אַמָּה
ʼammâh · H520 · Hebrew · 247 occurrences
A word for 2 things
- CubitMeasures of length in the Old Testament134 verses
- DoorpostDoor, doorway20 verses
Meanings
-
cubit
Linear measure, corresponding to the length of the forearm, from the tip of the middle finger to the point of the elbow; the exact measure is uncertain; apparently there were two standards: the normal, estimated as 44.5 cm; and the royal, estimated as 51.81 cm
ExamplesGenesis 6:15 “This is how you shall make it: the length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits.
-
time, hour
The maximum amount of time for a certain event to happen
ExamplesJeremiah 51:13 You who live by many waters, Abundant in treasures, Your end has come, The measure of your end.
-
Exact meaning unsure; part of a doorway construction: either the threshold foundations, or the doorframe, or the pins on which a door is hung and on which it turns (foundations of thresholds (?), doorposts (?), pivots of thresholds (?))
ExamplesIsaiah 6:4 And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke.
How it’s used In 10 roles
Every occurrence, grouped by the words it is grammatically related to.
the word studied the word it goes with
Whose, or of whatGenitive or possessive
3 occurrences in 3 groups
- בֶּצַעprofit 1
- אִישׁman, person, each 1
- סַףthreshold, basin 1
Words describing itAdjectives, demonstratives, participles
158 occurrences in 20 groups
- חָמֵשׁfive 36
- עֶשְׂרִיםtwenty 22
- חֲמִשִּׁיםfifty 18
- מֵאָהhundred 12
- עֶשֶׂרten 9
- שָׁלוֹשׁthree 9
- Other words · 6 groups that occur once or twice (6) 6
Named alongside itApposition
4 occurrences in 4 groups
- קֶלַעhangings, curtain, sling 2
- מְלֹאgroup 1
- מָסָךְscreen 1
- אַצִּילjoint of arm 1
What it doesIt is the subject
4 occurrences in 3 groups
- הָיָהto be, to become 2
- נוּעַto move 1
- בּוֹאto come, to go in, to bring 1
What is done to itIt is the object
4 occurrences in 3 groups
- מָדַדto measure 2
- בָּנָהto build, to rebuild, to establish 1
- פָּרַץto burst 1
Second object ofSecond object
8 occurrences in 2 groups
- מָדַדto measure 7
- עָשָׂהto do, to make 1
What it is said to bePredicate
7 occurrences in 5 groups
- פָּנִיםface, presence, before 3
- עֲזָרָהledge, court 2
- טֹפַחhandbreadth 1
- אַמָּהcubit 1
- תָּאroom 1
What is said to be itIt is the predicate
141 occurrences in 22 groups
- רֹחַבbreadth 45
- אֹרֶךְlength 41
- קוֹמָהheight 25
- כָּנָףwing 6
- גָּבֹהַּhigh 3
- Other words · 17 groups that occur once or twice (22) 22
After prepositionsPrepositional phrases
48 occurrences in 4 groups
- בin/on/with 46
- כlike/as 3
- אֵלto, toward 2
- לto/for 1
In phrases “… of it”It is the genitive
12 occurrences in 4 groups
- חֵצִיhalf 6
- חוּטthread 2
- אֶבֶןstone 2
- רֹחַבbreadth 2
When two words share a role, as in “Paul and Barnabas said”, the verse appears under each, so a section’s counts can add up to more than the number of occurrences.
MACULA Greek Linguistic Datasets, available at https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-greek/, licensed CC BY 4.0; MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets © 2022-2024 by Biblica, Inc., CC BY 4.0. Westminster Leningrad Codex (tanach.us). OpenScriptures Hebrew Bible morphology (hb.openscriptures.org), CC BY 4.0.
In the other Testament 1 word
- πῆχυς pēchys · G4083 · cubit, eighteen inches, half meter
- Greek πῆχυς (pēchus) is the standard direct translation equivalent of Hebrew אַמָּה (ʾammâ) for the cubit measurement unit, both denoting the forearm-based length measure used throughout biblical architectural and dimensional descriptions.
