קְשִׂיטָה (qe.si.tah)
qe.si.tah
coin
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The noun qeṣîṭâ refers to a unit of currency or weight of uncertain value, appearing only three times in the Hebrew Bible. Its exact worth remains unknown to modern scholars, leading lexicons to describe it as a standard measure of money whose specific equivalent has been lost to history.
This obscurity highlights the ancient practice of using standardized weights for trade without fixed metallic content. The word appears in Genesis 33:19, where Jacob purchases a plot of land from the sons of Hamor, and again in Joshua 24:32, noting the burial of Joseph’s bones in that same field. These references suggest it functioned as a common commercial term for a significant sum.
Translators typically render qeṣîṭâ as "pieces of silver" or simply "money," acknowledging the gap between the original term and modern currency concepts. The consistent use in narratives about land transactions underscores its role as a reliable, if undefined, medium of exchange in the patriarchal and early Israelite periods.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word qeṣîṭâ appears in only three verses of the Hebrew Bible, yet it carries significant weight in the stories of Jacob and Joseph. It likely refers to a standard unit of currency or weight used in ancient trade, though its exact value remains unknown today. This uncertainty reminds us that God’s people have always navigated the practicalities of daily life, including commerce and property rights.
In Genesis 33:19, Jacob uses this money to buy land in Shechem, marking a tangible step in his journey. Later, Joshua 24:32 notes that Joseph’s bones were buried in that same plot, purchased with qeṣîṭâ. These details show how ordinary transactions become part of God’s larger plan for His people.
Even in Job 42:11, the word appears as friends bring gifts to comfort him. Whether used for land or as a token of care, this currency reflects the real-world needs and relationships that shape biblical narratives. It invites us to see how God works through everyday moments and material things.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- piece[s] of money2×
- a piece of money1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- קְשִׂיטָֽה\׃1×
- קְשִׂיטָ֣ה1×
- קְשִׂיטָ֑ה1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 33:19
He bought the parcel of ground where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for one hundred pieces of money.
This verse records Jacob purchasing land, showing the word as a medium for securing a lasting inheritance.
-
Joshua 24:32
They buried the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, in Shechem, in the parcel of ground which Jacob bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for a hundred pieces of silver. They became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.
Here the same transaction is referenced to identify the burial site of Joseph, linking past faithfulness to present hope.
-
Job 42:11
Then all his brothers, all his sisters, and all those who had been of his acquaintance before, came to him and ate bread with him in his house. They comforted him, and consoled him concerning all the evil that Yahweh had brought on him. Everyone also gave him a piece of money, and everyone a ring of gold.
The word appears as a gift from friends, illustrating its use in personal relationships and comfort during suffering.