Talent

Figuratively, signifies any gift or opportunity God gives to men for the promotion of his glory. "Every thing almost, " says Mr. Scott, "that we are, or possess, or meet with, may be considered as a talent; for a good or a bad use may be made of every natural endowment, or providential appointment, or they may remain unoccupied through inactivity and selfishness. Time, health, vigour of body, and the power of exertion and enduring fatigue

the natural and acquired abilities of the mind, skill in any lawful art or science, and the capacity for close mental application

the gift of speech, and that of speaking with fluency and propriety, and in a convincing, attractive, or persuasive manner

wealth, influence, or authority

a man’s situation in the church, the community, or relative life

and the various occurences which make way for him to attempt any thing of a beneficial tendency; these, and many others that can scarcely be enumerated, are talents which the consistent Christian will improve to the glory of God, and the benefit of mankind. Nay, this improvement procures an increase of talents, and gives a man an accession of influence, and an accumulating power of doing good; because it tends to establish his reputation for prudence, piety, integrity, sincerity, and disinterested benevolence: it gradually forms him to an habitual readiness to engage in the beneficent designs, and to conduct them in a gentle, unobstrusive and unassuming manner: it disposes others to regard him with increasing confidence and affection, and to approach him with satisfaction; and it procures for him the countenance of many persons, whose assistance he can employ in accomplishing his own salutary purposes."

Called in Hebrew Chiquar. In gold, it was worth 54, 7521. and in silver 3421. or thereabouts.

a measure of weight among the ancients, equivalent to sixty maneh, or one hundred and thirteen pounds ten ounces one pennyweight and ten grains. The value of a talent of silver was three hundred and forty- two pounds three shillings and nine-pence, and a talent of gold was equal to five thousand four hundred and seventy-five pounds sterling. In the writings of the evangelists, the term is employed to denote the various gifts or opportunities for usefulness which the Lord of heaven confers upon his servants, and for which he will call them to give in their account at the last day, Mat 25:15; Luk 19:12.

This was a weight used among the Jews, Greeks, and Romans, but varying exceedingly in different countries and in different parts of the same country. The Jewish talent is usually estimated at about 125 pounds troy weight, though others estimate it a little less then 114 pounds troy. The common Attic talent was equal, on the usual estimate, to about 56 lbs. 11 oz. troy. In the New Testament, a talent is a denomination of money, which was anciently reckoned by weight. The value of the talent, therefore, varied in different countries, in proportion to the different weights of the talent. The Jewish talent appear, from Exo 38:25,26, to have been equal to 3,000 shekels; and as the shekel is estimated at about fifty cents, the value of the talent would be about 1,5000 dollars. The Attic talent is usually reckoned at about 225 pounds sterling, or 1,000 dollars, though others make it only about 860 dollars. The talent spoken of in the New Testament is probably the Jewish, and is used only of an indefinitely large sum, Mat 18:24 ; 25:14-30.\par

Talent. See Weights and Measures.

(See MONEY.) Attic talent = 193 British pounds, 15 shillings. The Hebrew talent was 3,000 shekels; if the shekel is 2 shillings, 6 pence = 375 British pounds. Hebrew kibbar, "a globe."

Talent. See Measures and Weights. Exo 25:39; Exo 37:24; 2Sa 12:30; Mat 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 Mat 18:24. Talents of silver, by weight, are frequently mentioned in the Old Testament. Exo 38:27; 1Ki 20:39; 1Ki 2:1-46; 1Ch 29:7. Talents of gold are also noticed. Exo 25:39; 2Ch 36:3; 1Ch 29:7. Also a talent of lead. Zec 5:7. See Money.

See WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.

TALENT.—See Money.

TALENT.—See Money, Weights and Measures.

tal´ent (כּכּר, kikkār; τάλαντον, tálanton): A weight composed of 60 manehs (English Versions of the Bible “pounds”) equal to about 120 pounds troy and 96 pounds avoirdupois, or 672,500 grains, of the Phoenician standard. See WEIGHTS AND MEASURES. When used in the monetary sense the talent might be either of silver or gold, and the value varied according to the standard, but is probably to be taken on the Phoenician, which would give about 410 British pounds, or $2, 050 (in 1915), for the silver talent and 6, 150 British pounds or $30, 750 (in 1915), for the gold. See MONEY.

Figurative: “Talent,” like “pound,” is used metaphorically in the New Testament for mental and spiritual attainments or gifts (Mat 25:15-28).

As a translation of the adjectival ôáëáíôéáßá (fem. sing. [Note: singular.] ), ‘weighing a talent,’ this word is found only in Rev_16:21. The reference is to weight, and not to money. Even with the recovery of a supposed actual specimen (see article ‘Weights and Measures’ in Hasting's Dictionary of the Bible (5 vols) iv. 906) we are still dependent on an average estimate of the weight of a talent. This may be given as a little over 90 lb. avoirdupois (= 125 librae, Roman). This means that each hailstone was about as much as a man of average strength can lift. It is usual to compare Josephus, Bellum Judaicum (Josephus) V. vi. 3, where stones cast by engines of war are spoken of in similar terms.

W. Cruickshank.

Zec 5:7 (b) Some students think that this represents the weight of sin that will encompass the business dealings of Israel. It may indicate that false weights and balances are used in their commerce.

Mat 25:15 (b) The talents represent the quality of the gifts given to Christians for the service of the Lord. Some are unusually gifted for great works and deeds in the Gospel and in the church. Others are not so well gifted, but are able to do their work according to their knowledge, education and zeal. (See under "POUND").

The talent was the heaviest weight used in Israel in Bible times. It weighed approximately 50 kilogram (110 pounds), was equal to 3,000 shekels, and was used mainly in weighing metals (Exo 38:27). Large quantities of money were usually weighed in talents, smaller quantities in shekels (1Ki 10:10; 2Ki 15:19; 2Ki 18:14).

Silver was the metal most commonly used for money. Unless otherwise stated, a talent, when used as a monetary unit, meant a talent of silver (1Ki 16:24; Ezr 8:25-27; Mat 18:23-24; Mat 25:14-16). (See also COINS; WEIGHTS.)