Hebrew word · H374

אֵיפָה

'eifah

ephah

The ephah is the basic dry measure for grain. Estimates of its size vary from about 10 to over 20 litres, and about 22 litres is a common working figure. A tenth of an ephah equals the omer (Exod 16:36).

Appears 40 times in 29 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

1) ephah

1a) a dry measure of quantity, equal to 3 seahs, 10 omers; the same as the liquid measure bath; (about 9 imperial gallons (40 l), rabbinical writings give sizes of one-half this amount)

1b) the receptacle for measuring or holding that amount

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Numbers 28:5

Range of meaning

The ephah is the basic dry measure for grain. Estimates of its size vary from about 10 to over 20 litres, and about 22 litres is a common working figure. A tenth of an ephah equals the omer (Exod 16:36). The hin is a liquid measure, often estimated at about 3.6–4 litres, though some estimates are higher. Both words are probably borrowed from Egyptian (ipt and hnw), although the Israelite units need not have matched the Egyptian ones exactly.

Against the English

Most versions keep the Hebrew unit names. NLT converts them into roughly modern amounts (about two quarts of flour and one quart of oil), which helps readers but hides the fact that the original amounts were exact fixed fractions of standard units.

Used elsewhere in the period

Inscribed jar fragments and measuring vessels from Iron Age Israel and Judah (e.g. jars marked bat, the liquid equivalent of the ephah) are the basis of modern estimates. Ezekiel 45:10–11 insists on honest, standard ephah and bat measures. Josephus gives larger figures for these units, which shows that ancient values themselves varied.

From the study of Amos 8:5

Range of meaning

The standard dry measure for grain and flour, and also the container that held that amount. Its modern equivalent is uncertain; estimates run from about 10 to about 22 litres. It probably came into Hebrew from Egyptian (ipt, a grain measure).

Against the English

KJV, BSB and WEB keep 'ephah'. Some versions use 'bushel' or 'measure', which is understandable but sounds more exact than the evidence allows. NIV's 'skimping on the measure' gives the sense and loses the object.

Used elsewhere in the period

Law requires 'a just ephah' (Leviticus 19:36; Deuteronomy 25:14–15: 'You shall not have in your house two kinds of ephah, a large and a small'). Micah 6:10 condemns 'the scant ephah that is accursed'. Proverbs 20:10: 'Differing weights and differing ephahs, both are an abomination to the LORD.' Ezekiel 45:10 calls for 'a just ephah' in the restored land.

From the study of Proverbs 20:10

Range of meaning

A dry measure, chiefly for grain, and the vessel or basket that held it. It equals one tenth of a homer and matches the liquid bath (Ezekiel 45:11). Its exact size is uncertain and probably varied over time and place. A common estimate is around 22 litres, a little over half a bushel, with some estimates higher.

Against the English

BSB, KJV, NIV, ESV and others say "measures", which is a fair sense but sounds abstract, like any quantity or standard. YLT keeps "ephah". The Hebrew names the actual grain container.

Used elsewhere in the period

The word is widely regarded as an Egyptian loanword, from the same source as the Egyptian grain measure ipet or oipe (HALOT). Amos 8:5 condemns "making the ephah small and the shekel great". Micah 6:10 speaks of the "scant ephah" that is cursed. Ezekiel 45:10 requires a "just ephah". Egypt's Instruction of Amenemope (chapters 16–17) warns against tampering with scales and disguising the grain measure, and it calls the measure the "eye of Re", the sun god.

Where it appears

Exodus · 1

  1. Exodus 16:36 הָאֵיפָ֖ה the ephah

    (Now an omer is a tenth of an ephah.)

Leviticus · 3

  1. Leviticus 5:11 הָאֵפָ֛ה <the> ephah

    But if he cannot afford two turtledoves or two young pigeons, he may bring a tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a sin offering. He must not put olive oil or frankincense on it, because it is a sin offering.

  2. Leviticus 6:20 הָאֵפָ֥ה <the> ephah

    “This is the offering that Aaron and his sons must present to the LORD on the day he is anointed: a tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a regular grain offering, half of it in the morning and half in the evening.

  3. Leviticus 19:36 אֵ֥יפַת an ephah of

    You shall maintain honest scales and weights, an honest ephah, and an honest hin. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.

Numbers · 2

  1. Numbers 5:15 הָאֵיפָ֖ה <the> ephah

    then he is to bring his wife to the priest. He must also bring for her an offering of a tenth of an ephah of barley flour. He is not to pour oil over it or put frankincense on it, because it is a grain offering for jealousy, an offering of memorial as a reminder of iniquity.

  2. Numbers 28:5 הָאֵיפָ֛ה <the> ephah

    along with a tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed with a quarter hin of oil from pressed olives.

    Here: The standard dry measure for grain. 'The ephah' is the fixed, known unit. A tenth of an ephah is the same quantity as the omer, the daily manna ration (Exod 16:16, 36), roughly two litres or a little over two quarts.

Deuteronomy · 3

  1. Deuteronomy 25:14 אֵיפָ֣ה וְאֵיפָ֑ה a measure, and a measure

    You shall not have two differing measures in your house, one large and one small.

  2. Deuteronomy 25:15 אֵיפָ֧ה a measure

    You must maintain accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

Judges · 1

  1. Judges 6:19 וְאֵיפַת־ and an ephah of

    So Gideon went in and prepared a young goat and unleavened bread and an ephah of flour. He placed the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot and brought them out to present to Him under the oak.

