Introduction

Translators who make use of tables of equivalents from more than one reference book may be confused when they notice that different books sometimes give different values for the same biblical units. However, this only shows that there is some uncertainty about some of the units. In the case of these particular units, each translator will have to decide which value he will base his translation on. Here it is probably best to stick to what is recommended by one reliable reference book for the whole range of biblical weights and measures. (In most instances the variation between the values given in different books is not significant as far as the main meaning of the text is concerned.)

If a translation retains the original terms, then it should supply footnotes and/or tables so the reader can understand them. In common-language translations, where the terms are converted in the text into modern equivalents it may not be necessary to include a table of coins or weights and measures. This is true even of study editions based on a common-language translation. You will notice in the lists which follow that most weights, measures, and monetary units appear relatively few times in the Bible. Of the approximately forty-five items that are listed below, only five appear in more than ten places and only eight in more than five places. This means that most items can be annotated every time they appear, while those few items that occur more often can be discussed in a glossary.