Shekel

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The shekel was properly and only a weight. It was used especially in weighing uncoined gold and silver: "The land is worth 400 shekels of silver...Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver-in the audience of the sons of Heth,"  Genesis 23:15,16 . In such cases the word shekel is often omitted in the Hebrew, as in  Genesis 20:16   37:28 , where our translators have supplied the word "pieces," but improperly, because coined money was not then known. See Money .

Between the sacred shekel,  Exodus 30:13 , and the shekel after the "king's weight,"  2 Samuel 14:26 , there would seem to have been a difference; but this and many think the phrase "shekel of the sanctuary" simply means a full and just shekel, according to the temple standards. The first coin, which bore the name of shekel was struck after the exile in the time of the Maccabees, and bore the inscription, Shekel of Israel. Bockh, whose authority in matters pertaining to ancient weights and measures is very high, fixes it proximately at 274Paris grains. It is the coin mentioned in the New Testament,  Matthew 26:15 , etc., where our translators have rendered it by "pieces of silver."

Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary

שקל , signifies weight, money, shekel, siclus, a Hebrew weight and money,   Exodus 30:23-24;  2 Samuel 14:26 . Shekel is used to denote the weight of any thing; as iron, hair, spices, &c. Dr. Arbuthnot makes the weight of the shekel equal to 9 dwt. 2 4/7 gr. English troy weight; and the value equal to 2 s . 3 3/8 d . sterling money: but the golden shekel was worth 1 l . 16 s . 6 d . English money. Some are of the opinion that the Jews had two kinds of shekels, namely, the common one already noticed, and the shekel of the sanctuary, which last they make double the former. But most authors make them the same, and think that the word sanctuary is added to express a just and exact weight, according to the standards kept in the temple or tabernacle. Moses,  Numbers 18:16 , and  Ezekiel 45:12 . say, that the shekel was worth twenty gerahs.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Exodus 30:13 Numbers 3:47 Ezekiel 45:12 1 Chronicles 21:25 1 Samuel 9:8

The temple contribution, with which the public sacrifices were bought ( Exodus 30:13;  2 Chronicles 24:6 ), consisted of one common shekel, or a sanctuary half-shekel, equal to two Attic drachmas. The coin, a stater (q.v.), which Peter found in the fish's mouth paid this contribution for both him and Christ ( Matthew 17:24,27 ). A zuza, or quarter of a shekel, was given by Saul to Samuel ( 1 Samuel 9:8 ).

Bridgeway Bible Dictionary

The shekel was the basic weight in use among Israelites of Bible times. It was equal to about sixteen grams, and was used to weigh all sorts of things ( 1 Samuel 17:5;  1 Samuel 17:7;  2 Samuel 14:26;  Ezekiel 4:10). One of its most frequent uses was in weighing money. Since most money was weighed in silver, the shekel of silver became also a common monetary unit ( Genesis 23:16;  Exodus 21:32;  Exodus 30:13;  2 Samuel 24:24). (See also Coins ; Weights .)

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

(See Money .) It is found inscribed only with the Samaritan character, the original form of the Hebrew. The Lulab is a frequent symbol, namely, branches of the three trees in  Leviticus 23:40, the palm, the myrtle, and the willow, carried at the feast of tabernacles. Also the citron fruit, and a palm tree between two baskets of fruit.

King James Dictionary

SHEK'EL, n. Heb. to way Low L. siclus. An ancient weight and coin among the Jews and other nations of the same stock. Dr. Arbuthnot makes the weight to have been equal to 9 pennyweights, 2 4/7 grains, Troy weight, and the value of 2s. 3 3/8d. sterling, or about half a dollar. Others make its value 2s. 6d. sterling. The golden shekel was worht 1. 16. 6. pounds sterling, about , 12.

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Shekel,  Genesis 24:22;  Exodus 30:13, means "weight," and was the name of a particular weight of uncoined gold or silver, and in later history of a silver coin worth about 65 cents. See Money, Measures and Weights.

Webster's Dictionary

(1): ( n.) An ancient weight and coin used by the Jews and by other nations of the same stock.

(2): ( n.) A jocose term for money.

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

A weight used among the Israelites; supposed in silver to be worth somewhat about two shillings and three-pence farthing current coin of our English money. If of gold it was about eighteen shillings. The name seems to be derived from Shakel, to weigh.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Shekel. See Money .

Holman Bible Dictionary

CoinsWeights And Measures

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

SHEKEL . See Money, Weights and Measures, III.

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

SHEKEL. —See Money.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

See Weights And Measures

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

Copyright StatementThese files are public domain. Bibliography InformationMcClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Shekel'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tce/s/shekel.html. Harper & Brothers. New York. 1870.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

shek ´' 50 , shek´el , shē´kel , shē´kul ( שׁקל , sheḳel ): A weight and a coin. The Hebrew shekel was the 50th part of a mina, and as a weight about 224 grains, and as money (silver) was worth about 2 shillings 9d., or 66 cents (in 1915). No gold shekel has been found, and hence, it is inferred that such a coin was not used; but as a certain amount of gold, by weight, it is mentioned in   2 Chronicles 3:9 and is probably intended to be supplied in   2 Kings 5:5 . The gold shekel was 1/60 of the heavy Babylonian mina and weighed about 252 grains. In value it was about equal to 2 British pounds and 1 shilling, or about .00 (in 1915). See Money; Weights And Measures . In the Revised Version (British and American) of  Matthew 17:27 "shekel" replaces "piece of money" of the King James Version, the translation of στατήρ , statḗr . See Stater .

The Nuttall Encyclopedia

Among the ancient Hebrews originally a weight, and eventually the name of a coin of gold or silver, or money of a certain weight, the silver = 5s. per oz., and the gold = £4.

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

[[[Weights And Measures]]]