Luke 16:6

6 And he said, `A hundred measures of oil.' And he said to him, `Take thy bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.'

Luke 16:6 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 16:6

And he said an hundred measures of oil
Or "baths of oil", the same quantity as in ( Ezra 7:22 ) where Aben Ezra F9 calls them, (twdm) , "measures", as we do here; and Jarchi F11 observes, that they were, (twxnm lwlbl) , "to mingle with the meal, or flour offerings"; which illustrates the above observation, that they were for the temple service; and the bath was the measure of oil, as the ephah was of wheat F12; and they were both of the same quantity, ( Ezekiel 45:11 ) . According to Godwin F13 it held four gallons and a half; so that a hundred of them contained four hundred and fifty gallons; though some make the measure much larger. Some say the "bath" held six gallons, one pottle, and half a pint; and others, seven gallons, two quarts, and half a pint; and others, nine gallons, and three quarts.

Take thy bill,
or "writing"; which showed the bargain made for so many measures; and which acknowledged the receipt of them, and promised payment:

and sit down quickly;
for his case required haste;

and write fifty;
just half; that it might appear he had bought but fifty, and was accountable for no more.


FOOTNOTES:

F9 In Ezr. vii. 22.
F11 In ib.
F12 Kimchi in Ezek. xlv. 14.
F13 Moses & Aaron, l. 6. c. 9.

Luke 16:6 In-Context

4 I am resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.'
5 So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, `How much owest thou unto my lord?'
6 And he said, `A hundred measures of oil.' And he said to him, `Take thy bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.'
7 Then said he to another, `And how much owest thou?' And he said, `A hundred measures of wheat.' And he said unto him, `Take thy bill and write fourscore.'
8 And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely; for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.
Third Millennium Bible (TMB), New Authorized Version, Copyright 1998 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc., Gary, SD 57237. All rights reserved.