Ruth 2:17 · measurement explained
Ruth's roughly one ephah of barley
After gleaning until evening and beating out what she gathered, Ruth has about an ephah of barley to carry back to Naomi.
Read the verse first
So she gleaned in the field until evening; and she beat out that which she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley.
World English Bible · engwebp-source-2026-09-12
Modern measurement range
About one ephah
21–23 L
5.55–6.08 US gal · 4.62–5.06 Imp gal
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 →The litre estimate conveys the day's substantial yield, while barley mass depends on grain condition and how it filled the measure.
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.