How much is a biblical measure of barley?

Barley is one of the oldest cultivated grains in the world, and it has played a significant role in many cultures and religions throughout history. In the biblical context, barley is often mentioned as a key food source, especially in the Old Testament. But just how much is a biblical measure of barley?

In the Bible, the Hebrew term for a measure of barley is the “omer.” The omer was a unit of dry measure used in ancient Israel, and it was equivalent to about 2.3 liters or approximately 0.6 gallons. The exact measurement of the omer varied slightly in different periods and regions, but it was generally used to measure grain and other dry goods.

One of the most well-known references to the omer of barley in the Bible is found in the book of Exodus. In Exodus 16:36, it states, “Now an omer is the tenth part of an ephah.” This suggests that an omer is one-tenth of an ephah, which was another unit of dry measure used in ancient Israel. The ephah was a larger unit, approximately equivalent to about 22.7 liters or approximately 6 gallons.

Another important reference to the omer of barley is found in the book of Leviticus. In Leviticus 23:10-11, it states, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land that I give you and reap its harvest, you shall bring the sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest, and he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, so that you may be accepted. On the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it.” This passage refers to the offering of the firstfruits of the barley harvest, which was to be presented to the priest as an offering to the Lord.

The omer of barley was also used as a measurement for the daily provision of manna that the Israelites received while wandering in the wilderness. In Exodus 16:16-18, it states, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an omer according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent.’ And the people of Israel did so…And when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat.”