the most liberal construction on the demand. (b) The day’s journey was the most usual method of
calculating distances in travelling, (Genesis 30:36; 31:23; Exodus 3:18; 5:3; Numbers 10:33;
11:31; 33:8; 1:2; 1 Kings 19:4; 2 Kings 3:9; Jonah 3:3) 1 Macc. 5:24; 7:45; Tobit 6:1, though but
one instance of it occurs in the New Testament (Luke 2:44) The ordinary day’s journey among
the Jews was 30 miles; but when they travelled in companies, only ten miles. Neapolis formed
the first stage out of Jerusalem according to the former and Beeroth according to the latter
computation, (a) The Sabbath day’s journey of 2000 cubits, (Acts 1:12) is peculiar to the New
Testament, and arose from a rabbinical restriction. It was founded on a universal, application of
the prohibition given by Moses for a special occasion: “Let no man go out of his place on the
seventh day.” (Exodus 16:29) An exception was allowed for the purpose of worshipping at the
tabernacle; and, as 2000 cubits was the prescribed space to be kept between the ark and the people
as well as the extent of the suburbs of the Levitical cities on every side, (Numbers 35:5) this was
taken for the length of a Sabbath-day’s journey measured front the wall of the city in which the
traveller lived. Computed from the value given above for the cubit, the Sabbath-day’s journey
would be just six tenths of a mile. (d) After the captivity the relations of the Jews to the Persians,
Greeks and Romans caused the use, probably, of the parasang, and certainly of the stadium and
the mile. Though the first is not mentioned in the Bible, if is well to exhibit the ratios of the three.
The universal Greek standard, the stadium of 600 Greek feet, which was the length of the
race-course at Olympia, occurs first in the Maccabees, and is common in the New Testament. Our
version renders it furlong ; it being, in fact, the eighth part of the Roman mile, as the furlong is of
ours. 2 Macc. 11:5; 12:9,17,29; (Luke 24:13; John 6:19; 11:18; Revelation 14:20; 21:18) One
measure remains to be mentioned. The fathom, used in sounding by the Alexandrian mariners in
a voyage, is the Greek orguia, i.e. the full stretch of the two arms from tip to tip of the middle
finger, which is about equal to the height, and in a man of full stature is six feet. For estimating
area, and especially land there is no evidence that the Jews used any special system of square
measures but they were content to express by the cubit the length and breadth of the surface to be
measured (Numbers 35:4,5; Ezekiel 40:27) or by the reed. (Ezekiel 41:8; 42:16-19; Revelation
21:16) II. Measures OF CAPACITY.—
•The measures of capacity for liquids were: (a) The log, (Leviticus 14:10) etc. The name originally
signifying basin. (b) The hin, a name of Egyptian origin, frequently noticed in the Bible. (Exodus
29:40; 30:24; Numbers 15:4,7,8; Ezekiel 4:11) etc. (c) The bath, the name meaning “measured,”
the largest of the liquid measures. (1 Kings 7:26,38; 2 Chronicles 2:10; Ezra 7:22; Isaiah 5:10)
•The dry measure contained the following denominations: (a) The cab, mentioned only in (2 Kings
6:25) the name meaning literally hollow or concave. (b) The omer, mentioned only in (Exodus
16:16-36) The word implies a heap, and secondarily a sheaf. (c) The seah, or “measure,” this being
the etymological meaning of the term and appropriately applied to it, inasmuch as it was the
ordinary measure for household purposes. (Genesis 18:6; 1 Samuel 25:18; 2 Kings 7:1,16) The
Greek equivalent occurs in (Matthew 13:33; Luke 13:21) (d) The ephah, a word of Egyptian origin
and frequent recurrence in the Bible. (Exodus 16:36; Leviticus 5:11; 6:20; Numbers 5:15; 28:5;
Judges 6:19; Ruth 2:17; 1 Samuel 1:24; 17:17; Ezekiel 45:11,13; 46:5,7,11,14) (e) The lethec, or
“half homer” literally meaning what is poured out; it occurs only in (Hosea 3:2) (f) The homer,
meaning heap. (Leviticus 27:16; Numbers 11:32; Isaiah 5:10; Ezekiel 45:13) It is elsewhere termed
cor, from the circular vessel in which it was measured. (1 Kings 4:22; 5:11; 2 Chronicles 2:10;
27:5; Ezra 7:22; Ezekiel 45:14) The Greek equivalent occurs in (Luke 16:7) The absolute values
frankie
(Frankie)
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