Bible Dictionaries
Talent

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Talent. See Measures and Weights. Exodus 25:39; Exodus 37:24; 2 Samuel 12:30; Matthew 25:25. A Jewish talent in weight contained about 3000 shekels, and is estimated to equal 125 pounds Troy measure. Reckoning silver at about 60 cents an ounce, a talent of silver would then be equal to about $1000. A talent of gold by the Oxford tables is estimated equal to $28,280, and about $27,300 by Bagster's Bible tables. An Attic talent was equal to about $960. This may be alluded to in Matthew 18:24. Talents of silver, by weight, are frequently mentioned in the Old Testament. Exodus 38:27; 1 Kings 20:39; 1 Kings 2:1-46; 1 Chronicles 29:7. Talents of gold are also noticed. Exodus 25:39; 2 Chronicles 36:3; 1 Chronicles 29:7. Also a talent of lead. Zechariah 5:7. See Money.

Bibliography Information
Rice, Edwin Wilbur, DD. Entry for 'Talent'. People's Dictionary of the Bible. https://www.studylight.org/​dictionaries/​eng/​rpd/​t/talent.html. 1893.