The works of the Reverend and learned John Lightfoot D. D., late Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge such as were, and such as never before were printed : in two volumes : with the authors life and large and useful tables to each volume : also three maps : one of the temple drawn by the author himself, the others of Jervsalem and the Holy Land drawn according to the author's chorography, with a description collected out of his writings.

VERS. XXVI.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

Farthing.

ACCORDING to the Jerusalem Talmud it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Kordiontes, according to the Babylonian 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Kontrik. For thus they write:

:〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉	x 1.1 Two Assars make a Pondion.
:〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉	Two Semisses make an Assar.
:〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉	Two farthings a Semissis.
:〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉	Two Prutahs a farthing.

:〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉	y 1.2 A Pondion is in value two Assars.
:〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉	An Assar is two Semisses.
:〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉	A Semissis is two Farthings.
:〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉	A Kontrie▪ or a Farthing, is two Prutahs.

That which is here said by the Jerusalem Talmud, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Two Prutahs make a Farthing, is the very same thing that is said, Mark XII. 42. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Two mi••es which make a farthing. A Prutah was the very least piece among coines. So Maimonides, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 z 1.3 That which is not worth a Prutah,

is not to be reckoned among riches. Hence are those numberless passages in the Talmudic Pandects, relating to the Prutah. a 1.4 He that steals less than a Prutah, is not bound to pay five fold. b 1.5 No land is bought for a price less than a Prutah, that is, given in earnest.

You have the value of these Coins in the same Maimonides. c 1.6 Selaa, saith he, is in value four pence; a peny six Meahs. Now a Meah in the days of Moses our Master, was called a Gerah: It contains two Pondions: A Pondion two Assars: and a Prutah is the eighth part of an Assar. The weight of a Meah, which is also called a Gerah, is sixteen barly-corns. And the weight of an Assar is four barly-corns. And the weight of a Prutah is half a barly-corn.

Luke hath 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the last mite, Chap. XII. 59. that is, the last Prutah, which 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 d 1.7 was the eighth part of the Italian Assarius. Therefore 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a farthing, was so called, not that it was the fourth part of a peny, but the fourth part of an Assar, which how very small a part of a peny it was, we may observe by those things that are said by both Gemara's, in the places before cited.

:〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉	Six silver Meahs make a Peny.
:〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉	A Meah is worth two Pondions.
:〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉	A Pondion is worth two Assars.

Let this be noted by the way, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a Meah, which, as Maimonides before testifies, was anciently called a Gerah, was also commonly called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Zuz in the Talmudists. For as it is said here, :〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Six Meahs of Silver make a Peny. So in Rambam, :〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 e 1.8 A Peny contains six Zuzim.

The Prutah, as it was the least piece of money among the Jews, so it seems to have been a Coin meerly Jewish, not Roman. For although the Jews being subjects to the Ro∣mans used Roman money, and thence, as our Saviour argues, confessed their subjection to the Romans, yet they were permitted to use their own money, which appears by the common use of the shekels, and half shekels among them; with good reason therefore one may hold the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the farthing was the least Roman Coin, and the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Prutah the least Jewish. Whilst our Saviour mentions both, he is not unconstant to his own speech, but speaks more to the capacity of all.

Notes

• x 1.1

  Hieros. Kid∣dushin, fol. 58. 4
• y 1.2

  Bab. Kiddush. cap. 1. And A••phesius, ibid. fol. 625. 2.
• z 1.3

  G••••e••ah, c. 7.
• a 1.4

  Id. ibid.
• b 1.5

  Id. in Meche∣r••h. cap. 1, &c.
• c 1.6

  In Tract. She∣kalim. cap. 1.
• d 1.7

  Kiddush. cap. 1. hal. 1.
• e 1.8

  In Peah, ca∣pu. c. hal. 7.