Semantic domains 6 entries
- Dimension002001001020
- אַמָּה names the cubit, the standard unit of linear measure used to specify the ark's dimensions (Genesis 6:15).
- Time002002002010
- This lexeme's own occurrences confirm no independent “Time” sense; every occurrence is the unit of linear measure, as in “the length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits” (Genesis 6:15). The domain is bundle-shared with אַמָּה (ʼammâh, H521) and אַמָּה (ʼAmmâh, H522).
- Control002003002007
- אַמָּה can describe a supporting threshold or doorpost, an architectural element bearing structural weight, as the foundations of the thresholds that trembled at the temple's shaking (Isaiah 6:4).
- Buildings001003002001
- The word denotes a structural element such as a doorpost or threshold within a building, as the foundations of the thresholds in the temple vision (Isaiah 6:4).
- Names of Landforms003001008
- This entry carries no independent “Names of Landforms” sense of its own; every occurrence of this lexeme is the unit of linear measure: “the length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits” (Genesis 6:15). The domain is bundle-shared with the place name Ammah (אַמָּה (ʼAmmâh, H522)).
- Names of Locations003001010
- This entry carries no independent “Names of Locations” sense of its own; every occurrence of this lexeme is the unit of linear measure: “the length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits” (Genesis 6:15). The domain is bundle-shared with the place name Ammah (אַמָּה (ʼAmmâh, H522)).
Word family 6 words
Words formed from the same root. They share a form, not always a meaning.
Also from the root אֵם
Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon H520. ammah II. אַמָּה246 noun feminine ell, cubit (SI אמה; so Sabean DHMZMG 1865, 613;…
II. אַמָּה246 noun feminine ell, cubit (SI אמה; so Sabean DHMZMG 1865, 613; Aramaic , אַמָּא; Assyrian ammatu Nor280; Ethiopic etymology dubious; Thes and others mater brachii, i.e. length of fore-arm; others derive from √ אמם, precede, be in front, & hence fore-arm compare Di Isa 6:4; DlPr 109 MV derive immediately from √אמם be wide (see above), אַמָּה = distance, & hence a particular distance, ell, cubit) — ׳א absolute Gen 6:15 +; construct אַמַּת Deu 3:11; Jer 51:13; dual אַמָּתַיִם Exo 25:10 +; plural אַמּוֺת Exo 26:16 +; —
1 cubit, so אַמַּתאִֿישׁ i.e. ordinary cubit, Deu 3:11 (compare Isa 8:1); in Eze 40:5; Eze 43:13 is a cubit one hand-breadth longer, compare 2Ch 3:3 ׳א הָרִאשׁוֺנָה בַּמִּחָה; absolute length dubious, compare SmithDict. Bib., article Weights and Measures; LepsiusLängenmaasse der Alten, SBAk 1883, 1195 f. identification with Egyptian, longer cubit. 525m., shorter .450m.; see also Id.Babylonian-Assyr. Längenmaasse 1877; MBAk 1877, 741 OppertGGA 1878, 1055; Rev. d'Assyr. i. 124 (also on the Babylonian 'half-cubit' = .270 m. HptAJPh 1888, 419 HomSemiten i. 501); on ׳א אַצִּילָה Eze 41:8 compare Sm & Co (Co strike out); קָנִים אמות חֲמֵשׁ Eze 42:16 Kt, read מֵאוֺת so Qr Co; chiefly in Exodus 25-27. 36-38 (56 t.) 1Kings 6.. 