Numismatic historical analysis uncovers currency weight adjustments under Yehizqiyah, suggesting a 320 BCE absolute chronological anchor for selected Pentateuchal biblical passages.
The article endeavours to elucidate the origins of the Biblical references concerning the so-called »Holy Sheqel« of 20 gerahs . It is posited that during the governance of Yeḥizqiyah, there was a reduction in the weight of the most commonly circulated coins. We propose the hypothesis that at that time, the older system of increasing temple dues by one-sixth was supplanted by a system that augmented these dues by one-fifth. This process allows for absolute dating, around 320 BCE, for a series of biblical passages, providing a rare instance of a robust chronological anchor for the texts of the Hebrew Bible.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Niesiołowski‐Spanò et al. (2026) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: