Their measures of capacity, termed Mensuræ capacitatis, were of two sorts; some for dry things as Corn, Seed, &c. Some for liquid things, as Wine, Oyl, &c. In both, that there might be a just proportion observed, all their measures were designed by a set number of Hens eggs-shells of a middle size.
In my parallelling of them with our measures, where I speak of Bushels, half Bushels, Pecks, &c. I am to be understood according to Winchester measure, as we phrase it: such a bushel contained eight gallons. Where I speak of gallons, pottles, quarts, &c. I am to be understood according to our Ale-measure, thereby I avoid fractions of number.
קב, Kab, Kabus, a Kab.[770] This contained twenty four eggs, it held proportion with our Quart. The least measure mentioned in Scripture, is the fourth part of a Kab, 2 Kings 6. 25. The famine in Samaria was so great, that a fourth part of a Kab of Doves dung was sold for five pieces of silver. The Rabbines have a Proverb, that ten Kabs of speech descended into the world, and the women took away nine of them.[771]
[770] Arias Mont. Thubal Cain.
[771] עשרה קבין שיחה ירדו לעולם תשעה נטלו נשים Vid. Buxtorf. Lexic. in חיה
עמר Omer. It contained[772] one Kab and an half, and a fifth part of a Kab, that is, three pints and a half pint, and a fifth part of an half pint. It was the tenth part of an Ephah, Exod. 16. 36.
[772] Alsted. præcog. theol. l. 2. p. 588.
סאה Seah, σάτον, a Satum; The Latine Interpreters commonly render it by Modius. It contained[773] six Kabs, that is a Gallon and half. We translate the word in general, a measure: To morrow this time, a measure (that is, a Satum) of fine flower shall be sold for a Shekel, 2 Kings 7. 1.
[773] Vide Buxtorf. Lexic. in קבב ex opere R. Alphes. tractat. de Pasch. chap. 5. fol. 176.
אפה Ephah. It contained[774] three Sata, that is, half a bushel, and a pottle.