shekel

unit of weight

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Last updated

July 13, 2026

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The shekel was originally an ancient Babylonian unit of weight, later adopted by the Hebrews. It was used as a standard for both weight and value, and also as a coin. The shekel was a subdivision of the mina and talent in Hebrew systems. Today, the shekel is the basic monetary unit of Israel, divided into 100 agorot. The current New Israeli Shekel (NIS) was established in 1985, replacing the old shekel at a rate of 1,000 to 1.1234

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measurement system
The Babylonians
The shekel, familiar from the Bible as a standard Hebrew coin and weight, was originally Babylonian. Most of the Babylonian weights and measures, carried in commerce throughout the Middle East, were gradually adopted by other countries. The basic Babylonian unit of length was the kus (about…
Read More
The shekel, familiar from the Bible as a standard Hebrew coin and weight, was originally Babylonian. Most of the Babylonian weights and measures, carried in commerce throughout the Middle East, were gradually adopted by other countries. The basic Babylonian unit of length was the kus (about…
Read More