CIRCUMFERENCE

The circumference of thirty cubits is evidently a round figure, for more precisely it would be 31.4 cubits. In this regard, one Bible commentary contains the following information: “Up to the time of Archimedes [third century B.C.E.), the circumference of a circle was always measured in straight lines by the radius; and Hiram would naturally describe the sea as thirty cubits round, measuring it, as was then invariably the practice, by its radius, or semidiameter, of five cubits, which being applied six times round the perimeter, or ‘brim,’ would give the thirty cubits stated. There was evidently no intention in the passage but to give the dimensions of the Sea in the usual language that every one would understand, measuring the circumference in the way in which all skilled workers, like Hiram, did measure circles at that time. He, of course, must however have known perfectly well, that as the polygonal hexagon thus inscribed by the radius was thirty cubits, the actual curved circumference would be somewhat more.” Thus, it appears that the ratio of three to one (that is, the circumference being three times the diameter) was a customary way of stating matters, intended to be understood as only approximate.

OF COPPER

The copper sea was decorated with “gourd-shaped ornaments” and had as its base twelve figures of bulls, facing north, south, east and west in groups of three. The brim of the sea resembled a lily blossom. Since the thickness of this large vessel was a “handbreadth [about 2.9 inches or 7.4 centimeters]” it may well have weighed in the neighborhood of thirty tons [c. 27 metric tons]. (1 Ki. 7:24-26) This huge quantity of copper came from the supplies King David had obtained in his conquests in Syria. (1 Chron. 18:6-8) The casting was done in a clay mold in the region of the Jordan and was indeed a remarkable feat.—1 Ki. 7:44-46.

CAPACITY

The account at 1 Kings 7:26 refers to the sea as ‘containing two thousand bath measures,’ whereas the parallel account at 2 Chronicles 4:5 speaks of it as ‘containing three thousand bath measures.’ Some claim that the difference is the result of a scribal error in the Chronicles account. However, while the Hebrew verb meaning “contain” in each case is the same, there is a measure of latitude allowable in translating it. Thus some translations render 1 Kings 7:26 to read that the vessel “held” or “would contain” two thousand bath measures, and translate 2 Chronicles 4:5 to read that it “had a capacity of” or “could hold” or “could contain” three thousand bath measures. (AT, JB, NW) This allows for the understanding that the Kings account sets forth the amount of water customarily stored in the receptacle while the Chronicles account gives the actual capacity, brim-full, of the vessel.

There is evidence that the “bath measure” anciently equaled about 5.8 gallons (22 liters), so that, if kept at two-thirds capacity, the sea would normally hold around 11,600 gallons (44,000 liters) of water. For it to have had the capacity indicated it must not have had straight sides, but, instead, the sides below the rim or lip must have been curved, giving the vessel a bulbous shape. A vessel having such shape and having the dimensions stated earlier could contain up to 17,430 gallons (66,000 liters). Josephus, Jewish historian of the first century C.E., describes the sea as “hemispherical.” (Antiquities of the Jews, Book VIII, chap. III, par. 5) Josephus also indicates that the sea’s location was between the altar of burnt offering and the temple building, somewhat toward the S.—Ibid., par. 6.

Additional to the copper sea there were ten smaller copper basins resting on carts and these were evidently filled from the copper sea. (1 Ki. 7:38, 39) Rabbinical tradition is that the sea was equipped with faucets. The ten basins were used for washing certain sacrifices and likely for other cleansing work, but “the sea was for the priests to wash in it.” (2 Chron. 4:6) Some rabbis have held that the priests completely immersed themselves in the water of the copper sea, while Josephus says it was “for washing the hands and the feet of the priests.” (Antiquities of the Jews, Book VIII, chap. III, par. 6) Whatever the procedure, the copper sea is associated with priestly cleansing.

IN PROPHECY

This doubtless provides the key for understanding the references in the book of Revelation to the “glassy sea” seen before the throne of God in the apostle John’s vision. (Rev. 4:6; 15:2) It was “like crystal,” hence evidently having transparent sides (compare Revelation 21:18, 21) so that the contents could be seen. Those standing by it, persons victorious over the “wild beast” and its “image,” correspond to those “called and chosen and faithful” ones described at Revelation 17:14; 20:4-6. These serve as “priests of God and of the Christ” and as kings with Christ during his thousand-year rule. (Compare 1 Peter 2:9.) The position of this priestly class next to the “glassy sea” before God’s throne calls to mind the apostle’s reference to the Christian congregation’s being ‘cleansed with the bath of water by means of the word.’ (Eph. 5:25-27) Jesus also spoke of the cleansing power of the word of God that he proclaimed. (John 15:3) The ‘mingling of fire’ (Rev. 15:2) with the watery contents of the sea undoubtedly relates to judgments of God, for fire is frequently used in this connection and God himself is described as a “consuming fire” toward those rejecting his divine will.—Heb. 12:25, 29.

