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Exodus 36:21 — Word Study

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WLCעֶ֥שֶׂר אַמֹּ֖ות אֹ֣רֶךְ הַקָּ֑רֶשׁ וְאַמָּה֙ וַחֲצִ֣י הָֽאַמָּ֔ה רֹ֖חַב הַקֶּ֥רֶשׁ הָאֶחָֽד׃

BSAEach frameqeresh [a flat piece of wood, like a board or plank] [was] tenʻeser cubitsʼammâh [the length of a forearm, a unit of measurement] longʼôrek and a cubitʼammâh [a standard unit of length] and a halfchêtsîy [a portion, a part] widerôchab [broad, having a large extent]

Word
Listen & take awayExodus 36
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 21 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (ha.'e.Chad) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Exodus 36:21quick helps
In a sentenceEach frame of the tabernacle was specified in terms of its dimensions.
What is being measuredThe length and width of each frame, indicating precise construction.
Where we areThis verse is part of the detailed instructions for building the tabernacle.
The hard wordעֶשֶׂר
Take awayThe measurements are exact, reflecting the care in the tabernacle's construction.
3 commentators on this verse Jamieson, Ellicott, Whedon & more — read them › clause The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Exodus 36:21

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — The Construction of the Tabernaclegenerated

20Next, he constructed upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle.
21Each frame was ten cubits long and a cubit and a half wide.
22Two tenons were connected to each other for each frame. He made all the frames of the tabernacle in this way.
23He constructed twenty frames for the south side of the tabernacle,

Exodus 36:21 provides specific measurements for the frames used in the tabernacle, emphasizing the importance of precision in the construction of this sacred space. The tabernacle served as a dwelling place for God among His people, and the detailed instructions highlight the significance of each component. This verse is part of a larger narrative that outlines the careful planning and execution involved in building the tabernacle, as seen in previous verses like Exodus 36:20.


Cross References


The Key Word עֶשֶׂר, 'E.sergenerated

עֶשֶׂר ('eser) is a masculine noun meaning 'ten.' It is derived from a root related to counting and is commonly used in the Hebrew Bible to denote the number ten, as seen in contexts like the Ten Commandments.

In this verse, it specifies the length of each frame as ten cubits, indicating a standard measurement used in the construction of the tabernacle. The use of this specific number underscores the importance of uniformity in the building process.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main clause is governed by the finite verb הָיָה, was, with two noun phrases following: one specifying the length and the other the width. The structure emphasizes the measurements of the frames, indicating the importance of these dimensions in the context of the tabernacle's construction.

The Hebrew word order places the dimensions first, highlighting their significance in the description of the frames.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Exodus 36:21 explains that each frame of the tabernacle was ten cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. This precise measurement reflects the detailed instructions given for building the tabernacle, which was meant to be a sacred space for worship.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Why are specific measurements given for the tabernacle frames?

The specific measurements ensure that the tabernacle is constructed according to God's design, reflecting His holiness and the importance of precision in worship.

What is a cubit?

A cubit is a unit of measurement approximately equal to the length of a forearm, used in the Bible to describe the dimensions of various objects, including the tabernacle.

How does this verse fit into the larger context of the tabernacle's construction?

This verse is part of a detailed account of the tabernacle's construction, emphasizing the significance of each component and the need for careful adherence to God's instructions.

What does the term 'frame' refer to in this context?

In this context, 'frame' refers to a flat piece of wood used in the construction of the tabernacle, providing structural support.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does the precision in measurements tell us about God's instructions for worship?
  2. How can we apply the idea of careful planning and execution in our own lives?
  3. In what ways does understanding the dimensions of the tabernacle enhance our appreciation for its significance?
  4. How does this verse reflect the relationship between God and His people in terms of worship and structure?

Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Exodus 36:21 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing.

