Topical Bible: Ephah

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Topical Encyclopedia

1. Definition and Meaning:
Ephah is a term used in the Bible with dual significance. It refers both to a person and a unit of measurement. As a person, Ephah is a descendant of Abraham, while as a measurement, it is a standard of dry volume used in ancient Israel.

2. Ephah as a Person:
Ephah is mentioned in the genealogies of the Bible as a son of Midian, who was a son of Abraham through his wife Keturah. This makes Ephah a grandson of Abraham. The descendants of Ephah are believed to have settled in the region of Arabia, contributing to the tribes that inhabited the area. The Bible references Ephah in the context of the Midianites, a group often interacting with the Israelites.

· Biblical Reference: "The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were descendants of Keturah." (Genesis 25:4)

3. Ephah as a Measurement:
The ephah is a unit of dry measure used in the ancient Near East, particularly in Israel. It is approximately equivalent to 22 liters or about 5.8 gallons. The ephah was used to measure grains and other dry commodities, playing a crucial role in trade and daily life.

· Biblical Reference: "You shall have just balances, a just ephah, and a just bath." (Ezekiel 45:10)

The ephah is often mentioned in the context of fair trade and justice, emphasizing the importance of honesty in commerce. The prophets frequently condemned the use of false measures, including the ephah, as a symbol of corruption and injustice.

· Biblical Reference: "Shall I acquit a man with dishonest scales and with a bag of false weights?" (Micah 6:11)

4. Symbolic and Theological Significance:
In the prophetic literature, the ephah sometimes takes on a symbolic meaning. For instance, in Zechariah's vision, an ephah is used to represent iniquity and wickedness being removed from the land of Israel.

· Biblical Reference: "Then the angel who was speaking with me came forward and said to me, 'Look up and see what is appearing.' I asked, 'What is it?' And he replied, 'It is a measuring basket.' And he added, 'This is the iniquity of the people throughout the land.'" (Zechariah 5:5-6)

5. Cultural and Historical Context:
The use of the ephah as a measurement reflects the agrarian society of ancient Israel, where accurate measures were essential for trade and sustenance. The emphasis on just measures in the Law underscores the biblical principle of integrity and fairness in all dealings.

Ephah, as a person, highlights the broader narrative of Abraham's descendants and their spread across the ancient Near East. The Midianites, including the descendants of Ephah, played significant roles in the biblical narrative, often interacting with the Israelites in both conflict and cooperation.

6. Conclusion:
The dual references to Ephah in the Bible, both as a person and a measurement, provide insight into the historical, cultural, and theological dimensions of the biblical text. The emphasis on justice and integrity in the use of the ephah as a measure, alongside the genealogical significance of Ephah as a descendant of Abraham, underscores the multifaceted nature of biblical teachings and their application to both personal and communal life.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

Ephah

weary; tired

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Gloom.

(1.) One of the five sons of Midian, and grandson of Abraham (Genesis 25:4). The city of Ephah, to which he gave his name, is mentioned Isaiah 60:6, 7. This city, with its surrounding territory, formed part of Midian, on the east shore of the Dead Sea. It abounded in dromedaries and camels (Judges 6:5).

(2.) 1 Chronicles 2:46, a concubine of Caleb.

(3.) 1 Chronicles 2:47, a descendant of Judah.

Ephah, a word of Egyptian origin, meaning measure; a grain measure containing "three seahs or ten omers," and equivalent to the bath for liquids (Exodus 16:36; 1 Samuel 17:17; Zechariah 5:6). The double ephah in Proverbs 20:10 (marg., "an ephah and an ephah"), Deuteronomy 25:14, means two ephahs, the one false and the other just.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

(n.) Alt. of Epha.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

EPHAH (1)

e'-fa `ephah, "darkness"; Gephar (Genesis 25:4), Gaipha (Isaiah 60:6):

The name of three persons in the Old Testament, both masculine and feminine

(1) The son of Midian, descended from Abraham by his wife Keturah (Genesis 25:4 1 Chronicles 1:33), mentioned again in Isaiah 60:6 as a transporter of gold and frankincense from Sheba, who shall thus bring enlargement to Judah and praise to Yahweh. According to Fried. Delitzsch, Schrader, and Hommel, `Ephah is an abbreviation of `Ayappa, the Kha-yappa Arabs of the time of Tiglath-pileser III and Sargon. See treatment of this view in Dillmann's Commentary on Genesis (Genesis 25:4).

(2) A concubine of Caleb (1 Chronicles 2:46).

(3) The son of Jahdai, a descendant of Judah (1 Chronicles 2:47).

