Convert Bekan (Biblical Hebrew) (bekan) to Talent (Biblical Greek) (talent (G)) instantly.
About these units
Bekan (Biblical Hebrew) (bekan)
The bekan (or beka) is a half-shekel unit, approximately 5.6 grams. It appears in the Hebrew Bible as the required contribution for the census tax, symbolizing equality among contributors regardless of wealth. As a practical unit, the beka was useful for small-scale offerings, jewelry, and silverwork. Its precise half-shekel value made it easy to incorporate into the larger Hebrew weight structure. The bekan highlights how weights were intertwined with religious observance and communal obligations in ancient Israelite society.
Talent (Biblical Greek) (talent (G))
The Greek talent was far heavier than the Hebrew one, typically around 26 kilograms, depending on the city-state. It was the principal unit of mass for large sums in trade, tribute, and taxation. In classical Athens, a talent represented extraordinary wealth, often used to quantify state revenues or military expenses. It also appears in the New Testament, where it symbolizes substantial value. The Greek talent was divided into 60 minae, each of which subdivided further into drachmae.