The word eyphah (also spelled ephah) denotes a unit of dry measurement used extensively in ancient Israel. It equals approximately one-tenth of a homer or about 22 liters. The ephah appears in contexts of grain, barley, and other produce, making it central to the agricultural economy of ancient Israel.
The ephah carries deep ethical weight in Scripture. God commands fair and honest measures (Leviticus 19:36), while false or dishonest ephahs are condemned as an abomination (Deuteronomy 25:14; Proverbs 20:10). The prophets (Amos 8:5; Micah 6:10–11) denounce merchants who make the ephah small to cheat the poor. This reveals that God's concern for justice extends into the marketplace — honest weights and measures are acts of worship and covenant faithfulness.