Charles B. Williams

EPHAH (2)

e'-fa ('ephah):

A dry measure of about one bushel capacity. It corresponds to the bath in liquid measure and was the standard for measuring grain and similar articles since it is classed with balances and weights (Leviticus 19:36 Amos 8:5) in the injunctions regarding just dealing in trade. In Zechariah 5:6-10 it is used for the utensil itself.

See WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.

Strong's Hebrew

374. ephah -- an ephah (a measure of grain)
... 373, 374. ephah. 375 . an ephah (a measure of grain). Transliteration:
ephah Phonetic Spelling: (ay-faw') Short Definition: ephah. ...
/hebrew/374.htm - 6k

5891. Ephah -- two Israelites, also a Midianite
... 5890, 5891. Ephah. 5892 . two Israelites, also a Midianite. Transliteration:
Ephah Phonetic Spelling: (ay-faw') Short Definition: ephah. ...
/hebrew/5891.htm - 6k

5890. ephah -- darkness
... 5889, 5890. ephah. 5891 . darkness. Transliteration: ephah Phonetic Spelling:
(ay-faw') Short Definition: darkness. ... see HEBREW uwph. 5889, 5890. ephah. 5891 ...
/hebrew/5890.htm - 6k

7991. shaliysh -- a third (part)
... instrument) a triangle (or perhaps rather three-stringed lute); also (as an indefinite,
great quantity) a three-fold measure (perhaps a treble ephah); also (as ...
/hebrew/7991.htm - 6k

Library

In Our Last Chapter we Sought to Show that in Rev. . .
... to behold the punishment of apostate Israel: the "flying roll" symbolizes the
destruction of wicked Jews (5:1-4). Then follows the vision of "the Ephah" in 5: ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the antichrist/in our last chapter we.htm

The Eighth Commandment
... Making the ephah small.' Amos 8:5. The ephah was a measure the Jews used in
selling. Some made the ephah small, and gave scant measure ...
/.../watson/the ten commandments/2 8 the eighth commandment.htm

Chapter xxv
... And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim and Letushim and Leummim. And the sons
of Midian: Ephah and Epher and Hanoch and Abida and Eldaah. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxv.htm

The Knowledge which Comes through Faith the Surest of All.
... Wherefore the tithes both of the ephah and of the sacrifices were presented to God;
and the paschal feast began with the tenth day, being the transition from ...
/.../clement/the stromata or miscellanies/chapter xi the knowledge which comes.htm

The Leaven.
... The three measures of meal, which together make an ephah, were the understood quantity
of an ordinary batch in the economics of a family, and as such are ...
//christianbookshelf.org/arnot/the parables of our lord/iv the leaven.htm

Eighth Commandment
... Just balances, just weights, a just ephah and a just hin, shall ye have." Are you
like those who said: "When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? ...
//christianbookshelf.org/moody/weighed and wanting/eighth commandment.htm

Ripe for Gathering
... and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and
the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit? ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/ripe for gathering.htm

The Section Chap. I. -iii.
... Compare, moreover, Zechariah 5:5-11, where the thought, that Israel had filled up
the measure of their sins, is represented by a woman sitting in an Ephah. ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the section chap i -iii.htm

An Unalterable Law
... from the flock, he was to bring two turtle-doves or young pigeons; but if he was
too poor even for that, he might offer the tenth part of an ephah of fine ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 60 1914/an unalterable law.htm

A Song of Zion Redeemed
... The multitude of camels shall cover thee, The dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; They
all shall come from Sheba, they shall bring gold and frankincense, And ...
/.../various/select masterpieces of biblical literature/ix a song of zion.htm

Thesaurus

Ephah (55 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Gloom. (1.) One of the five sons of Midian, and grandson
of Abraham (Genesis 25:4). The city of Ephah, to which he gave his name, is ...
/e/ephah.htm - 27k

Hin (19 Occurrences)
... Exodus 29:40 and with the one lamb a tenth part of an ephah of fine flour mixed
with the fourth part of a hin of beaten oil, and the fourth part of a hin of ...
/h/hin.htm - 13k

Two-tenths (11 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 23:13 And the meal-offering thereof shall be two tenth parts of an ephah
of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the LORD for a ...
/t/two-tenths.htm - 9k

Tenths (22 Occurrences)
... 14:10 "On the eighth day he shall take two male lambs without blemish, and one ewe
lamb a year old without blemish, and three tenths of an ephah of fine flour ...
/t/tenths.htm - 13k

Omer (5 Occurrences)
... A handful, one-tenth of an ephah=half a gallon dry measure (Exodus 16:22, 32, 33,
36)="tenth deal.". ... (n.) A Hebrew measure, the tenth of an ephah. See Ephah. ...
/o/omer.htm - 8k

Suffice (22 Occurrences)
... suffice not for two turtle-doves, or two young pigeons, then he shall bring his
oblation for that wherein he hath sinned, the tenth part of an ephah of fine ...
/s/suffice.htm - 13k

