בֶּ֫קַע (be.qa)
be.qa
bekah
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun bekah denotes a half or a specific fraction, most notably appearing in Scripture as the term for a half-shekel weight. In these biblical contexts, it functions as a precise unit of measure rather than a general descriptor of division. The word is closely tied to the "shekel of the sanctuary," indicating its use in religious and economic transactions involving silver.
Although this specific term appears only twice in the Bible, its significance lies in its connection to the temple tax described in Exodus 38:26. Here, the bekah serves as a standardized contribution, reflecting a system where at least three distinct types of shekels—silver, gold, and copper—existed. This precision highlights the careful accounting maintained for sacred purposes, distinguishing the holy shekel from ordinary currency.
Translators typically render bekah as "half-shekel" to preserve this technical meaning. The word’s limited occurrence underscores its specialized role in the Old Testament legal framework, where exact weights were essential for maintaining order in temple finances and communal obligations.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word bekah appears in Scripture as a precise measure of value, specifically denoting half a shekel. In Exodus 38:26, this unit forms the basis of the sanctuary tax, where every adult contributed equally to support the tabernacle. This small, standardized amount highlights how God values consistent, humble participation over grand gestures.
For your faith life, this reminds us that spiritual contributions are not about size but about willingness. Whether giving time, resources, or prayer, even a half-shekel offering matters when given with a willing heart. God sees the integrity behind the act, not just the weight of the gift.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- a beka1×
- [was] a beka1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- בֶּ֚קַע1×
- בֶּ֖קַע1×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 38:26
a beka a head, that is, half a shekel, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, for everyone who passed over to those who were counted, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred three thousand five hundred fifty men.
This verse defines the bekah as the exact half-shekel tax required from every adult for the sanctuary's upkeep, showing its role in communal responsibility.
-
Genesis 24:22
As the camels had finished drinking, the man took a golden ring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold,
Here the term describes a golden ring of half-shekel weight, illustrating its use as a standard unit of measurement in personal transactions outside the sanctuary context.