Convert Talent (Biblical Hebrew) (talent (H)) to Bekan (Biblical Hebrew) (bekan) instantly.
About these units
Talent (Biblical Hebrew) (talent (H))
The Hebrew talent was a very large mass unit, typically estimated around 34–36 kilograms, though exact values varied by period and region. It represented an enormous economic value—equivalent to years of wages for a common laborer—and was primarily used for measuring gold and silver in royal and temple contexts. Talents appear frequently in Biblical texts, often symbolizing wealth, tribute, or divine offerings. Their usage suggests a sophisticated economic system capable of handling large-scale trade and taxation. Because talents were too heavy for ordinary transactions, they were divided into 60 minas, which were further subdivided into shekels. Modern biblical scholars rely heavily on talent estimates to translate ancient economic references into contemporary terms.
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.