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shekelmore about shekel

shekel


  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Shekel  \Shek"el\,  n.  [Heb.  shegel,  fr  sh[=a]gal  to  weigh.] 
  1.  An  ancient  weight  and  coin  used  by  the  Jews  and  by  other 
  nations  of  the  same  stock. 
 
  Note:  A  common  estimate  makes  the  shekel  equal  in  weight  to 
  about  130  grains  for  gold,  224  grains  for  silver,  and 
  450  grains  for  copper,  and  the  approximate  values  of 
  the  coins  are  (gold)  $5.00,  (silver)  60  cents,  and 
  (copper  half  shekel),  one  and  one  half  cents. 
 
  2.  pl  A  jocose  term  for  money. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  shekel 
  n  :  the  basic  unit  of  money  in  Israel 
 
  From  Easton's  1897  Bible  Dictionary  [easton]: 
 
  Shekel 
  weight,  the  common  standard  both  of  weight  and  value  among  the 
  Hebrews.  It  is  estimated  at  220  English  grains,  or  a  little  more 
  than  half  an  ounce  avoirdupois.  The  "shekel  of  the  sanctuary" 
  (Ex.  30:13;  Num.  3:47)  was  equal  to  twenty  gerahs  (Ezek.  45:12). 
  There  were  shekels  of  gold  (1  Chr.  21:25),  of  silver  (1  Sam. 
  9:8),  of  brass  (17:5),  and  of  iron  (7).  When  it  became  a  coined 
  piece  of  money,  the  shekel  of  gold  was  equivalent  to  about  2 
  pound  of  our  money.  Six  gold  shekels,  according  to  the  later 
  Jewish  system,  were  equal  in  value  to  fifty  silver  ones. 
 
  The  temple  contribution,  with  which  the  public  sacrifices  were 
  bought  (Ex.  30:13;  2  Chr.  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  (Matt.  17:24, 
  27).  A  zuza,  or  quarter  of  a  shekel,  was  given  by  Saul  to  Samuel 
  (1  Sam.  9:8). 
 




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