The Golden Lampstand (Menorah): design and symbolism
An in-depth look at the biblical menorah—its design, symbolism, and place in Israel’s worship. This article explores how the golden lampstand expressed creation, calling, and the enduring light of God, offering a clear and insightful guide for readers seeking to understand its meaning.
The Ten Commandments Tablets: Size and Material
A clear, grounded guide to the Ten Commandments tablets—their size, material, and place in Israel’s story. Drawing on Scripture, archaeology, and ancient covenant practice, this article explores what the tablets were, how they were made, and why they mattered for Israel’s life with God.
Where Is the Ark of the Covenant Today? History, Theories, and Biblical Meaning
Explore the dimensions, history, symbolism, and mystery of the Ark of the Covenant, including what the Bible says, what archaeologists propose, and why this sacred object still captures the world’s imagination.
When Was Jesus Born? Year, Date, and What the Bible Says
When was Jesus born? Explore the likely year, the historical clues in Scripture, and why December 25 became the traditional date for celebrating Jesus’s birth.
The Ark of Noah: Gopher Wood and Dimensions
Noah’s Ark was built of gopher wood, sealed with pitch, and measured 300 by 50 by 30 cubits. Learn about the Ark’s materials, design details, and how its construction reflects God’s provision and Noah’s obedience in the Genesis flood narrative.
How Big Was Noah’s Ark?
Noah’s Ark measured 300 by 50 by 30 cubits—about 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. Learn how big the Ark was, how ancient cubits worked, and what its size reveals about the Genesis flood narrative.
How Tall Was Goliath?
The Bible gives two measurements for Goliath’s height: six cubits and a span (about nine and a half feet) in the Masoretic Text, and four cubits and a span (about six foot seven) in the Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint. Learn how ancient measurements shape our understanding of Goliath’s stature.
How Much Did a Shekel Weigh?
A biblical shekel weighed about 11 grams, or roughly 0.4 ounces. Learn how the shekel functioned as a unit of weight, its role in trade and worship, and why this small measure mattered so much in the world of Scripture.
How Much Did a Talent Weigh?
A biblical talent weighed between 70 and 90 pounds, making it one of the largest ancient units of weight. Learn how heavy a talent was, why its value mattered, and how this measurement shapes the meaning of key passages such as the Parable of the Talents.
What is a Bushel in the Bible?
A bushel in the Bible refers to a household measuring basket used for grain, translated from the Greek modios. Learn its approximate size, role in daily life, and meaning in Jesus’ teaching about not hiding a lamp under a bushel.
What Was a Quart in the Bible?
A quart in the Bible is a modern approximation used in English translations to explain ancient measurements like the omer or the choinix. Learn how it relates to biblical units and why translators use it to clarify Scripture’s everyday quantities.
What is a Pound in the Bible?
A biblical pound refers to the Greek mina, a substantial unit of weight and value used in the New Testament. Learn its meaning, worth, and role in Jesus’ Parable of the Ten Pounds and in daily life of the ancient world.
What is a Drachma in the Bible?
A drachma in the Bible was a Greek silver coin similar in value to a Roman denarius. Learn its meaning, value, and significance in Jesus’ Parable of the Lost Coin and in daily life of the New Testament world.
What is a Denarius in the Bible?
A denarius in the Bible was a common Roman silver coin and the typical wage for a day’s labor. Learn its meaning, value, and role in Jesus’ teachings and daily life in the New Testament.
Who Were the Magi?
Who were the Magi in the Bible? Explore the identity, gifts, and meaning of the wise men from the East who visited Jesus, and what their story teaches us today.
What is a Stater in the Bible?
A stater in the Bible is a Greek silver coin worth four drachmas. Learn how the stater explains the temple tax story in Matthew 17:24 to 27 and the economic life of the New Testament era.
What is a Beka in the Bible?
A beka in the Bible is a small Hebrew weight equal to half a shekel or about five to seven grams. Learn how the beka shaped offerings, fairness, and shared responsibility in ancient Israel.
What is a Mina in the Bible?
A mina in the Bible is an ancient weight equal to fifty shekels or about one and a quarter pounds of silver. Learn how the mina shaped offerings, trade, and Jesus’ teaching on stewardship.
What is a Gerah in the Bible?
A gerah in the Bible is the smallest Hebrew weight equal to one twentieth of a shekel or about half a gram. Learn how the gerah shaped offerings, vows, and economic fairness in ancient Israel.
What is an Omer in the Bible
An omer in the Bible is a Hebrew dry measure equal to one tenth of an ephah, or about two liters. Learn how the omer shaped stories of manna, worship, and first fruits offerings in ancient Israel.