What is a…
homer
Hebrew: חֹמֶר —transliteration: chomer —meaning: heap
In ancient Hebrew times, this is the largest of dry measures, containing about 8 bushels or 1 quarter English = 10 ephahs (Leviticus 27:16; Numbers 11:32) = a cor.
The people spent all day and all night and all the next day, and gathered the quail (he who gathered least gathered ten homers) and they spread them out for themselves all around the camp. —Numbers 11:32 NASB
…if a man consecrates to the Lord part of the fields of his own property, then your valuation shall be proportionate to the seed needed for it: a homer of barley seed at fifty shekels of silver. —Leviticus 27:16 NASB excerpt
The ephah and the bath shall be the same quantity, so that the bath will contain a tenth of a homer and the ephah a tenth of a homer; their standard shall be according to the homer. —Ezekiel 45:11
Half a homer
“Half a homer” is a grain measure mentioned only by the prophet Hosea.
So I bought her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a half of barley. —Hosea 3:2
Other means of the word homer
Note: In contexts not related to grain, such as construction, the same Hebrew root word is translated as…
- clay (ḥōmer, haḤōmer, baḤōmer, ḵaḤōmer, kəḤōmer, mêḤōmer, wəḵaḤōmer)
- mortar or cement (baḤōmer, bəḤōmer, laḤōmer)
- mud or mire (kəḤōmer, laḤōmer)
- heaps (ḥomārim)
More information
- What is an omer?
- What is an ephah?
- What is a cor?
- Biblical Weights and Measures