KESITAH. This Word is to be met with in Genesis1 and in Job2, and is translated Sheep or Lambs; so that Jacob bought the Field, where he had set up his Tents, for the Price of an hundred Lambs; and every one of Job’s Friends and Relations, after his Recovery, made him a present of a Lamb or young Ewe. But the Rabbins and modern Interpreters are generally of Opinion, that Kesitah signifies rather a Piece of Money; for to give such a Man as Job a young Ewe, seems to be a Present unworthy of the Generosity of his Friends and Relations, and no Way suitable to his Wants, or to his and their Quality. But may we not make Gen. xxv. 1, 2, &c.the same Objection, if we admit that Kesitah signifies a Piece of Money? Unless we will suppose that it was Gold, and of a considerable Value; for there are some who make it very small3. Bochart and Eugubinus are of Opinion that the Septuagint meant Minæ, and not Lambs; in Greek hecaton mnôn, instead of hecaton amnôn: Now a Mina was worth sixty Hebrew Shekels, and consequently six Pounds sixteen Shillings and ten Pence Half-Penny Sterling4. M. Le Pelletier of Roan, is of Opinion, that Kesitah was a Persian Coin, stamped on one Side with an Archer, (Kesitah or Keseth, in Hebrew signifies a Bow) and on the other with a Lamb; that this was a Gold Coin, known in the East by the Name of a Daric5, and was in Value about twelve Livres and ten Pence French Money. Several learned Men, without mentioning the Value of the Kesitah, say it was a Silver Coin, the Impression whereof was a Sheep; for which Reason the Septuagint and Vulgate translate it by this Name. It is our Opinion, that Kesitah was a Purse of Gold or Silver. In the East they reckon at present by Purses. A Purse in Persia consists of fifty Tomans, which make two thousand five hundred eighteen Penny Pieces of French Money. The Word Kista, in Chaldée, signifies a Measure, a Vessel. And Eustathius says, that Kista is a Persian Measure. Jonathan and the Targum of Jerusalem translate Kesitah, a Pearl. See our COMMENT upon Gen. xxxiii. 19.
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Footnotes
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Gen. xxxiii. 19. Hebr. 70 . .מאה קשיטהΕκατον αμνων. Vulg. centum Agnis. Idem repetitur apud Jos. xxiv. 13. ↩
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Job. xli. 11. קשיטה אחת אישUnus quisque ovem unam. ↩
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David Kimchi explains Kesitah by ,מצהwhich signifies no more that the Hebrew Gerah, worth an Obolus, or a little more in Value than a Penny and seven Deniers. The Hebrews had no Piece of Money smaller than the Gerah, which in the Chaldee is translated Mehah. 1 Sam xi. 37. ↩
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Translators’ note. Or nine Pounds English, supposing, as Dr. Prideaux does, that a Shekel is worth three Shillings. ↩
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Translators’ note. A Daric is a Piece of Gold worth, as Dr. Prideaux says, five and twenty Shillings English. See his Connect. Part I. p. 101. Εἵλετο δ’ ἦ κληῖδ’, εὐκαμπέα χειρὶ παχείῃ, Καλῶν, χαλκείῳ· κώπη δ’ ↩