קְשִׂיטָה
𐤒𐤔𐤉𐤈𐤄
qᵉsîyṭâh
H7192 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A unit of value, often rendered as 'piece of money' or 'piece of currency,' likely referring to a specific weight or ingot of precious metal such as silver. The term frequently appears as a measure of compensation or purchase. The exact weight or form of the qesitah is uncertain, but it functioned as a form of currency in early Israelite transactions.
Semantic Range
piece of money, unit of value, weighed ingot, (possible) lamb (by later or alternate tradition), means of recompense or purchase
Root / Etymology
From the root קשט (not attested elsewhere in Hebrew), potentially related to weighing or measuring, but the precise derivation is uncertain. The term itself is known only in this nominal form; its verbal or adjectival forms do not appear in the Hebrew Bible.
Historical & Contextual Notes
קְשִׂיטָה appears in several narrative contexts (Genesis 33:19; Joshua 24:32; Job 42:11), always in the context of transaction or recompense, possibly indicating its use as a means of exchange in the patriarchal or early monarchic periods. The exact material, weight, and value remain unclear, as there is no definitive extrabiblical archaeological evidence specifying the nature of the qesitah. In translations, it is commonly rendered as 'piece of money,' 'lamb,' or transliterated. In some Septuagint traditions, it is translated as ἀμνός ('lamb'), perhaps reflecting an ancient tradition of barter or confusion over the word's origin. Later Jewish tradition also oscillated between a coin and an actual lamb in interpretation, but based on context and comparison with near eastern numismatic practices, most modern scholarship sees it as a pre-monetary unit of value, possibly a weighed ingot. Unlike later standardized coins (e.g., the shekel), the qesitah was not a minted coin but a tangible amount of precious metal agreed upon by weight.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root (probably meaning to weigh out); an ingot (as definitely estimated and stamped for a coin); piece of money (silver).
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
קשט (q-š-ṭ) — to weigh, measure, estimate
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7192-01 |
קְשִׂיטָֽה | qesitah | HNcfsa |
a piece of money | weighed silver-piece | a piece of currency | 3 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7192-01 |
Genesis 33:19 | קְשִׂיטָֽה | qesitah | HNcfsa |
pieces of money | weighed silver-piece | pieces of money |
H7192-01 |
Joshua 24:32 | קְשִׂיטָ֑ה | qesitah | HNcfsa |
pieces | weighed silver-piece | weighed silver-piece |
H7192-01 |
Job 42:11 | קְשִׂיטָ֣ה | qesitah | HNcfsa |
a piece of money | weighed silver-piece | a piece of currency |