Homer (6 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 45:11 The ephah and the bath shall be of one measure, that the bath may
contain the tenth part of a homer, and the ephah the tenth part of a homer: its ...
/h/homer.htm - 9k

Prepareth (21 Occurrences)
... Judges 6:19 And Gideon hath gone in, and prepareth a kid of the goats, and of an
ephah of flour unleavened things; the flesh he hath put in a basket, and the ...
/p/prepareth.htm - 13k

Quarter (33 Occurrences)
... Exodus 29:40 and with the one lamb a tenth part of an ephah of fine flour mixed
with the fourth part of a hin of beaten oil, and the fourth part of a hin of ...
/q/quarter.htm - 21k

Meal-offering (120 Occurrences)
... 6:20 This is the oblation of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer unto
Jehovah in the day when he is anointed: the tenth part of an ephah of fine ...
/m/meal-offering.htm - 40k

Resources

What is the Feast of Weeks? | GotQuestions.org

What were the various sacrifices in the Old Testament? | GotQuestions.org

What was the sanctuary shekel? | GotQuestions.org

Ephah: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Ephah (55 Occurrences)

Mark 1:30
Now Simon's wife's mother lay sick with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. of seed shall yield an ephah.
(WEB)

Genesis 25:4
The sons of Midian: Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Exodus 16:36
Now an omer is the tenth part of an ephah.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Exodus 29:40
and with the one lamb a tenth part of an ephah of fine flour mixed with the fourth part of a hin of beaten oil, and the fourth part of a hin of wine for a drink offering.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE NAS NIV)

Leviticus 5:11
"'But if he can't afford two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, then he shall bring his offering for that in which he has sinned, the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering. He shall put no oil on it, neither shall he put any frankincense on it, for it is a sin offering.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 6:20
"This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer to Yahweh in the day when he is anointed: the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meal offering perpetually, half of it in the morning, and half of it in the evening.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 14:10
"On the eighth day he shall take two male lambs without blemish, and one ewe lamb a year old without blemish, and three tenths of an ephah of fine flour for a meal offering, mingled with oil, and one log of oil.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 14:21
"If he is poor, and can't afford so much, then he shall take one male lamb for a trespass offering to be waved, to make atonement for him, and one tenth of an ephah of fine flour mingled with oil for a meal offering, and a log of oil;
(WEB JPS ASV BBE NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 19:36
You shall have just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin. I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 23:13
The meal offering with it shall be two tenth parts of an ephah of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire to Yahweh for a pleasant aroma; and the drink offering with it shall be of wine, the fourth part of a hin.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 23:17
You shall bring out of your habitations two loaves of bread for a wave offering made of two tenth parts of an ephah of fine flour. They shall be baked with yeast, for first fruits to Yahweh.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 24:5
"You shall take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes of it: two tenth parts of an ephah shall be in one cake.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 5:15
then the man shall bring his wife to the priest, and shall bring her offering for her: the tenth part of an ephah of barley meal. He shall pour no oil on it, nor put frankincense on it, for it is a meal offering of jealousy, a meal offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to memory.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 15:4
then he who offers his offering shall offer to Yahweh a meal offering of a tenth part of an ephah of fine flour mixed with the fourth part of a hin of oil:
(WEB JPS ASV NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 15:6
"'Or for a ram, you shall prepare for a meal offering two tenth parts of an ephah of fine flour mixed with the third part of a hin of oil:
(WEB JPS ASV NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 15:9
then shall he offer with the bull a meal offering of three tenth parts of an ephah of fine flour mixed with half a hin of oil:
(WEB JPS ASV NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 28:5
with the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meal offering, mixed with the fourth part of a hin of beaten oil.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 28:9
"'On the Sabbath day two male lambs a year old without blemish, and two tenth parts of an ephah of fine flour for a meal offering, mixed with oil, and the drink offering of it:
(WEB JPS ASV NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 28:12
and three tenth parts of an ephah of fine flour for a meal offering, mixed with oil, for each bull; and two tenth parts of fine flour for a meal offering, mixed with oil, for the one ram;
(WEB JPS ASV NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 28:13
and a tenth part of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering to every lamb; for a burnt offering of a pleasant aroma, an offering made by fire to Yahweh.
(See NAS NIV(

Numbers 28:20
And their meal offering, the best meal mixed with oil: let three tenth parts of an ephah be offered for an ox and two tenth parts for a male sheep;
(BBE NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 28:21
You shall offer a tenth part for every lamb of the seven lambs;
(See NAS)

