with the regular week governed by the sabbath. They began on a particular day of the lunar month, and, therefore, the starting day fell on different days of the week from year to year. This was true of the feast of unleavened bread, which followed the Passover and came on Nisan 15-21, and of the festival of booths on Ethanim 15-21. Also, the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost was based on a count of seven weeks plus one day, but the seven weeks began counting from Nisan 16 and so did not always run concurrently with the regular weeks ending in the regular sabbath days.—Ex. 12:2, 6, 14-20; Lev. 23:5-7, 15, 16; Deut. 16:9, 10, 13.

The days of the week were not given names but were simply designated by number, the exception being the seventh day called the “sabbath.” (Ex. 20:8) This was also true in the days of Jesus and his apostles, although the day before the sabbath came to be called the “Preparation.”—Matt. 28:1; Acts 20:7; Mark 15:42; John 19:31.

“Sabbath” used for seven-day and seven-year periods

Because of the importance that the Law covenant attached to the sabbath, the seventh day, the word “sabbath” was commonly used to represent the entire week of seven days. (Lev. 23:15, 16) It was likewise used to refer to the seventh year, which was a sabbath year of rest for the land. And it also stood for the entire seven-year period or week of years ending in a sabbath year. (Lev. 25:2-8) The Jewish Mishna uses the expression “week of years” on two occasions.—See SEVENTY WEEKS.

WEEKS, FESTIVAL OF

See PENTECOST.

WEEPING

Both men and women of the past, including mighty warriors like David, expressed grief or strong emotion by weeping, not considering it a sign of weakness to shed tears. (Gen. 42:24; 43:30; 45:2, 3, 14, 15; 46:29; Ruth 1:9, 14; 2 Sam. 13:36; Job 30:25; Ps. 6:6-8) The death of a loved one or a friend was one of the chief causes of weeping. (2 Sam. 18:33–19:4; Luke 7:11-15; 8:49-56; John 20:11-15) And the death of respected and beloved individuals might give rise to national weeping (2 Sam. 3:31-34), long periods sometimes being devoted to such expression of grief. (Gen. 50:1-3, 10, 11; Num. 20:29; Deut. 34:8) Other circumstances that occasioned weeping were defeat in warfare (Deut. 1:44, 45; Jer. 31:15; Lam. 1:16), captivity (Ps. 137:1), oppression (Eccl. 4:1), great calamity (Esther 3:13, 14; 4:1-4) and remorse over sin. (Ezra 10:1-4; Jer. 3:21, 22; 31:9; Joel 2:12; Luke 22:54-62; Jas. 4:8, 9) Weeping in religious ceremony was associated with the worship of the Babylonian god Tammuz.—Ezek. 8:14.

Aside from feelings of personal loss or affliction, deep concern and intense feeling for others often prompted weeping. Thus the apostle Paul spoke of admonishing and correcting fellow believers with tears. (Acts 20:31; 2 Cor. 2:4) With weeping he mentioned those who were “walking as the enemies of the torture stake of the Christ.” (Phil. 3:18, 19) And, because of the close bond of love existing between Paul and the overseers of the Ephesus congregation, all wept upon learning of the possibility that they might not see the apostle’s face again.—Acts 20:36-38.

There were times when worshipers of Jehovah wept during prayer, as did Hannah, Hezekiah and Nehemiah. (1 Sam. 1:9-11; 2 Ki. 20:1-5; Neh. 1:2-4; Ps. 39:12) Even Jesus Christ, while on earth, supplicated and petitioned his Father “with strong outcries and tears.”—Heb. 5:7; see MOURNING.

WEIGHT AND MEASURES

Archaeological evidence, the Bible itself and other ancient writings provide the main basis for assigning approximate values to the various weights and measures used by the Hebrews.

LINEAR MEASURES

The linear measures employed by the Hebrews were evidently derived from the human body: the finger, hand, arm, and so forth. Since the ratio in length or width of one part of the body to another part of the body can be determined, it is possible to ascertain the relationship of one linear measurement to another. And, based on archaeological evidence pointing to a cubit of about 17.5 inches (c. 44.5 centimeters), approximate modern values can be given to the linear measurements mentioned in the Bible. (See CUBIT.) The chart that follows presents both the relationship of the Hebrew linear measures and their approximate modern equivalents.

Modern Equivalent

(possibly the some as the “former” cubit of 2 Chronicles 3:3)

1 reed = 6 cubits c. 8 feet 9 inches (c. 2.67 meters)

There is some uncertainty about the measure designated by the Hebrew term goʹmedh, appearing solely at Judges 3:16 with reference to the length of Ehud’s sword. In numerous translations this word is rendered “cubit.” (AV, Le, JB, NW, Ro, RS) Some scholars believe that goʹmedh denotes a short cubit roughly corresponding to the distance from the elbow to the knuckles of the clenched hand. This would be about “fifteen inches” (c. 38 centimeters).—NE, 1970 ed.

Other linear measurements mentioned in the Scriptures are the fathom (c. 6 feet; c. 1.8 meters), the staʹdi·on or furlong (c. 607 feet; c. 185 meters) and the mile (probably the Roman mile; 4,860 English feet; 1,481 meters). The word “journey” is often used in connection with a general distance covered. (Gen. 31:23; Ex. 3:18; Num. 10:33; 33:8) A day’s journey was perhaps twenty miles (32 kilometers) or more, while a sabbath day’s journey appears to have been approximately three-fifths of a statute mile (c. 1 kilometer).—Matt. 24:20; Acts 1:12; see FATHOM; FURLONG; JOURNEY; MILE.

MEASURES OF CAPACITY

Based on jar fragments bearing the designation “bath” in ancient Hebrew characters, the capacity of the bath measure is reckoned at approximately 5.81 gallons (22 liters). In the charts that follow, dry and liquid measures are figured in relation to the bath measure. The relationship of one measure to another, when not stated in the Bible, is drawn from other ancient writings.—See BATH; CAB; COR; HIN; HOMER; LOG; OMER; SEAH.

Liquid measures

Modern Equivalent

1 log = 1/4 cab .65 pint (.31 liter)

1 cab = 4 logs 2.58 pints (1.22 liters)

1 hin = 3 cabs 3 quarts 1.8 pints (3.67 liters)

1 bath = 6 hins 5.81 gallons (22 liters)

1 cor =10 baths 58.1 gallons (220 liters)