The shekels of the Sanctuary were of two stamps. The one was always in use among the Jews: the thirty pieces of silver which Judas received, are thought to be 30 shekels of the Sanctuary. It had stampt on the one side, the pot of Manna, or as others think, Aarons censer or Incense-cup: the inscription on this side was שקל ישראל Shekel Israel, The shekel of Israel: on the reverse side was stampt Aarons Rod budding, with this inscription about the Coyn ירושלים הקדושה Jeruschalaiim hakeduscha. After the coming of our Saviour, the Jews which were converted to the Christian Faith, changed their shekel,[792] and on the first side stampt the Image of Christ, with יש at the mouth of the Image, and ו in the pole, which three letters made his name Jesu. On the reverse side there was no picture, but the whole rundle was filled with this inscription, משיח מלך בא בשלום ואור מאדם עשוי חי (i.) Messias rex venit cum pace, & lux de homine facta est vita. In some Coyns, for the latter clause of that inscription is read אדם עשוי אלהים (i.) Deus homo est factus.
[792] Alsted præcog. Theol. p. 550.
The King’s shekel, in David and Solomon’s time, had stampt on the one side, a kind of a Tower standing between ירו and שלם, and underneath was עיר הקדש. The whole inscription was, Jerusalem urbs sanctitatis: On the reverse side, the rundle was filled with this Hebrew, דוד המלך ובנו שלמה המלך (i.) David rex, & filius ejus Solomon rex.
The shekel again was divided into lesser Coyns, which had their denomination from the parts thereof. Thus we read of the half shekels, Exod. 30. 13. The third part of a shekel, Nehem. 10. 32. The quarter of a shekel, 1 Sam. 9. 8.
Their Gold Coyns.
זהב Zahab. The English reads it, a piece of gold, 2 Kin. 5. 5. By it is meant, that which elsewhere is called Siclus auri, a shekel of gold, 1 Chron. 21. 25. Hence the one thousand seven hundred pieces of gold mentioned, Judg. 8. 26. the Greek renders 1700, shekels of gold.[793] The weight of this Coyn was two attick drams,[794] the value 15 s.
[793] Σίκλοι χίλιοι, &c.
[794] Breerwood de nummis.
אדרכון Adarcon, of this we read, Esra 8. 27. It was also called דרכמון Drachmon, of which we read Esra 2. 69. Both these names seem to denote the same coyn; if not, yet both were of the same weight. The Greek interprets them both by δραχμὴ, and our English accordingly renders both, a dram, which must be understood of the drams in use among the Hebrews, weighing two Attick drams. From the Greek δραχμὴ, Drachmon seemeth to have had its name. He conjectureth not amiss, who thinketh[795] that Adarcon was so called, quasi Daricon, which was a certain coyn of gold in use among the Persians and from King Darius (whose Image one side thereof bore) was named Daricon, and א amongst the Chaldæans, is often prefixed before a word, as ה is amongst the Hebrews. The value of this Coyn was of ours 15 s.
[795] Breerwood de nummis.