International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Wedge of Gold
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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Wedge of Gold
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wej, (זחב לש×ון, laÌ„shoÌ„n zaÌ„haÌ„bh, literally, “tongue of goldâ€): A piece of gold in the form of a wedge found by Achan in the sack of Jericho. It was in one of the forms in which gold was used for money and was probably stamped or marked to indicate its weight, which was 50 shekels, i.e. one maÌ„neh, according to the Hebrew standard, or nearly two pounds troy. Its value would be 102 British pounds 10 shillings or $510.00 (in 1915). See MONEY; POUND. A wedge, or rather, oblong rectangular strip of gold, of similar weight has been found in the excavations of Gezer (Macalister, Bible Side-Lights, 121). Along with metal rings they were doubtless used as an early form of currency. In the King James Version, kethem, “pure gold†(so the Revised Version (British and American)), is translated as “golden wedge†on insufficient grounds.