Read Robert Jamieson on Exodus 36 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(20-34) After the construction of the roof, that of the walls is described, the order of Exodus 26 being still followed. Exodus 36:20-34 correspond to Exodus 36:15-29 of Exodus 26. The correspondence is closer than would appear from the Authorised Version.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Exodus 36 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

AND AHOLIAB, Exodus 36:30-35. See notes on Exodus 31:1-11. OF , Exodus 36:1-7. 5.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Exodus 36 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

Each frame was ten cubits long and a cubit and a half wide.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Ten cubits was the length of a board, and a cubit and a half the width of each board.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Each frame was ten cubits long and a cubit and a half wide.

NETBNew English Translation2006

The length of each frame was fifteen feet, the width of each frame was two and a quarter feet,

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

The length of a board was ten cubits, and the breadth of a board one cubit and a half.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Ten cubits was the length of a board, and a cubit and a half the breadth of each board.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Ten cubits was the length of a board, and a cubit and a half the breadth of each board.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

The length of a board was ten cubits, and the breadth of a board one cubit and a half.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

The length of a board was ten cubites, and the bredth of one board was a cubite, and an halfe.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

ten cubits the length of the boards, and one cubit and a half the breadth of one board;

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

ten cubits [is] the length of the [one] board, and a cubit and a half the breadth of the [one] board;

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

ten cubits [is] the length of the [one] board, and a cubit and a half the breadth of the [one] board;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Ten cubits was the length of each board, and one cubit and a half was the breadth of each one board.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

The length of each frame was ten cubits, and the width of each frame was one and a half cubits.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

The length of one board was ten cubits: and the breadth was one cubit and a half.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Each frame was ten cubits long by one and a half cubits wide.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

The boards were ten cubits long and one cubit and a half wide.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

clausenoun phrase · predicateעֶ֥שֶׂר[was].tenאַמֹּ֖תcubitsnoun phrase · subjectאֹ֣רֶךְthe.lengthnoun phraseהַofקָּ֑רֶשׁthe.frameוְand.[was]clausenoun phrase · predicateאַמָּה֙a.cubitוַand.(the)noun phraseחֲצִ֣יhalfnoun phraseהָֽof.(the)אַמָּ֔הcubitnoun phrase · subjectרֹ֖חַבthe.breadthnoun phraseהַofnoun phraseקֶּ֥רֶשׁthe.framenumeral phraseהָ(the)אֶחָֽדone

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text states that each frame was ten cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. The Septuagint agrees with the general meaning but does not provide a direct translation for comparison. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs slightly from the Masoretic Text by using the word אמות (amoth) for 'cubit' instead of the singular form used in the MT. The Dead Sea Scrolls fragment contains parts of the verse but includes some words that are restored by an editor, making it less clear how it aligns with the Masoretic Text overall.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

עֶ֥שֶׂר אַמֹּ֖ות אֹ֣רֶךְ הַקָּ֑רֶשׁ וְאַמָּה֙ וַחֲצִ֣י הָֽאַמָּ֔ה רֹ֖חַב הַקֶּ֥רֶשׁ הָאֶחָֽד׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
עֶ֥שֶׂר’’אַמֹּ֖ות’’אֹ֣רֶךְ’’הַקָּ֑רֶשׁ’’וְאַמָּה֙’’וַחֲצִ֣י’’הָֽאַמָּ֔ה’’רֹ֖חַב’’הַקֶּ֥רֶשׁ’’הָאֶחָֽד׃’’

10 of the 10 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

עשׂר אמות ארך הקרשׁ האחד אמה וחצי האמה רחב הקרשׁ האחד

1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: אמות (cubit)

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q22a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[האחד] אמה [וחצי] [האמה] [רחב] [הקרש] [האחד]

