Ezra 2:69
They gave after their ability unto the treasure of the work threescore and one thousand drams of gold, and five thousand pound of silver, and one hundred priests' garments.
They gave after their ability unto the treasure of the world threescore and one thousand drachms of gold,.... These "darcemons or darics" were a Persian coin; one of which, according to Brerewood {k}, was of the value of fifteen shillings of our money, and so this quantity of them amounted to 45,750 pounds; but according to Bishop Cumberland {l} they were of the value of twenty shillings and four pence of our money, and so came to upwards of 61,000 pounds; these everyone, according to his ability, put into the common stock or treasury for the work of building the temple; the Vulgate Latin {m} reads 40,000:
and five thousand pounds of silver; and an Hebrew "mina", or pound, being of our money seven pounds, ten shillings, according to Brerewood {n}, amounted to 31,250 pounds: but others {o}, reckoning a drachm of gold at ten shillings, and a mina or pound of silver at nine pounds, make the whole to amount only to 75,500 pounds of our money:
and one hundred priests' garments; which, as they were laid up among treasures, so were necessary for the service of the temple.
{k} De Pret. & Ponder. Vet. Num. ch. iii. v.
{l} Scripture Weights & Measures, ch. 4. p. 115.
{m} Sixtus V. Lovain & MSS. in James ut supra. (Contrariety of Popish Bibles, p. 295)
{n} Ut supra, (De Pret. & Ponder. Vet. Num.) ch. iv. v.
{o} Universal History, vol. 10. p. 183, marg.