Bible Encyclopedias
Kikkar

The 1901 Jewish Encyclopedia

1. The central and more extensive part of the Jordan valley, referred to in Genesis 13:10,12; 19:17,25,28,29; Deuteronomy 34:3; 2 Samuel 18:23; 1 Kings 7:46; 2 Chronicles 4:17; Ezekiel 47:8. At a later period Kikkar may have included the neighborhood of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 3:22, 12:28 [A. V. "plain," "plain country"]; see Buhl, "Geographie des Alten Palästina"; Driver, "Commentary on Deuteronomy," 34:3; Hastings, "Dict. Bible," s.; Ridgeway, "Origin of Metallic Currency").
2. Talent (apparently the "gaggaru" of the El-Amarna tablets; in Greek, τάλεαντον), a Babylonian denomination of weight = 60 minas = 3,600 shekels; the heavy talent weighing about 130 lbs. avdp., and the light, about 65 lbs. avdp. As a medium of exchange among the ancient Hebrews, for which purpose both gold and silver were used, the heavy gold talent contained 758,000 grs. troy, or about 103 lbs.; the light contained 397,000 grs. troy, or a little over 54 1/7 lbs. The heavy silver talent contained 673,500 grs. troy, or about 96⅕ lbs. avdp., and the light, 336,750 grs., or about 48 3/28; lbs. avdp. The Mishnaic contained 315,000 grs., or 45 lbs.