7 words of the verse are on this fragment — 1 partly restored, 6 supplied entire by an editor.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Exodus 36:21עֶשֶׂר[was] ten[was] tenעֶשֶׂראַמָּהcubitscubitsאַמָּהאֹ֫רֶךְ[the] lengt[the] length ofאֹ֫רֶךְקֶ֫רֶשׁthe framethe frameקֶ֫רֶשׁאַמָּהand [was] aand [was] a cubאַמָּהחֲצִיand [the] hand [the] half חֲצִיאַמָּהcubitcubitאַמָּהרֹ֫חַב[the] bread[the] breadth oרֹ֫חַבקֶ֫רֶשׁthe framethe frameקֶ֫רֶשׁאֶחָדoneoneאֶחָדאֵםmothermotherאֵםעָשַׂרto titheto titheעָשַׂראָרַךְto prolongto prolongאָרַךְחָצָהto divideto divideחָצָהרָחַבto enlargeto enlargeרָחַבחָדַדto go eithto go either waחָדַדרֹ֫חַבwidthwidthרֹ֫חַבאֹ֫רֶךְlengthlengthאֹ֫רֶךְאַמָּהcubitcubitאַמָּהאֶ֫דֶןsocketsocketאֶ֫דֶןבְּרִיחַbarbarבְּרִיחַמָלֵאfullfullמָלֵאמְנַשֶּׁהMosesMosesמְנַשֶּׁהכֶּ֫בֶשׂlamblambכֶּ֫בֶשׂאַ֫יִלramramאַ֫יִל
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Exodus 36:21

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

[was] ten cubits [the] length of the frame and [was] a cubit and [the] half of cubit [the] breadth of the frame one
עֶ֥שֶׂר'E.ser [was] ten H6235 Noun common · masculine singular construct
176× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means the number ten, often used in combination with other numbers to describe larger quantities, such as in the story of the ten commandments in Exodus 20. It is commonly translated as 'ten' in the KJV.
Tyndale gloss
ten
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֶשֶׂר (eser) means 'ten' in Hebrew. It is a masculine noun derived from the root related to counting, specifically indicating the number ten and its use in combination with other numbers. The Aramaic equivalent is עֲשַׂר (asar), also meaning 'ten.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֶשֶׂר, עֲשָׂרָה 176 n.m. and f. ten

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6235 עֶשֶׂר, עֲשָׂרָה ten

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6235 `eser eh'ser

masculine of term aasarah {as-aw-raw'}; from 6237; ten (as an

accumulation to the extent of the digits):--ten, (fif-,

seven-)teen.

see HEBREW for 06237

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֶשֶׂר (e.ser) — ten.

1) ten

1a) ten

1b) with other numbers

Aramaic equivalent: a.sar (עֲשַׂר "ten" H6236)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

(`eser; deka).

See NUMBER.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ (Used for an indefinite number) Ge 31:7; Le 26:26; Nu 14:22; Zec 8:23

[was] ten cubits [the] length of the frame and [was] a cubit and [the] half of cubit [the] breadth of the frame one
אַמֹּ֖ות'a.Mot cubits H520 Noun common · feminine plural absolute
247× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A cubit is a unit of measurement, about the length of a forearm, used in the Bible to describe the size of objects like the Ark of the Covenant in Exodus. It is also used to describe a foundation or a door-base.
Amplified meaning
the length of a forearm, a unit of measurement
Tyndale gloss
cubit
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַמָּה (ammah) primarily means 'cubit,' a unit of measure roughly equivalent to 18 inches or 0.5 meters, derived from the word for 'mother' or 'forearm.' It can also refer to a foundation or base, as noted in Isaiah 6:4. The lexicons mention different types of cubits used in the Old Testament, including the common cubit and the legal cubit.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַמָּה 246 n.f. ell, cubit

cubit

† measure, full measure, limit

base

[אַמָּה] n.f. (etym. & mng. dub.; Thes foundation) only Is 6:4.

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H520a אַמָּה ell, cubit H520b אַמָּה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

520 'ammah am-maw'

prolonged from 517; properly, a mother (i.e. unit of measure,

or the fore-arm (below the elbow), i.e. a cubit; also a

door-base (as a bond of the entrance):--cubit, + hundred (by

exchange for 3967), measure, post.

see HEBREW for 0517

see HEBREW for 03967

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַמָּה (am.mah) — cubit.

cubit-a measure of distance (the forearm), roughly 18 in (. 5m). There are several cubits used in the OT, the cubit of a man or common cubit (De 3:11), the legal cubit or cubit of the sanctuary (Eze 40:5) plus others. See a Bible Dictionary for a complete treatment.

