Ephah — Meaning in the Bible
A dry measure for grain, roughly 20 litres by common estimates. Ruth gleaned about an ephah of barley in one day.
Modern equivalents are approximate estimates: ancient units varied by time and place, and Scripture does not give modern values. Estimates range widely, often around 20–22 litres.
What it means
Ruth beat out what she had gleaned and it was about an ephah of barley. The law required honest measures: "a just ephah". Ruth 2:17Leviticus 19:36
An omer is a tenth of an ephah. The prophets condemn merchants who make the ephah small to cheat buyers. Exodus 16:36Amos 8:5
Key passages
- Exodus 16:36 — An omer is a tenth of an ephah.
- Leviticus 19:35–36 — Honest measures.
- Ruth 2:17 — Ruth's ephah of barley.
- Amos 8:4–6 — Making the ephah small.
Original language
A Strong’s number is a reference identifier, not a complete definition: what a word means in a passage depends on its context. Lexical data: STEPBible.org, based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).