A "seah" is an ancient Hebrew unit of dry measure used in the Bible, primarily in the context of grain and other dry goods. The term "seah" appears in several Old Testament passages, providing insight into the daily life and economic practices of ancient Israel. The seah is part of a system of measurements that includes other units such as the ephah and the omer.

Biblical References:

1. Genesis 18:6 · In this passage, Abraham instructs Sarah to prepare bread for their divine visitors: "So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, 'Quick, prepare three seahs of fine flour, knead it, and bake some bread.'" . This reference highlights the seah as a measure of flour used in hospitality, reflecting the cultural importance of generosity and service.

2. 1 Samuel 25:18 · Abigail, in her effort to appease David, prepares a generous offering: "Then Abigail hurried and took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs of roasted grain, a hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and loaded them on donkeys." . Here, the seah is used to quantify roasted grain, indicating its role in substantial provisions.

3. 2 Kings 7:1 · The prophet Elisha prophesies a miraculous provision during a famine: "Elisha replied, 'Hear the word of the LORD. This is what the LORD says: About this time tomorrow at the gate of Samaria, a seah of fine flour will sell for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel.'" . This prophecy underscores the seah as a unit of commerce and the divine intervention in economic affairs.

Measurement and Conversion:

The seah is traditionally understood to be approximately one-third of an ephah. While exact modern equivalents can vary, a seah is often estimated to be about 7.3 liters or roughly 1.9 gallons. This makes it a significant quantity for household and commercial use in ancient times.

Cultural and Religious Significance:

The use of the seah in biblical narratives often accompanies themes of hospitality, provision, and divine intervention. The measure is frequently associated with acts of kindness and generosity, as seen in the accounts of Abraham and Abigail. Additionally, the prophetic use of the seah in 2 Kings 7:1 illustrates the belief in God's ability to provide abundantly, even in dire circumstances.

The seah, as a unit of measure, reflects the agrarian lifestyle of ancient Israel, where grain and other dry goods were central to sustenance and trade. Its presence in Scripture provides a window into the daily life and spiritual values of the biblical world, emphasizing the importance of faith, provision, and community.

Jehoram Succeeds Jehoshaphat; How Joram, his Namesake, King of ...
... promised, that the very next day, at the very same hour in which the king came to
him, they should have great plenty of food, and that two seahs of barley ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 4 jehoram succeeds jehoshaphat.htm

Mount Olivet. The Mount of Olives, 2 Samuel 15:30
... one of which were four shops, where all things needful for purifications were sold:
out of the other, they fetched, every month, forty seahs" (certain measures ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 40 mount olivet the.htm

New Teaching in Parables' - the Parables to the People by the Lake ...
... We need not here resort to ingenious methods of explaining the three measures,'
or Seahs, of meal in which the leaven was hid. Three ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xxiii new teaching in.htm

Seahs (6 Occurrences)
...Seahs (6 Occurrences). Genesis 18:6 And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah,
and said, Knead quickly three seahs of wheaten flour, and make cakes. (DBY NIV) ...
/s/seahs.htm - 8k

Wheaten (4 Occurrences)
... Wheaten (4 Occurrences). Genesis 18:6 And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah,
and said, Knead quickly three seahs of wheaten flour, and make cakes. (DBY). ...
/w/wheaten.htm - 7k

Flour (69 Occurrences)
... Genesis 18:6 And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, Knead quickly
three seahs of wheaten flour, and make cakes. (DBY YLT NAS NIV). ...
/f/flour.htm - 32k

Ephah (55 Occurrences)
... Ephah, a word of Egyptian origin, meaning measure; a grain measure containing "three
seahs or ten omers," and equivalent to the bath for liquids (Exodus 16:36 ...
/e/ephah.htm - 27k

Sea-hawk (2 Occurrences)
Sea-hawk. Seah, Sea-hawk. Seahs . Multi-Version Concordance Sea-hawk
(2 Occurrences). ... Seah, Sea-hawk. Seahs . Reference Bible.
/s/sea-hawk.htm - 6k

Seal (47 Occurrences)

/s/seal.htm - 38k

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