Aramaic equivalent: am.mah (אַמָּה "cubit" H0521)

אַמָּה (am.mah) — foundation.

foundation

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fp — Noun common · feminine plural absolute
HNcfpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Thompson Chain Reference topics

measures of length

Ge 6:16; Ex 37:1; De 3:11; Mt 6:27; Re 21:17

--SEE Tables, 3532

[was] ten cubits [the] length of the frame and [was] a cubit and [the] half of cubit [the] breadth of the frame one
אֹ֣רֶךְ'O.rekh [the] length of H753 Noun common · masculine singular construct
95× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Length can refer to physical distance or a long period of time, and also to patience and self-restraint, like waiting forever for something to happen.
Tyndale gloss
length
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֹ֫רֶךְ (orek) means 'length' and can refer to physical length or duration of time. It also encompasses concepts of forbearance and self-restraint, particularly in the context of patience. The word is derived from a root associated with the idea of length, as noted in Strong's entries.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֹ֫רֶךְ 94 n.[m.] length

length

of time

forbearance, self-restraint

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H753 אֹ֫רֶךְ length

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

753 'orek o'rek'

from 748; length:--+ forever, length, long.

see HEBREW for 0748

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֹ֫רֶךְ (o.rekh) — length.

1) length

1a) physical length

1b) of time

2) forbearance, self-restraint (of patience)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

[was] ten cubits [the] length of the frame and [was] a cubit and [the] half of cubit [the] breadth of the frame one
הַקָּ֑רֶשׁha.Ka.resh the frame H7175 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
51× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to a flat piece of wood, like a board or plank, often used in building ships or other structures. It appears in descriptions of the tabernacle and Solomon's temple. The KJV Bible translates it as 'board' or 'bench'.
Amplified meaning
a flat piece of wood, like a board or plank
Tyndale gloss
board
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קֶ֫רֶשׁ (qeresh) refers to a board or plank, with implications for use in constructing decks or benches. The term is derived from a root meaning to split off, indicating a connection to the process of shaping wood. It is primarily used in contexts related to building materials.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קֶ֫רֶשׁ 51 n.m. board, boards

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7175 קֶ֫רֶשׁ board, boards

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7175 qeresh keh'-resh

from an unused root meaning to split off; a slab or plank; by

implication, a deck of a ship:--bench, board.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קֶ֫רֶשׁ (qe.resh) — board.

1) board, boards, plank

1a) board

1b) boards

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

fram:

(1) yetser (from root yatsar, "to knead," mold with the fingers): "For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust" (Ps 103:14).

(2) `erekh (from root `arakh, "to put in order," "to set in a row," "to arrange"): "goodly frame" (Job 41:12, the King James Version "goodly proportion").

(3) `otsem "bony frame" "body": "My frame was not hidden from thee, when I was made in secret" (Ps 139:15), the King James Version "my substance," the King James Version margin "my strength, or, my body."

See also BONE.

(4) mibhneh, "building, frame" (Eze 40:2, "frame of a city").

[was] ten cubits [the] length of the frame and [was] a cubit and [the] half of cubit [the] breadth of the frame one
וְאַמָּה֙ve.'a.Mah and [was] a cubit H520 Conjunction · noun common feminine singular absolute
247× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A cubit is a unit of measurement, about the length of a forearm, used in the Bible to describe the size of objects like the Ark of the Covenant in Exodus. It is also used to describe a foundation or a door-base.
Amplified meaning
a standard unit of length
Tyndale gloss
cubit
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַמָּה (ammah) primarily means 'cubit,' a unit of measure roughly equivalent to 18 inches or 0.5 meters, derived from the word for 'mother' or 'forearm.' It can also refer to a foundation or base, as noted in Isaiah 6:4. The lexicons mention different types of cubits used in the Old Testament, including the common cubit and the legal cubit.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַמָּה 246 n.f. ell, cubit

cubit

† measure, full measure, limit

base

[אַמָּה] n.f. (etym. & mng. dub.; Thes foundation) only Is 6:4.

