions of the ark are given as follows:

• 300 cubits long
• 50 cubits wide
• 30 cubits high

Bible Units of Length, Weight, Volume and Currency

• Bible Lengths: Converts lengths in cubits, spans and handbreadths into modern units.
• Bible Weights: Convert weights in talents, minas, shekels, darics, pims, bekas and gerahs into modern units.
• Bible Volumes: Converts volumes in cores, letheks, ephahs, seahs, omers, baths, hins and logs into modern units.
• Gold Talent Value: Computes the current market value of any number of talents of gold.
• Silver Talent Value: Computes the current market value of any number of talents of silver.
• Talent Calculator: Converts a number of talents in to modern weight units.
• Mina Calculator: Converts a number of minas in to modern weight units.
• Shekel Calculator: Converts a number of Shekels into modern weight units.
• Daric Calculator: Converts a number of Darics into modern weight units.
• Pim Calculator: Converts a number of Pims into modern weight units.
• Beka Calculator: Converts a number of Beka into modern weight units.
• Gerah Calculator: Converts a number of Gerah into modern weight units.

The Bible contains different measuring in units than modern units used today (e.g. meters and liters).

The Bible was written between 3,500 and 2,000 years ago and by authors in different civilizations ranging from ancient Babylon and Egypt to the Greco-Roman era.  The Bible often refers to amounts and distances in the units of those civilizations.   This calculator provides the means to convert amounts in those ancient units to a wide variety of modern choices.  

There are four main groups of Biblical units:

• Length Units - stadion, cubits, spans and handbreadths
• Weight Units - talents, minas, shekels, pims, bekas and gerahs
• Volume (Capacity) Units  (Dry and Liquid)
  • Dry Units: core (homer), lethek, ephah, seah, omer
  • Liquid Units: bath, hin, kab and log
• Currency Units - currency units typically refer to a specific weight of a valuable commodity (gold, silver, copper, salt)
  • daric coin (1/4 once or 8.5 grams)
  • denarius coin: one day's wages

A talent of gold today

Jesus told a parable of three servants that were given talents, presumably of gold.  The weight of a talent is approximately  34 kg.  Using the current spot price of gold, which is $2882.11, you can see the value of talents today.  The prices are updated every two minutes and given in U.S. dollars.

• One Talent of Gold: $3,150,508
• Two Talents of Gold: $6,301,016
• Five Talents of Gold: $15,752,538
• One Hundred and Twenty Talents of Gold: $378,060,912 1 Kings 10:10 (Queen of Sheba's gift of gold to Solomon)
• Six Hundred and Sixty Six Talents (666) of Gold: $2,098,238,061  1 Kings 10:14 (Solomon's Annual Income)

Talents of Gold in the Old Testament

• 1 Kings 10:10 (Queen of Sheba's gift of gold to Solomon)
• 1 Kings 10:14 (Solomon's Annual Income)

Biblical Weights

• Talent: 34 kg
• Mina: 0.6 kg
• Shekel: 11.5 g
• daric 8.3 grams (128 grains)
• pim:  7.6 grams
• beka:  5.5 grams
• gerah:  0.6 grams

Biblical Volumes

• Dry Units for volumes of grain and flour:
  • Core (homer)
  • lethek
  • ephah
  • seah
  • omer
• Liquid Units for volumes of water, wine and oil:
  • bath
  • hin
  • kab
  • log

Biblical Lengths

• Stadion
• cubit = 0.5 meters
• span = 23 cm
• handbreadth = 8 cm