Ephah
/ˈiːfə/noun
An ancient Hebrew unit of dry measure, roughly equal to a bushel.
Did you know?An ephah was a standard grain measure in ancient Israel, and its exact size varied over time, but it became so culturally important that it appears repeatedly in biblical law and prophecy.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Hebrew
Hebrew
אֵיפָה (ʾēfāh)
“A unit of dry measure for grain and flour.”
Ancient Near East
Semitic
*ʾēp̄āh / *ʾipāh
“A traditional measure of capacity used in trade and household life.”
Septuagint Era
Greek
ἐφά (ephá)
“The Hebrew measure rendered into Greek biblical texts.”
Latin Vulgate
Latin
epha
“A biblical measure of grain.”
Middle English
English
epha
“A scriptural unit of measure, preserved in biblical translation.”
Modern English
English
ephah
“A historical biblical unit of dry measure.”