Ezra 8:26

26 I even weighed to their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and silver vessels a hundred talents, [and] of gold a hundred talents;

Ezra 8:26 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 8:26

I even weighed unto their hand six hundred fifty talents of
silver
Which, according to Scheuchzer ^F1 amount to 975,000 imperials, and, of our money, 2,229,450 pounds sterling: and silver vessels one hundred talents; which came to 35,300 pounds, or 50,000 imperials; according to Jarchi, there were one hundred vessels, and every vessel weighed a talent, and so Aben Ezra, which, with Brerewood {b}, was three hundred and seventy five pounds:

and of gold one hundred talents;
which, according to Scheuchzer ^F3, were equal to 1,222,000 ducats of gold; the value of gold now is above 14 and a 3d to the value of silver, by which may be judged the difference between one hundred talents of gold and one hundred talents of silver; according to David de Pomis ^F4, there were two sorts of talents; common talents, which weighed sixty pounds, and the talent of the sanctuary, which weighed double to that.

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 Physica Sacra, vol. 4. p. 651.
F2 De Pond. & Pret. Vet. Num. c. 4.
F3 Ut supra. (Physica Sacra, vol. 4. p. 651.)
F4 Tzemach David, fol. 57. 3.

Ezra 8:26 In-Context

24 Then I separated twelve of the chief of the priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them,

25 And weighed to them the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, [even] the offering of the house of our God, which the king, and his counselors, and his lords, and all Israel [there] present, had offered:

26 I even weighed to their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and silver vessels a hundred talents, [and] of gold a hundred talents;

27 Also twenty basins of gold, of a thousand drams; and two vessels of fine copper, precious as gold.

28 And I said to them, Ye [are] holy to the LORD; the vessels [are] holy also; and the silver and the gold [are] a free-will-offering to the LORD God of your fathers.