7 (45 t.) 2 Chronicles 3.4 (21 t.) Ezekiel 40-43 (86 t.); a (one) cubit = אַמָּה Gen 6:16; Exo 25:10, Exo 25:23 +; הָאַמָּה Eze 43:14; ׳א אַחַת Eze 40:12 (twice in verse); Eze 40:42 (3 t. in verse); Eze 42:4; Eze 43:14; two cubits = אַמָּתַיִם Exo 25:10, Exo 25:17, Exo 25:23; Exo 30:2; Exo 37:1, Exo 37:6, Exo 37:10, Exo 37:25; Num 11:31; אַמּוֺת שְׁתַּיִם Eze 40:9; Eze 41:3, Eze 41:22; Eze 43:14; with Numbers 1-10 ׳א mostly follows number in plural Exo 26:16; Exo 27:1 (3 t. in verse); 1Ki 6:10; Eze 40:5, Eze 40:7, Eze 40:9 +; with numbers 11-1000 +, it mostly following number in singular Gen 6:15 (3 t. in verse); Exo 27:12-13, Exo 38:13-14, Exo 38:15; Num 35:4; Jos 3:4; 1Ki 6:2 (twice in verse); 1Ki 6:3; 1Ki 7:15 (twice in verse); Jer 52:21-22, Eze 40:49 (twice in verse) +; seldom following, in plural Eze 40:11 (strike out Co) Eze 40:27 (Co singular) Eze 42:2; so also אַמּוֺת וְחָמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרִים Eze 40:13, Eze 40:29 but אַמָּה וְעֶשְׂרִים חָמֵשׁ Eze 40:25, Eze 40:30, Eze 40:33, Eze 40:36; (late) also in plural precedes all Numbers 2Ch 3:3 (twice in verse); 2Ch 3:4, 2Ch 3:8 (twice in verse) +; 2Ch 6:13; Eze 42:2; also often בָּאַמָּה following all numbers Exo 26:2 (twice in verse); Exo 26:8 (twice in verse); Exo 27:9, Exo 27:18; Exo 36:9 (twice in verse); Exo 36:15 (twice in verse); Exo 36:21; Num 35:5 (4 t. in verse); 1Ki 6:6 (3 t. in verse); 1Ki 7:23 (3 t. in verse); 2Ch 4:2 (3 t. in verse); Eze 40:21; Eze 47:3; Zec 5:2 (twice in verse) +, compare חָמֵשׁ לְאַמּוֺת2Ch 3:11; often ׳א וַחֲצִי Exo 25:10 (3 t. in verse); Exo 25:17 (twice in verse) +, also ׳א הָא ׳וַחֲצִי Exo 26:16; Exo 36:21; 1 Kings 17:31; 1 Kings 17:32; 1 Kings 17:35 etc.; compare וָזָרֶ֑ת אַמּוֺת שֵׁשׁ 1Sa 17:4; followed by בַּמִּדָּה in measurement Jos 3:4; 2Ch 3:3.
2 measure, full measure, limit, only בִּצְעֵךְ אַמַּת the measure of thy gain-making Jer 51:13 (|| קִצֵּךְ).
III. [אַמָּה] noun feminine (etymology & meaning dubious; Thes foundation (compare Talmud AW ), from אֵם in metaphorical sense, compare MV; De on Isa 6:4 derived similarly, but makes support of superliminaria (compare ᵑ9 ᵑ6 ᵐ5); Ew Di derived from √ אמם = precede, whence front; DlPr 110 translates holder from √ אמם be wide, hence contain, hold) only הַסִּמִּים אַמּוֺת Isa 6:4.
[אַמָּה K§ 51, 2, Anm. 2] noun feminineDan 3:1 cubit (= Biblical Hebrew id.; Egyptian Aramaic (plural) אמן RES246 S-CC44); — plural אַמִּין (so ᵑ7 Syriac) Dan 3:1 (twice in verse); Ezr 6:3, Ezr 6:8.
Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), public domain
Topical studies with this word 6 entries
Meanings adapted from the UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament, © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0 and the UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew (from the Semantic Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew), © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0; MACULA Greek Linguistic Datasets, available at https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-greek/, licensed CC BY 4.0; MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets © 2022-2024 by Biblica, Inc., CC BY 4.0. Westminster Leningrad Codex (tanach.us). OpenScriptures Hebrew Bible morphology (hb.openscriptures.org), CC BY 4.0.
Sources
eRhema lexical overview, based on the UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew and the UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament (© United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Macula Hebrew and Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0); released under CC BY-SA 4.0
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