Bible Dictionary
WEDGE, OF GOLD
The wedge of gold was a shaped piece of gold taken by Achan at Jericho. It functioned as a valuable, weighed form of money or bullion.
Definition
The wedge of gold was a shaped piece of gold found by Achan among the spoil of Jericho. It was a valuable piece of bullion or money, weighed at fifty shekels according to the Hebrew standard.
Biblical Usage
Achan concealed the gold wedge among the forbidden spoil taken at Jericho, making it part of his disobedient appropriation of the city’s goods.
Historical Background
Gold was used in wedge or elongated rectangular forms, apparently marked to indicate weight. A similar gold strip was found at Gezer, and such pieces, together with metal rings, may have served as early currency.
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>wej, (lashon zahabh, literally, "tongue of gold"): A piece of gold in the form of a wedge found by Achan in the sack of Jericho. It was in one of the forms in which gold was used for money and was probably stamped or marked to indicate its weight, which was 50 shekels, i.e. one maneh, according to the Hebrew standard, or nearly two pounds troy. Its value would be 102 British pounds 10 shillings or $510.00 (in 1915). See MONEY; POUND. A wedge, or rather, oblong rectangular strip of gold, of similar weight has been found in the excavations of Gezer (Macalister, Bible Side-Lights, 121). Along with metal rings they were doubtless used as an early form of currency. In Isa 13:12 the King James Version, kethem, "pure gold" (so the Revised Version (British and American)), is translated as "golden wedge" on insufficient grounds.</p><p>H. Porter</p>