An ancient Hebrew unit of dry measure used for grain and flour, approximately equivalent to a modern bushel or about 22 liters.
From Hebrew 'ephah' (אֵיפָה), a standardized measurement unit used throughout ancient Mesopotamia and the Levant. The term appears frequently in the Hebrew Bible and was maintained as a reference measure even after the adoption of Greco-Roman measurement systems.
The ephah shows up in the Biblical story of Ruth—when Boaz gives her an ephah of barley, it's not just random generosity; it's an enormous, almost shocking amount that signals his serious intentions and tremendous wealth.
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