Ruth · 1

  1. Ruth 2:17 כְּאֵיפָ֥ה about an ephah

    So Ruth gathered grain in the field until evening. And when she beat out what she had gleaned, it was about an ephah of barley.

1 Samuel · 2

  1. 1 Samuel 1:24 וְאֵיפָ֨ה and an ephah

    Once she had weaned him, Hannah took the boy with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine. Though the boy was still young, she brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh.

  2. 1 Samuel 17:17 אֵיפַ֤ת [the] ephah of

    One day Jesse said to his son David, “Take this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp.

Proverbs · 2

  1. Proverbs 20:10 אֵיפָ֣ה וְאֵיפָ֑ה a measure, and a measure

    Differing weights and unequal measures—both are detestable to the LORD.

    Here: The standard grain measure, and also the container used to measure it. It is a specific tool of the grain trade, more concrete than the English word "measure".

Isaiah · 1

  1. Isaiah 5:10 אֵיפָֽה׃ פ an ephah

    For ten acres of vineyard will yield but a bath of wine, and a homer of seed only an ephah of grain.”

Ezekiel · 17

  1. Ezekiel 45:10 וְאֵֽיפַת־ and an ephah of

    You must use honest scales, a just ephah, and a just bath.

  2. Ezekiel 45:11 הָאֵיפָ֣ה הָֽאֵיפָ֔ה the ephah

    The ephah and the bath shall be the same quantity so that the bath will contain a tenth of a homer, and the ephah a tenth of a homer; the homer will be the standard measure for both.

  3. Ezekiel 45:13 הָֽאֵיפָה֙ הָֽאֵיפָ֔ה the ephah

    This is the contribution you are to offer: a sixth of an ephah from each homer of wheat, and a sixth of an ephah from each homer of barley.

  4. Ezekiel 45:24 אֵיפָ֥ה וְאֵיפָ֥ה לָאֵיפָֽה׃ an ephah, and an ephah, to the ephah

    He shall also provide as a grain offering an ephah for each bull and an ephah for each ram, along with a hin of olive oil for each ephah of grain.

  5. Ezekiel 46:5 אֵיפָ֣ה לָאֵיפָֽה׃ [will be] an ephah, to the ephah

    The grain offering with the ram shall be one ephah, and the grain offering with the lambs shall be as much as he is able, along with a hin of oil per ephah.

  6. Ezekiel 46:7 וְאֵיפָ֨ה וְאֵיפָ֤ה לָאֵיפָֽה׃ and an ephah, to the ephah

    He is to provide a grain offering of an ephah with the bull, an ephah with the ram, and as much as he is able with the lambs, along with a hin of oil per ephah.

  7. Ezekiel 46:11 אֵיפָ֤ה וְאֵיפָ֣ה לָאֵיפָֽה׃ ס an ephah, and an ephah, to the ephah

    At the festivals and appointed feasts, the grain offering shall be an ephah with a bull, an ephah with a ram, and as much as one is able to give with the lambs, along with a hin of oil per ephah.

  8. Ezekiel 46:14 הָֽאֵיפָ֔ה <the> ephah

    You are also to provide with it every morning a grain offering of a sixth of an ephah with a third of a hin of oil to moisten the fine flour—a grain offering to the LORD. This is a permanent statute.

Amos · 1

  1. Amos 8:5 אֵיפָה֙ an ephah

    asking, “When will the New Moon be over, that we may sell grain? When will the Sabbath end, that we may market wheat? Let us reduce the ephah and increase the shekel; let us cheat with dishonest scales.

    Here: The standard dry measure for grain, roughly a basket or bucket-sized container (estimates run from about 10 to 22 litres). A shrunken ephah means the buyer takes home less grain than he paid for.

Micah · 1

  1. Micah 6:10 וְאֵיפַ֥ת and an ephah of

    Can I forget any longer, O house of the wicked, the treasures of wickedness and the short ephah, which is accursed?

    Here: The ephah was the standard dry measure for grain, and also the container used to measure it. Selling grain meant filling the ephah, so the ephah stands for the whole system of fair trade.

Zechariah · 5

  1. Zechariah 5:6 הָֽאֵיפָה֙ [is] the ephah

    “What is it?” I asked. And he replied, “A measuring basket is going forth.” Then he continued, “This is their iniquity in all the land.”

    Here: The ephah was the standard dry measure for grain, and also the container that held that amount. Here it is a measuring container or basket. Because it later holds a woman, the vision's ephah is far larger than any real one. It was an object of everyday trade, and of cheating in trade.

  2. Zechariah 5:7 הָאֵיפָֽה׃ the ephah

    And behold, the cover of lead was raised, and there was a woman sitting inside the basket.

  3. Zechariah 5:8 הָֽאֵיפָ֑ה the ephah

    “This is Wickedness,” he said. And he shoved her down into the basket, pushing down the lead cover over its opening.

  4. Zechariah 5:9 הָ֣אֵיפָ֔ה the ephah

    Then I lifted up my eyes and saw two women approaching, with the wind in their wings. Their wings were like those of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between heaven and earth.

  5. Zechariah 5:10 הָאֵיפָֽה׃ the ephah

    “Where are they taking the basket?” I asked the angel who was speaking with me.

    Here: The ephah-container from v. 6, with its lead lid and a woman inside named 'Wickedness' (vv. 7–8). An ephah was the standard grain measure, so the image calls up buying, selling and measuring: the marketplace.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.