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H520a אַמָּה ell, cubit H520b אַמָּה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

520 'ammah am-maw'

prolonged from 517; properly, a mother (i.e. unit of measure,

or the fore-arm (below the elbow), i.e. a cubit; also a

door-base (as a bond of the entrance):--cubit, + hundred (by

exchange for 3967), measure, post.

see HEBREW for 0517

see HEBREW for 03967

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַמָּה (am.mah) — cubit.

cubit-a measure of distance (the forearm), roughly 18 in (. 5m). There are several cubits used in the OT, the cubit of a man or common cubit (De 3:11), the legal cubit or cubit of the sanctuary (Eze 40:5) plus others. See a Bible Dictionary for a complete treatment.

Aramaic equivalent: am.mah (אַמָּה "cubit" H0521)

אַמָּה (am.mah) — foundation.

foundation

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-fs — Conjunction · noun common feminine singular absolute
HC/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ku'-bit ('ammah; pechus): The standard for measures of length among the Hebrews. They derived it from the Babylonians, but a similar measure was used in Egypt with which they must have been familiar. The length of the cubit is variously estimated, since there seems to have been a double standard in both countries, and because we have no undisputed example of the cubit remaining to the present time. The original cubit was the length of the forearm, from the elbow to the end of the middle finger, as is implied from the derivation of the word in Hebrew and in Latin (cubitum). It seems to be referred to also in De 3:11: "after the cubit of a man." But this was too indefinite for a scientific standard, and the Babylonians early adopted a more accurate method of measurement which passed to the nations of the West. They had a double…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Cubit

Heb. ‘ammah; i.e., “mother of the arm,” the fore-arm, is a word derived from the Latin cubitus, the lower arm. It is difficult to determine the exact length of this measure, from the uncertainty whether it included the entire length from the elbow to the tip of the longest finger, or only from the elbow to the root of the hand at the wrist. The probability is that the longer was the original cubit. The common computation as to the length of the cubit makes it 20.24 inches for the ordinary cubit, and 21.888 inches for the sacred one. This is the same as the Egyptian measurements.

A rod or staff the measure of a cubit is called in Judg. 3:16 gomed, which literally means a “cut,” something “cut off.” The LXX. and Vulgate render it “span.”

Smith's Bible Dictionary

[WEIGHTS AND MEASURES AND MEASURES]

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A measure used among the ancients. A cubit was originally the distance from the elbow to the extremity of the middle finger, which is the fourth part of a well-proportioned man’s stature. The Hebrew cubit, according to some, is twenty-one inches; but others fix it at eighteen. The Talmudists observe that the Hebrew cubit was larger by one quarter than the Roman.

[was] ten cubits [the] length of the frame and [was] a cubit and [the] half of cubit [the] breadth of the frame one
וַחֲצִ֣יva.cha.Tzi and [the] half of H2677 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct
125× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means half or middle, describing a division or a part of something. It is used to talk about physical things or time, like half of the day. The Bible uses it in various contexts.
Amplified meaning
a portion, a part
Tyndale gloss
half
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חֲצִי (chetsiy) means 'half' or 'middle,' referring to a division of something into two parts. It can denote the concept of 'midnight' as well. The word is derived from a root that also relates to 'midst' or 'part.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֲצִי 123 n.m. half

half of anything

middle … midnight

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2677 חֲצִי half . half of anything

. middle … midnight

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2677 chetsiy khay-tsee'

from 2673; the half or middle:--half, middle, mid(-night),

midst, part, two parts.

see HEBREW for 02673

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֲצִי (che.tsi) — half.

