is the translation of a word (tse'med), which properly means a yoke, and denotes a space of ground that may be ploughed by a yoke of oxen in a day. It is about an acre of our measure (Isa 5:10; 1Sa 14:14).

This word, as a measure of land, occurs twice in the Authorised version. In 1Sa 14:14, the word is maanah, 'a furrow,' reading in the margin 'half a furrow of an acre.' In Isa 5:10 it is tsemed, 'a pair, or yoke' The 'acre' was as much as a yoke of oxen would plough in a day. The Latin etymology is similar: thus jugum a yoke; jugerum an acre. The Roman acre contained 28,800 square feet (being 240 feet in length by 120 in breadth), which is less than two-thirds of an English acre, which contains 43,560 square feet. "The Egyptian land measure," says Wilkinson, "was the aroura, or arura, a square of 100 cubits, covering an area of 10,000 cubits . . . . . It contained 29,184 square English feet (the cubit being full 20-1/2 inches) and was little more than three quarters of an English acre." What the Jewish acre exactly contained we have no means of ascertaining: it is not included in the usual lists of weights and measures as a definite measure of land. The passage in Isa 5:10: "ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath" clearly refers to a time of great dearth which Jehovah would send upon Israel in judgement.