Bible Unit and Measuremets Converted

What Is the Bible Unit and Measurement Converter?

The Bible frequently uses ancient units of measurement—cubits, talents, ephahs, and stadia—that can be confusing to modern readers. This Bible Measurement Converter allows you to instantly translate these biblical units into modern equivalents (feet, inches, pounds, grams, U.S. dollars, etc.).

Whether you’re studying scripture, preparing a sermon, or researching biblical history, this tool helps bring clarity to ancient measurements.

The default value is 1. However, you may enter other values and the totals will autopopulate.

I hope this converted makes your study easier! For instance, in the New Revised Standard Version we read In 1 Samuel 17:4, we read:

“And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.” (NRSV) So, one could click on distance (length), enter 6 and see that cubit populates 9 feet (imperial) and 2.74 meters. And one would enter 1 for span and see that it is 9 inches.

What is a Shekel in the Bible?

A shekel was both a weight and a coin in biblical times. As a weight, a shekel was about 11 grams (0.4 ounces), and as currency, it was primarily silver. For example, in Exodus 30:13, a half-shekel was the temple tax, and in Judges 17:10, a Levite was hired for ten shekels a year. Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver (Matthew 26:15), likely referring to 30 shekels—about four months' wages.

Did You Know?

💡 A shekel of gold was incredibly valuable—worth far more than a shekel of silver, just as today’s gold is far more valuable than silver.

What is a Talent in the Bible?

A talent was a massive unit of weight, approximately 75 pounds (34 kg), often used for measuring gold or silver. In Matthew 18:24, Jesus tells a parable about a servant who owed 10,000 talents—an astronomical debt, possibly billions in today’s dollars! A single talent of gold was incredibly valuable, which is why the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) is such a striking illustration of stewardship. Even the person who was given 1 talent was given 75 pounds of gold to manage!

Did You Know?

💡 King Solomon’s annual gold revenue was 666 talents (1 Kings 10:14), equal to nearly 50,000 pounds (22,700 kg) of gold!

How Far Was a Day’s Journey in the Bible?

A day’s journey was the distance a person could walk in a single day, typically about 20-25 miles (32-40 km). When Jesus' parents left Jerusalem, they traveled “a day’s journey” before realizing he was missing (Luke 2:44). The Israelites in the wilderness were sometimes told to move “a day’s journey” away from the camp when gathering manna (Numbers 11:31).

Did You Know?

💡 In ancient times, a camel caravan could travel up to 30 miles per day, whereas a single traveler would cover much less.

How Long is a Furlong in the Bible?

A furlong (Greek: stadion) was about 607 feet (185 meters)—roughly 1/8 of a mile. The distance from Jerusalem to Emmaus was 60 furlongs (Luke 24:13), which is about 7.5 miles (12 km)—the distance the two disciples walked before encountering the risen Christ.

Did You Know?

💡 Ancient Greek race tracks were often exactly one furlong long, which is why “stadion” also meant a running race! This is also related to how we got the word for “stadium”!

How Far is a Cubit?

A cubit was about 18 inches (45 cm)—the length from a man’s elbow to the tip of his fingers. It was used for building measurements, including Noah’s Ark (300 cubits long, Genesis 6:15) and Solomon’s Temple (60 cubits long, 1 Kings 6:2). The royal cubit (used in Egypt) was slightly longer at 20.5 inches (52 cm).

Did You Know?

💡 Goliath’s height was “six cubits and a span” (1 Samuel 17:4), making him over 9 feet tall!

What is a Denarius and What Was It Worth?

A denarius was a Roman silver coin worth one day’s wage for a laborer (Matthew 20:2). When the Pharisees tested Jesus about taxes, He asked for a denarius and pointed out Caesar’s image on it (Matthew 22:19-21). The denarius is a key reference point for biblical wages and costs.

Did You Know?

💡 The Good Samaritan paid two denarii to cover an injured man’s lodging (Luke 10:35)—which could have provided up to two days' worth of care!

What Exactly is a Widow’s Mite?

A mite (Greek: lepton) was the smallest and least valuable coin in Jesus’ time, worth 1/128 of a denarius. When Jesus praised the widow for giving “two mites” (Mark 12:42, Luke 21:2), He was highlighting her sacrificial generosity, as she gave all she had, even though it was practically worthless in monetary terms.

Did You Know?

💡 The widow’s two mites together were worth less than a single penny today.

How Much is a Mina?

A mina was a unit of weight and money, equal to 50 shekels or about 1.25 pounds (0.6 kg) of silver. In Jesus’ parable of the minas (Luke 19:11-27), the master gives his servants minas to invest—illustrating faithfulness in small things. In Ezekiel 45:12, the mina is set at 60 shekels instead of 50, showing variations in weight standards over time.

Did You Know?

💡 A mina of silver was worth about 3 months' wages for an average worker.

Quick Reference Table for Biblical Measurements

📌 Want to explore more biblical measurements? Use the converter above to calculate exact values! Bookmark this page for future reference, and share it with your Bible study group! 🙌