Ephah

Holman Bible Dictionary

Genesis 25:4Isaiah 60:621 Chronicles 2:4631 Chronicles 2:47

An entirely different Hebrew word with a different first letter lies behind the English “ephah” as a dry measure of grain. It is one-tenth of a homer and equal to one bath of liquid (Ezekiel 45:11 ). It is also equal to 10 omers (Exodus 16:36 ). Thus it is about 40 liters, though we do not have enough information to make precise estimates. Estimates place it about half a bushel. The vision of Zechariah 5:7 of a woman sitting in an ephah basket contains the imaginative images of visions, for any ephah would be far too small for a woman to sit in. Israel was constantly warned not to have two ephah measures, one to buy by and one to sell with ( Deuteronomy 25:14; Proverbs 20:10 ). Compare Leviticus 19:36; Ezekiel 45:10; Amos 8:5 .

Easton's Bible Dictionary

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.

Copyright StatementThese dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain.

Bibliography InformationEaston, Matthew George. Entry for 'Ephah'. Easton's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ebd/e/ephah.html. 1897.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

(See WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.)

1. The first of Midian's sons, grandson of Abraham (Genesis 25:4; 1 Chronicles 1:33; Isaiah 60:6), "the dromedaries of Ephah" E. of the Dead Sea. Midian abounded in camels to carry their merchandise (Judges 6:5); the camel is the ship of the desert.

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

3. Son of Jahdai (1 Chronicles 2:47) of Judah.

Bridgeway Bible Dictionary

An ephah was the basic measurement of capacity that the Israelites used when measuring volumes of grain. It was equal to about thirty-seven litres (Leviticus 6:20; Ruth 2:17; 1 Samuel 17:17). Over the years the word ‘ephah’ became also the name of the container people used to measure the grain (Leviticus 19:36; Amos 8:5; Zechariah 5:6-9). (For fuller details of the system that Israelites used to measure capacity see MEASUREMENT.)

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

EPHAH . 1. A son of Midian, descended from Abraham and Keturah ( Genesis 25:4 = 1 Chronicles 1:33 ), the eponymous ancestor of an Arabian tribe whose identity is uncertain. This tribe appears in Isaiah 60:6 as engaged in the transport of gold and frankincense from Sheba. 2. A concubine of Caleb ( 1 Chronicles 2:46 ). 3. A Judahite ( 1 Chronicles 2:47 ).

EPHAH . See Weights and Measures.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

1. A measure of capacity used among the Hebrews, containing three pecks and three pints. The Ephah was a dry measure, as of barley, Ruth 2:17; and meal, Numbers 5:15 Judges 6:19; and was of the same capacity with the bath in liquids. See BATH, or Ephah.

2. The son of Midian, and grandson of Abraham, Genesis 25:4 , who settled and gave his name to a region in Arabia supposed to have been near Midian, Isaiah 60:6 .

Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary

the eldest son of Midian, who gave his name to a city and small extent of land in the country of Midian, situated on the eastern shore of the Dead Sea, Genesis 25:4 . This country abounded with camels and dromedaries, Isaiah 60:6 , &c.

2. EPHAH, a measure both for things dry and liquid, in use among the Hebrews. The ephah for the former contained three pecks and three pints. In liquid measure it was of the same capacity as the bath.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

E'phah.

1. Concubine of Caleb, in the line of Judah. 1 Chronicles 2:46.

2. Son of Jahdai; also in the line of Judah. 1 Chronicles 2:47.

3. See Weights And Measures.

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

An Hebrew measure, containing about three pecks and three pints, like a Bath.!

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Ephah. See Measures.

Webster's Dictionary

(n.) Alt. of Epha

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Hebrews Eyphah', עֵיפָה , gloom), the name of a tribe (including that of the founder), also of a woman and of a Prayer of Manasseh 1:1. (Sept. Γεφάρ v.r. in Chron. Γαιφάρ, Isaiah Γαιφά .) The first in order of the five sons of Midian (Genesis 25:4; 1 Chronicles 1:33), B.C. cir. 1988; afterwards mentioned by Isaiah in the following words: "The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall show forth the praises of the Lord. All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify tlhe house of my glory" (Isaiah 60:6-7). This passage clearly connects the descendants of Ephah with the Midianites, the Keturahite Sheba, and the Ishmaelites, both in the position of their settlements and in their wandering habits, and shows that, as usual, they formed a tribe bearing his name. But no satisfactory identification of this tribe has been discovered. The Arabic word Gheyfeh, which has been supposed to be the same as Ephah, is the name of a town, or village, near Pelusium, or Bulbeys (the modern Bilbeys), a place in Egypt, in the province of Sharklyeh, not fai from Cairo; but the tradition that Ephah settled in Africa does not rest on sufficient authority. (See Midian).

2. (Sept. Γαιφά .) A concubine of Caleb, of the tribe of Judah, by whom she had several sons (1 Chronicles 2:46). B.C. post 1856.

3. (Sept. Γαιφά .) A son of Jahdai, who was apparently the grandson of the oldest of the foregoing sons (1 Chronicles 2:47). B.C. long post 1856.

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Ephah, a dry measure of capacity, equivalent to the bath for liquids. It contained three pecks and three pints. [WEIGHTS AND MEASURES]