Numbers 28:28
and their meal offering, fine flour mixed with oil, three tenth parts for each bull, two tenth parts for the one ram,
(See NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 29:3
and their meal offering, fine flour mixed with oil, three tenth parts for the bull, two tenth parts for the ram,
(See NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 29:9
and their meal offering, fine flour mixed with oil, three tenth parts for the bull, two tenth parts for the one ram,
(See NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 29:14
and their meal offering, fine flour mixed with oil, three tenth parts for every bull of the thirteen bulls, two tenth parts for each ram of the two rams,
(See NAS RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 25:14
Thou shalt not have in thy house divers ephahs, a great and a small.
(Root in DBY YLT)

Deuteronomy 25:15
A perfect and just weight shalt thou have; a perfect and just ephah shalt thou have; that thy days may be prolonged in the land that Jehovah thy God giveth thee.
(DBY YLT)

Judges 6:19
Gideon went in, and prepared a young goat, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of meal. He put the meat in a basket and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out to him under the oak, and presented it.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Ruth 2:17
So she gleaned in the field until evening; and she beat out that which she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Samuel 1:24
When she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bulls, and one ephah of meal, and a bottle of wine, and brought him to Yahweh's house in Shiloh. The child was young.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Samuel 17:17
Jesse said to David his son, "Now take for your brothers an ephah of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp to your brothers;
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Chronicles 1:33
The sons of Midian: Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the sons of Keturah.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Chronicles 2:46
Ephah, Caleb's concubine, bore Haran, and Moza, and Gazez; and Haran became the father of Gazez.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Chronicles 2:47
The sons of Jahdai: Regem, and Jothan, and Geshan, and Pelet, and Ephah, and Shaaph.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Proverbs 20:10
A stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah, Even both of them 'are' an abomination to Jehovah.
(YLT)

Isaiah 5:10
Yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and the seed of an homer shall yield an ephah.
(KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Isaiah 60:6
The multitude of camels shall cover you, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come; they shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praises of Yahweh.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Ezekiel 45:10
You shall have just balances, and a just ephah, and a just bath.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Ezekiel 45:11
The ephah and the bath shall be of one measure, that the bath may contain the tenth part of a homer, and the ephah the tenth part of a homer: its measure shall be after the homer.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Ezekiel 45:13
This is the offering that you shall offer: the sixth part of an ephah from a homer of wheat; and you shall give the sixth part of an ephah from a homer of barley;
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Ezekiel 45:24
He shall prepare a meal offering, an ephah for a bull, and an ephah for a ram, and a hin of oil to an ephah.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Ezekiel 46:5
and the meal offering shall be an ephah for the ram, and the meal offering for the lambs as he is able to give, and a hin of oil to an ephah.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Ezekiel 46:7
and he shall prepare a meal offering, an ephah for the bull, and an ephah for the ram, and for the lambs according as he is able, and a hin of oil to an ephah.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Ezekiel 46:11
In the feasts and in the solemnities the meal offering shall be an ephah for a bull, and an ephah for a ram, and for the lambs as he is able to give, and a hin of oil to an ephah.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Ezekiel 46:14
You shall prepare a meal offering with it morning by morning, the sixth part of an ephah, and the third part of a hin of oil, to moisten the fine flour; a meal offering to Yahweh continually by a perpetual ordinance.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Amos 8:5
Saying,'When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may market wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel large, and dealing falsely with balances of deceit;
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV)

Micah 6:10
Are there yet treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and a short ephah that is accursed?
(WEB YLT NIV)

Zechariah 5:5
And the angel who was talking to me went out and said to me, Let your eyes be lifted up now, and see the ephah which is going out.
(BBE)

Zechariah 5:6
I said, "What is it?" He said, "This is the ephah basket that is appearing." He said moreover, "This is their appearance in all the land
(WEB KJV ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Zechariah 5:7
(and behold, a talent of lead was lifted up); and this is a woman sitting in the midst of the ephah basket."
(WEB KJV ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Zechariah 5:8
He said, "This is Wickedness;" and he threw her down into the midst of the ephah basket; and he threw the weight of lead on its mouth.
(WEB KJV ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Zechariah 5:9
Then lifted I up my eyes, and saw, and behold, there were two women, and the wind was in their wings. Now they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the ephah basket between earth and the sky.
(WEB KJV ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Zechariah 5:10
Then said I to the angel who talked with me, "Where are these carrying the ephah basket?"
(WEB KJV ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Zechariah 5:11
He said to me, "To build her a house in the land of Shinar. When it is prepared, she will be set there in her own place."
(See RSV)

Subtopics

Epah

Ephah

Ephah: A Son of Midian

Ephah: Caleb's Concubine

Ephah: Son of Jahdai

Related Terms

Hin (19 Occurrences)

Two-tenths (11 Occurrences)

Tenths (22 Occurrences)