H2563c H2563c
Homer, a dry measure of about 220 liters (10 ephahs); also clay or mortar
The ḥōmer as a unit of dry measure was the largest standard volume in ancient Israel, equal to ten ephahs or approximately 220 liters (6.25 bushels). Ezekiel 45:11 explicitly defines the relationship: 'the ephah and the bath shall be of one measure, the tenth part of a homer.' It measured barley (Hos 3:2; Ezek 45:13), wheat (Ezek 45:13), and seed-grain for land valuation (Lev 27:16). Isaiah 5:10 uses it in a judgment oracle: ten acres of vineyard yielding only one bath, and a homer of seed producing merely an ephah. In one passage (Isa 41:25), the same form appears to mean clay or mortar — a conqueror trampling rulers 'as a potter treads clay' — though this may derive from a separate homonymous root.
Senses
1. homer (dry measure) — A homer, the largest standard dry measure in ancient Israel, equivalent to ten ephahs (approximately 220 liters or 6.25 bushels). Used for measuring grain, barley, and seed in commercial, cultic, and legal contexts. Ezekiel 45:11 defines it explicitly against the ephah and bath. Leviticus 27:16 prices land by the homer of barley seed needed to sow it. Numbers 11:32 records the Israelites gathering quail — even the least gathered ten homers. Spanish 'homer' is typically transliterated, while Arabic and other Semitic cognates preserve related measure terms. 11×
AR["الْ-حُومَرِ","حُمُرٍ","حُومَرٌ","حُومَرٍ","حُومَرِ","مِنْ-حُومَرِ","وَحومَرِ"]·ben["এবং-এক-হোমর","খোমের","হোমর","হোমর-থেকে","হোমরের"]·DE["[החמר]","[וחמר]","[חמר]","[מחמר]","ein-homer-von","homers"]·EN["a-homer-of","and-homer-of","from-homer-of","homer","homers","the-homer"]·FR["argile","et-argile","homers","un-homer-de"]·heb["ה-חומר","ו-חומר","חומר","חמר","חמרים","מ-חומר"]·HI["और-होमेर","खोमर","खोमर-का","खोमर-से","ढेर","होमेर","होमेर-का"]·ID["dan-satu-homer","dari-homer","homer"]·IT["[החמר]","[וחמר]","[חמר]","[מחמר]","homers","un-homer-di"]·jav["homer","khòmèr","lan-homèr","saking-homer"]·KO["그-호메르","그리고-호멜","에-호메르로부터","호머","호메르","호메르의"]·PT["chomer","cômeres","de-ômer-de","e-homer-de","o-ômer","ômer"]·RU["и-хомер","от-хомера","хомер","хомера","хомеров","хомеру"]·ES["de-homer-de","el-homer","homer","montones","un-homer","un-homer-de","y-homer-de"]·SW["homeri","homeri-ya-","kutoka-homeri-ya","na-homeri-ya"]·TR["homer","homer'e","homer'in","homer'inden","homer-","ve-bir-homer","ölçek"]·urd["اور-حومر","حومر","حومر-سے","حومر-کا","خومر-بھر","گٹھر"]
2. clay / mortar — Clay or mortar as a material substance, likely from a homonymous root. In Isaiah 41:25 the conqueror comes upon rulers 'as a potter' treads ḥōmer — here unmistakably referring to clay, not a unit of volume. Spanish 'barro' and French 'argile' both translate this as a physical material. Some lexicons treat this as a distinct lemma (ḥōmer II), but the consonantal form is identical, and context alone distinguishes the two meanings. 1×
AR["الطِينِ"]·ben["কাদা"]·DE["[חמר]"]·EN["and-like-a-potter"]·FR["argile"]·heb["חומר"]·HI["गारा"]·ID["lumpur"]·IT["[חמר]"]·jav["lempung"]·KO["진흙"]·PT["lama"]·RU["глина"]·ES["barro"]·SW["udongo"]·TR["camur"]·urd["گل"]
Related Senses
H4325 1. water, waters (582×)H6965b 1. Qal: to rise, arise, get up (432×)H3701 1. silver (the metal) (391×)H2091 1. gold (the metal) (389×)H0068 1. stone, rock (material/object) (267×)H5178a 1. bronze/copper as metal (131×)H0216 1. light (general / metaphorical) (116×)H6083 1. dust, dry earth, soil (108×)H8313 1. burn, set fire to (94×)H2734 1. anger was kindled (82×)G5204 1. water (80×)H2822 1. darkness, absence of light (80×)H1270 1. iron (metal, tools, weapons; fig. strength/hardness) (76×)G5457 1. light (illumination) (71×)G0450 1. rise, stand up (physical) (69×)G3037 1. stone / rock (59×)H6965b 2. Qal: to stand firm, endure, be valid (50×)H6697 1. rock, cliff, crag (49×)H3001 1. be dry, wither (intransitive) (45×)H6999a 2. burn sacrifice on altar (Hifil) (45×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† III. חֹ֫מֶר n.m. homer, a dry measure (perhaps from above √, but dub.; cf. Assyrian amâru, surround, contain, ii. R 36:19 a. b Strm4760, imêru, a measure ZimBP 6 n)—ח׳ abs. Is 5:10 + 5 times Ez; cstr. Ho 3:2 + 3 times; pl. הֳמָרִים Nu 11:32;—ח׳ of barley Ho 3:2; Ez 45:13, cf. זֶרַע ח׳ שְׂעֹרִים Lv 27:16 i.e. land on which a ח׳ of barley seed was sown (taxed at 50 shekels); ח׳ of wheat Ez 45:13;…