Bible Encyclopedias
Didrachm

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Greek δίδραχμον, Lat. didrachma — double drachma, "tribute," Matthew 17:24), a silver coin equal to two Attic drachmae, and also to the Jewish half shekel (Joseph. Ant. 3, 8, 2). It was therefore equivalent to about Isaiah 4 d. sterling, or 30 cents. (See DRAM); (See STATER).

By the law every Jew was required to pay half a shekel to the Temple (Exodus 30:13 sq.), and this amount is represented by the didrachma in Matthew 17:24, where it is used for the "tribute-money" demanded of Christ (compare Josephus, Ant. 18:9, 1). The Septuagint everywhere renders the "shekel" of the Old Testament by didrachma; but a the Attic drachma was equal to only half a shekel, it seems from this probable that the drachma of Alexandria was equal to two Attic drachmae, or one of Egina. See Frentz, De didrachmis a Christo solutis (Vitebh 1737); Schmidt, id. (Argent. 1701; Lips. 1757; also in his Dispp. p. 796-863); Leisner, Illustratio loci Matthew (Fridericopol. 1794); Paulus, Erwerbungsmittel des Stater (in his Theol. Journ. 1795, p. 859-73, 931-45). (See TRIBUTE).