The symbolism of the “glassy sea” in John’s vision thus illustrates Paul’s inspired explanation that the earthly tabernacle and temple with their equipment and priestly functions served as patterns of heavenly things. (Compare Hebrews 8:4, 5; 9:9, 11, 23, 24; 10:1.) As to the significance of the figures of bulls on which the copper sea of Solomon’s temple rested, see BULL.

MONEY

A medium of exchange. Anciently, livestock often figured in barter, that is, the exchange of one item for another and evidently the oldest method for making a business transaction. indicative of this is the fact that the Latin word for money (pecunia) is drawn from pecus, meaning “cattle.” However, livestock (Gen. 47:17) and foodstuffs (1 Ki. 5:10, 11) were not always convenient mediums of exchange. Therefore metals such as gold and silver came to be used. As early as Abraham’s time precious metals served as money. But this was not standard coined money. It consisted of silver and gold, doubtless molded for convenience into bars, rings, bracelets or other standard shapes having a specific weight. (Compare Genesis 24:22; Joshua 7:21.) Often the metal objects were weighed by the individuals concerned when payment was made.—Gen. 23:15, 16; Jer. 32:10.

As business transactions involved weighing, understandably designations of weights were also monetary designations. (See WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.) Among the Israelites there were five main divisions: the gerah, half shekel (bekah), shekel, maneh (mina) and talent. (Ex. 25:39; 30:13; 38:25, 26; 1 Ki. 10:17; Ezek. 45:12; see GERAH; MINA; SHEKEL; TALENT.) Their relationship and comparative modern values in gold and silver are set forth below. (Gold is calculated at $35.115 per ounce troy and silver at $1.293 per ounce troy; the ancient ratio of gold to silver, however, is considered to be 1 to 13.)

Gold Silver

1 gerah = 1/20 shekel $ .64 $ .0237

1 bekah = 10 gerahs 6.44 .237

1 shekel = 2 bekahs 12.89 .475

1 maneh = 50 shekels 644.35 23.73

1 talent = 60 manehs 38,661.00 1,423.59

The value of the “piece(s) of money” (Hebrew, q^esi·tahʹ) mentioned at Genesis 33:19; Joshua 24:32 and Job 42:11 cannot be definitely established. Likewise the value of the pim is uncertain. It may have been about two-thirds of a shekel.—1 Sam. 13:21; see PIM.

COINS IN THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES

It is commonly believed that the first coins were struck about 700 B.C.E. So the Israelites probably first used coins in their homeland after returning from exile in Babylon. Postexilic Bible books refer to the Persian daric (1 Chron. 29:7; Ezra 8:27) and the dar·kemohnʹ (drachma), which is generally equated with the daric. (Ezra 2:69; Neh. 7:70-72) The Persian gold daric weighed about .27 ounce troy (8.4 grams) and is therefore presently evaluated at $9.48.—See DARIC; DRACHMA.

MONEY IN THE CHRISTIAN GREEK SCRIPTURE PERIOD

The lepton (Jewish, copper or bronze), quadrans (Roman, copper or bronze), ass or assarion (Greek, copper or bronze), denarius (Roman, silver), drachma (Greek, silver), didrachma (Greek, silver) and the stater (Greek, silver; considered by many to be the tetradrachma of Antioch or Tyre) are coins specifically mentioned in the Christian Greek Scriptures. (Matt. 5:26; 10:29; 17:24, 27; 20:10; Mark 12:42; Luke 12:6, 59; 15:8; 21:2, Kingdom Interlinear Translation; see DENARIUS; STATER.) The much larger monetary values known as minas and talents were weights, not coins. (Matt. 18:24; Luke 19:13-25) The chart that follows shows the relationship between the various monetary units and converts into modern terms the approximate values current in the Christian Greek Scripture period.

Modern Value

1 lepton = ¹⁄₂ quadrans $ .00125

1 quadrans = 2 lepta .0025

1 ass (assarion) = 4 quadrans .01

1 denarius = 16 asses .16

1 drachma = c. 1 denarius .14

1 didrachma = 2 drachmas .28

1 tetradrachma = 4 drachmas .56

(stater, thought to be the same as tetradrachma)

1 mina (silver) = 100 drachmas 14.094

1 talent (silver) = 60 minas 845.64

1 talent (gold) 22,965.21

PURCHASING POWER

Modern values for ancient money do not give a true picture of its worth. The Bible, however, provides some indication of purchasing power and this is helpful in understanding ancient values. In the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry agricultural laborers commonly received a denarius for a twelve-hour workday. (Matt. 20:2) It may be assumed that in the Hebrew Scripture period wages were about the same. If so, a silver shekel would be the equivalent of three days’ wages.