1) half

1a) half

1b) middle

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct
HC/Ncmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

[was] ten cubits [the] length of the frame and [was] a cubit and [the] half of cubit [the] breadth of the frame one
הָֽאַמָּ֔הha.'a.Mah cubit H520 Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
247× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A cubit is a unit of measurement, about the length of a forearm, used in the Bible to describe the size of objects like the Ark of the Covenant in Exodus. It is also used to describe a foundation or a door-base.
Tyndale gloss
cubit
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַמָּה (ammah) primarily means 'cubit,' a unit of measure roughly equivalent to 18 inches or 0.5 meters, derived from the word for 'mother' or 'forearm.' It can also refer to a foundation or base, as noted in Isaiah 6:4. The lexicons mention different types of cubits used in the Old Testament, including the common cubit and the legal cubit.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַמָּה 246 n.f. ell, cubit

cubit

† measure, full measure, limit

base

[אַמָּה] n.f. (etym. & mng. dub.; Thes foundation) only Is 6:4.

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H520a אַמָּה ell, cubit H520b אַמָּה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

520 'ammah am-maw'

prolonged from 517; properly, a mother (i.e. unit of measure,

or the fore-arm (below the elbow), i.e. a cubit; also a

door-base (as a bond of the entrance):--cubit, + hundred (by

exchange for 3967), measure, post.

see HEBREW for 0517

see HEBREW for 03967

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַמָּה (am.mah) — cubit.

cubit-a measure of distance (the forearm), roughly 18 in (. 5m). There are several cubits used in the OT, the cubit of a man or common cubit (De 3:11), the legal cubit or cubit of the sanctuary (Eze 40:5) plus others. See a Bible Dictionary for a complete treatment.

Aramaic equivalent: am.mah (אַמָּה "cubit" H0521)

אַמָּה (am.mah) — foundation.

foundation

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTd/Ncfsa — Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
HTd/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ku'-bit ('ammah; pechus): The standard for measures of length among the Hebrews. They derived it from the Babylonians, but a similar measure was used in Egypt with which they must have been familiar. The length of the cubit is variously estimated, since there seems to have been a double standard in both countries, and because we have no undisputed example of the cubit remaining to the present time. The original cubit was the length of the forearm, from the elbow to the end of the middle finger, as is implied from the derivation of the word in Hebrew and in Latin (cubitum). It seems to be referred to also in De 3:11: "after the cubit of a man." But this was too indefinite for a scientific standard, and the Babylonians early adopted a more accurate method of measurement which passed to the nations of the West. They had a double…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Cubit

Heb. ‘ammah; i.e., “mother of the arm,” the fore-arm, is a word derived from the Latin cubitus, the lower arm. It is difficult to determine the exact length of this measure, from the uncertainty whether it included the entire length from the elbow to the tip of the longest finger, or only from the elbow to the root of the hand at the wrist. The probability is that the longer was the original cubit. The common computation as to the length of the cubit makes it 20.24 inches for the ordinary cubit, and 21.888 inches for the sacred one. This is the same as the Egyptian measurements.

A rod or staff the measure of a cubit is called in Judg. 3:16 gomed, which literally means a “cut,” something “cut off.” The LXX. and Vulgate render it “span.”

Smith's Bible Dictionary

[WEIGHTS AND MEASURES AND MEASURES]

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A measure used among the ancients. A cubit was originally the distance from the elbow to the extremity of the middle finger, which is the fourth part of a well-proportioned man’s stature. The Hebrew cubit, according to some, is twenty-one inches; but others fix it at eighteen. The Talmudists observe that the Hebrew cubit was larger by one quarter than the Roman.

