בֶּקַע
a section (half) of ashekel, i.e. a beka (a weight and a coin)
Definition
The Hebrew word בֶּקַע (beqaʻ) refers to a specific unit of weight and currency in ancient Israel, equivalent to half a shekel. It was used primarily as a standard weight for precious metals, particularly silver, in commercial and religious contexts. In the Bible, the beka is explicitly mentioned as the weight of the gold nose ring given to Rebekah (Genesis 24:22) and as the half-shekel contribution required from each Israelite man in the census for the sanctuary (Exodus 38:26). This dual usage shows it functioned both in everyday trade and in sacred offerings.
Biblical Usage
בֶּקַע is used only twice in the Old Testament, both times in narrative contexts describing precise weights of valuable metals. In Genesis 24:22, it measures the gold given as a bridal gift, reflecting its role in personal wealth and transactions. In Exodus 38:26, it specifies the mandatory half-shekel temple tax collected from 603,550 men, demonstrating its use in a national religious obligation. The word appears exclusively in the Pentateuch, highlighting its early historical and legal significance.
Etymology
בֶּקַע derives from the root בָּקַע (bāqaʻ, H1234), meaning 'to split, cleave, or divide.' This root sense directly informs the noun's meaning as 'a half' or 'a section,' as the beka was literally a division of the shekel. The connection emphasizes the concept of a standard unit created by splitting a larger whole, fitting its function as half a shekel weight.
Semantic Range
The beka holds theological significance as it connects personal wealth with communal worship. Its use in Exodus 38:26 for the atonement money (Exodus 30:13-16) underscores the principle of equal contribution before God—each man, regardless of wealth, gave the same half-shekel for the sanctuary, symbolizing ransom and atonement. Understanding this specific weight enriches reading by highlighting God's concern for both precise obedience and equitable participation in His work.
In its original setting, the beka was a practical weight standard, part of a system without minted coins; value was measured by weighing metal. A beka of silver was a substantial amount, roughly 5 to 6 grams. Its appearance in Genesis shows it was an established weight long before the Exodus, used in patriarchal trade. The modern reader should understand this not as a coin but as a weight of bullion, central to ancient economics and religious dues.
sheqel (shekel, H8255) — the full unit, twice the weight of a beka; keseph (keseph, H3701) — the general term for silver, the material often weighed in bekas.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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