Exodus 38

Exodus 38:8

Looking-glasses] Looking-glasses made not of Glasses, whereof we have no record in Scripture; but rather of steele, or of brasse which was much refined, as Ezra VIII. 27. and of much use; and specially for armour inwarre, as Virgil often mentions.

Exodus 38:24

Talents. Shekels] Shekel comes from Shakal, to weigh; And thence may our English word scale come. A Shekel Isaiah 20. Gerahs, Exod. XXX. 13. Ezek.

XLV. 12. or two Bekahs, Exod. XXXVIII. 26. The Shekel is half an ounce in silver, or 2 s. 6d. And so the Gerah, 1 d. ob. and the Bekah 1 s. 3 d. The Talent Isaiah 3000 Shekels; which appears thus in the Text; The 603550 men are taxed at a Bekah a piece. This makes 301775 Shekels.

Now reckoning 3000 Shekels to a Talent; The 301775 Shekels make up 100 Talents, and 1775 Shekels; according to the summe there specified, v. 25, 27, 28. And counting the Shekel at 2 s. 6d, the Talent so comes to 375 l. starling. The Shekel of gold was of the same weight with that of silver; but of farre greater value; of ten to one with the Jewes, as may be gathered out of 1 Chron. XXII. 14. And so their Shekel of gold comes to 1 l. 5 s. their Talent of Gold comes to 3750. l. But gold now in Christendome is at an higher rate.

By silverings, as, 2 Sam. XVIII. 11, 12. Matth. XXVI. 15. usually Shekels are understood. See the Annotations on Ezek. IV. 10.

And on Esther III. 9.