[was] ten cubits [the] length of the frame and [was] a cubit and [the] half of cubit [the] breadth of the frame one
רֹ֖חַבRo.chav [the] breadth of H7341 Noun common · masculine singular construct
101× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means width or breadth, used to describe physical size or space. It appears in the Bible to describe the width of the earth or a room. In the KJV, it is translated as breadth or broad.
Amplified meaning
broad, having a large extent
Tyndale gloss
width
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רֹ֫חַב (rochab) refers to width or breadth, encompassing both literal and figurative uses. It is derived from the root word meaning to be wide. The term appears in various contexts, indicating expanse or largeness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רֹ֫חַב 101 n.[m.] breadth, width

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7341 רֹ֫חַב breadth, width

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7341 rochab ro'-khab

from 7337; width (literally or figuratively):--breadth,

broad, largeness, thickness, wideness.

see HEBREW for 07337

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רֹ֫חַב (ro.chav) — width.

breadth, width, expanse

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

[was] ten cubits [the] length of the frame and [was] a cubit and [the] half of cubit [the] breadth of the frame one
הַקֶּ֥רֶשׁha.Ke.resh the frame H7175 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
51× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to a flat piece of wood, like a board or plank, often used in building ships or other structures. It appears in descriptions of the tabernacle and Solomon's temple. The KJV Bible translates it as 'board' or 'bench'.
Tyndale gloss
board
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קֶ֫רֶשׁ (qeresh) refers to a board or plank, with implications for use in constructing decks or benches. The term is derived from a root meaning to split off, indicating a connection to the process of shaping wood. It is primarily used in contexts related to building materials.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קֶ֫רֶשׁ 51 n.m. board, boards

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7175 קֶ֫רֶשׁ board, boards

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7175 qeresh keh'-resh

from an unused root meaning to split off; a slab or plank; by

implication, a deck of a ship:--bench, board.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קֶ֫רֶשׁ (qe.resh) — board.

1) board, boards, plank

1a) board

1b) boards

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTd/Ncmsa — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

fram:

(1) yetser (from root yatsar, "to knead," mold with the fingers): "For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust" (Ps 103:14).

(2) `erekh (from root `arakh, "to put in order," "to set in a row," "to arrange"): "goodly frame" (Job 41:12, the King James Version "goodly proportion").

(3) `otsem "bony frame" "body": "My frame was not hidden from thee, when I was made in secret" (Ps 139:15), the King James Version "my substance," the King James Version margin "my strength, or, my body."

See also BONE.

(4) mibhneh, "building, frame" (Eze 40:2, "frame of a city").

[was] ten cubits [the] length of the frame and [was] a cubit and [the] half of cubit [the] breadth of the frame one
הָאֶחָֽד׃ha.'e.Chad one H259 Particle
971× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means one or united, and is used to describe something that is single or unique. It is often translated as one, first, or alone. For example, in Genesis 1:5, God calls the light day and the darkness night, and separates them into one thing from another.
Tyndale gloss
one
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֶחָד (echad) means 'one' and is derived from a numeral. It encompasses meanings such as each, every, a certain, and can serve as an indefinite article. It is also used as an ordinal to denote 'first' and appears in various combinations, including eleven. The entries consistently emphasize its numerical and qualitative aspects.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶחָד 972 adj.num. one

one

= each, every

= a certain

= indef. art.

only, & (fem.) once

one … another, one … the other

as ordinal first

in combin.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H259 אֶחָד one . one

. = each, every

. = a certain

. = indef. art.

. only, & (fem.) once

. one … another, one … the other

. as ordinal first

. in combin.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

259 'echad ekh-awd'

a numeral from 258; properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an

ordinal) first:--a, alike, alone, altogether, and,

any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-)ly, each (one), +

eleven, every, few, first, + highway, a man, once, one, only,

other, some, together,

see HEBREW for 0258

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶחָד (e.chad) — one.

1) one (number)

1a) one (number)

1b) each, every

1c) a certain

1d) an (indefinite article)

1e) only, once, once for all

1f) one...another, the one...the other, one after another, one by one

1g) first

1h) eleven (in combination), eleventh (ordinal)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTd/Acfsa — Particle
HTd/Acfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

wun.

See NUMBER.

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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