Numbers 15:4 · measurement explained
One tenth ephah and one quarter hin
The accompanying offering for a lamb pairs a tenth-ephah of fine flour with a quarter-hin of oil in the wilderness instructions.
Read the verse first
then he who offers his offering shall offer to the LORD a meal offering of one tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with one fourth of a hin of oil.
World English Bible · engwebp-source-2026-09-12
Modern measurement range
Fine flour: one tenth ephah
2.1–2.3 L
2.22–2.43 US qt · 1.85–2.02 Imp qt
Using the ephah estimate. Ancient jars and regional standards differ. Litres express capacity, not the weight of grain or flour placed in that capacity.
Calculate another amount →Oil: one quarter hin
875–950 mL
0.92–1.0 US qt · 0.77–0.84 Imp qt
Using the hin estimate. Published tables differ substantially for the hin. This site consistently uses the ESV-style one-sixth-bath system instead of mixing incompatible tables.
Calculate another amount →The two litre results refer to different substances and measuring traditions; equal litres would still not mean equal weight.
What this conversion does—and does not—show
It gives a defensible modern scale for the amount stated in the verse. Ancient standards varied by time and place, so the endpoints are deliberately approximate. A volume is not a food mass, a metal weight is not a modern cash value, and a conversion does not settle a textual, archaeological, or theological debate.
Conversion references: ESV weights and measures ↗, American Bible Society ↗, and Encyclopedia of the Bible ↗. Reference pages accessed October 10, 2026.