The price of a slave was thirty silver shekels (ninety days’ wages?). (Ex. 21:32; compare Leviticus 27:2-7.) Hosea the prophet purchased a woman for fifteen silver pieces and one and a half homers (15 ephahs) of barley. Likely this payment constituted the full price for a slave. If so, an ephah (.62 bushel; 22 liters) of barley was then worth one shekel.—Hos. 3:2.

In times of scarcity prices rose sharply. The eighty silver pieces (240 days’ wages?) that at one time might have bought eight homers (49.6 bushels; 1,760 liters) of barley would, in time of siege, only procure the thinly fleshed head of an ass, an animal unfit for food according to the terms of the Mosaic law.—2 Ki. 6:25; compare Hosea 3:2.

In the first century C.E. two sparrows cost an assarion (45 minutes’ wages) and five sparrows could be obtained for double this price. (Matt. 10:29; Luke 12:6) The contribution of the needy widow was even less, a mere two lepta (1 quadrans) or a sixty-fourth of a day’s wages. Yet Christ Jesus commended her giving as being greater than that of those who had donated much, as she had contributed, not part of her surplus, but “all of what she had, her whole living.” (Mark 12:42-44; Luke 21:2-4) The annual temple tax paid by the Jews was two drachmas or a didrachma (about two days’ wages). (Matt. 17:24) As a drachma was the equivalent of about a day’s wages, a woman might reasonably sweep her whole house and diligently search for a lost drachma coin.—Luke 15:8, 9.

Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, evidently the price of a slave. (Matt. 26:14-16, 47-50) No doubt these silver pieces were either shekels or other coins similar in value. But the kind of coin is not specified in the account, except for their being silver.

MONEY CAN BE BOTH BENEFICIAL AND HARMFUL

Money provides a defense against poverty and its attendant troubles, enabling persons to procure both necessities and luxuries. (Compare Ecclesiastes 7:12; 10:19.) For this reason the possibility exists of a person’s beginning to trust in money as security and to forget his Creator. (Compare Deuteronomy 8:10-14.) “The love of money [literally^, fondness of silver] is a root of all sorts of injurious things, and by reaching out for this love some have been led astray from the faith and have stabbed themselves all over with many pains” (1 Tim. 6:10) For money, persons have perverted justice, prostituted themselves, committed murder, betrayed others and falsified the truth.—Deut. 16:19; 23:18; 27:25; Ezek. 22:12; Matt. 26:14, 15; 28:11-15.

On the other hand, the proper use of money is approved by God. (Luke 16:1-9) This includes contributing toward the advancement of pure worship and giving material assistance to those in need. (Compare 2 Chronicles 24:4-14; Romans 12:13; 1 John 3:17, 18; see CONTRIBUTION; GIFTS OF MERCY.) Although much good can thus be done with money, the most valuable things, spiritual food and drink, eternal life itself, can be obtained without it.—Isa. 55:1, 2; Rev. 22:17.

MONEY CHANGER

One whose function included the exchange of one currency for that of another and coins of one value for those of another value. For each such transaction the money changer received a certain fee. Other services mentioned in the Jewish Mishnah as being provided by money changers were the safekeeping of money and the payment of wages upon the presentation of drafts.

In the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry the annual temple tax was two drachmas (a didrachma). (Matt. 17:24) As Jews from widely scattered lands came to Jerusalem for the celebration of the Passover and paid this tax then, the services of money changers may have been needed to exchange foreign currency for money that would be acceptable for payment of the temple tax, if not also the purchase of sacrificial animals and other items. According to the Mishnah, on the fifteenth of Adar or about a month before Passover the money changers set up for business in the provinces. But on the twenty-fifth of Adar, when Jews and proselytes from many other lands would be arriving at Jerusalem, the money changers established themselves in the temple area.

It was at the temple that Jesus Christ on two occasions overturned the tables of the money changers and condemned them for having made the temple into a “house of merchandise” or a “cave of robbers.” (John 2:13-16; Matt. 21:12, 13; Mark 11:15-17) This may imply that Jesus regarded the fees of the money changers as exorbitant. In this regard it is noteworthy that there were times when great profits were made on the sale of sacrificial animals. The Mishnah