Lexical Summary maneh: Maneh, mina Original Word: מָנֶה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance maneh, pound From manah; properly, a fixed weight or measured amount, i.e. (techn.) A maneh or mina -- maneh, pound. see HEBREW manah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom manah Definition maneh, mina (a measure of weight or money) NASB Translation maneh (1), minas (4). Brown-Driver-Briggs מָנֶה noun masculine maneh, mina, a weight (perhaps originally a specific part; Late Hebrew id.; Assyrian manû DlHWB 417; Aramaic  , מַנְיָא); — ׳מ Ezekiel 45:12; מָנִים 1 Kings 10:17 3t.; = 50 shekels Ezekiel 45:12 (on חֲמִשִּׁים for חֲמִשָּׁה see Hi Co); of gold 1 Kings 10:17; of silver Ezra 2:69; Nehemiah 7:71,72. — The weight of the mina was 1/60 of talent; i.e. according to older (Babylonian) standard, 982.2 grammes (= 60 shekels at approximately 16.37 g.) = approximately 2 lbs.; in Ezekiel's time the mina = 50 shekels = 818.6 g. = approximately 1 3-Feblb. (compare כִּכָּר, שֶׁקֶל). See J. BenzArchaeology 187 ff.194NowArchaeology i. 208 f. Topical Lexicon Definition and Approximate Value מָנֶה (maneh, “mina”) designates a unit of weight and monetary value. Ancient sources place it near half a kilogram (about 1.25 pounds), typically reckoned as fifty or sixty shekels depending on the era and region. Because silver or gold could be weighed out by minas, the term functions both as a weight and as a sum of money. Royal Splendor under Solomon (1 Kings 10:17) The mina first appears in the Hebrew canon amid the wealth of King Solomon: “He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; three minas of gold went into each shield, and the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.” (1 Kings 10:17) Each ceremonial shield bore roughly a hundred fifty pounds of gold, underscoring the unmatched prosperity granted to Israel when the king walked in covenant faithfulness (1 Kings 9:4-5). The mina here measures not only luxury but also divine blessing, revealing that earthly riches are safest when devoted to the God who bestows them (Deuteronomy 8:18). Post-Exilic Generosity and Reconstruction (Ezra 2:69; Nehemiah 7:71-72) After the exile, the mina becomes a yardstick for sacrificial giving toward the Second Temple: “According to their ability they gave to the treasury for the work sixty-one thousand darics of gold, five thousand minas of silver, and one hundred priestly garments.” (Ezra 2:69) “Some of the heads of the families gave to the treasury for the work twenty thousand darics of gold and two thousand two hundred minas of silver.” (Nehemiah 7:71) The repeated stress on minas of silver highlights communal responsibility. No longer the opulence of a single monarch, these offerings emerge from a scattered remnant pooling resources to restore worship. The mina thus embodies covenant solidarity: hearts set on rebuilding the house of God regard silver as a tool for obedience rather than personal security (Haggai 1:2-8). Prophetic Standardization and Justice (Ezekiel 45:12) Within Ezekiel’s temple vision, the mina functions as a corrective to economic malpractice: “The shekel shall consist of twenty gerahs. Twenty shekels plus twenty-five shekels plus fifteen shekels equals one mina.” (Ezekiel 45:12) By prescribing exact conversions, the prophet anchors worship in honest commerce. Accurate weights are prerequisites for acceptable offerings; false balances would profane the sanctuary (Proverbs 11:1). Ezekiel’s mina links righteous measurement with eschatological purity, anticipating a kingdom where both liturgy and marketplace reflect God’s holiness. Theological Motifs 1. Stewardship: Whether adorning royal armor or funding temple walls, the mina reminds God’s people that material resources are entrusted for divine purposes (1 Chronicles 29:14). Ministry Applications • Financial discipleship should emphasize exactness and transparency, mirroring Ezekiel’s standard. Summary מָנֶה traces a theological arc from royal grandeur through communal sacrifice to prophetic reform. As a tangible measure of precious metal, it gauges the heart’s posture toward the Lord: riches displayed for His glory, pooled for His house, and weighed in integrity for His coming kingdom. Forms and Transliterations הַמָּנֶ֖ה המנה מָנִ֖ים מָנִ֣ים מָנִים֙ מנים ham·mā·neh hammaNeh hammāneh mā·nîm maNim mānîmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Kings 10:17 HEB: שָׁח֔וּט שְׁלֹ֤שֶׁת מָנִים֙ זָהָ֔ב יַעֲלֶ֖ה NAS: using three minas of gold on each KJV: gold; three pound of gold went INT: beaten three minas of gold using Ezra 2:69 Nehemiah 7:71 Nehemiah 7:72 Ezekiel 45:12 5 Occurrences |
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