Bible Encyclopedias
Shekel
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
shek ´' 50 , shek´el , shē´kel , shē´kul ( שׁקל , sheḳel ): A weight and a coin. The Hebrew shekel was the 50th part of a mina, and as a weight about 224 grains, and as money (silver) was worth about 2 shillings 9d., or 66 cents (in 1915). No gold shekel has been found, and hence, it is inferred that such a coin was not used; but as a certain amount of gold, by weight, it is mentioned in 2 Chronicles 3:9 and is probably intended to be supplied in 2 Kings 5:5 . The gold shekel was 1/60 of the heavy Babylonian mina and weighed about 252 grains. In value it was about equal to 2 British pounds and 1 shilling, or about .00 (in 1915). See MONEY; WEIGHTS AND MEASURES . In the Revised Version (British and American) of Matthew 17:27 "shekel" replaces "piece of money" of the King James Version, the translation of στατήρ , statḗr . See STATER .
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Bibliography Information
Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. Entry for 'Shekel'. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/isb/s/shekel.html. 1915.