H2947 H2947
A handbreadth (unit of linear measure, roughly 3 inches); also an architectural term, possibly a coping or ledge.
Refers primarily to a handbreadth, an ancient unit of measurement equal to the width of four fingers (roughly 7–8 cm). It describes the thickness of Solomon's molten sea (1 Kgs 7:26; 2 Chr 4:5) and, in a poignant metaphor, the brevity of human life — 'you have made my days a few handbreadths' (Ps 39:5). In 1 Kings 7:9 it appears as an architectural term, possibly denoting a coping or projecting ledge. The Spanish 'palmo' and 'cornisa' reflect this dual usage nicely.
Senses
1. sense 1 — A handbreadth as a unit of linear measure. Used to describe the thickness of Solomon's bronze sea — one handbreadth thick (1 Kgs 7:26; 2 Chr 4:5). In Psalm 39:5 the plural 'handbreadths' becomes a metaphor for the painful brevity of life. Spanish 'palmo' captures this measuring sense directly. The unit was approximately the width of four fingers, around 7–8 centimeters. 4×
AR["أَشْبارًا", "الـ-إِفْرِيزِ", "شِبْرٌ"]·ben["-পারাপেটগুলি", "এক-হাত", "হাতের-চার-আঙুল"]·DE["[טפח]", "der-coping", "handbreadth", "handbreadths"]·EN["a-handbreadth", "handbreadth", "handbreadths", "the-coping"]·FR["[טפח]", "corniche", "handbreadth", "le-coping"]·heb["ה-טפחות", "טפח", "טפחות"]·HI["चप्पा", "बालिश्त", "बालिश्तें", "मुंडेरों"]·ID["cornice", "jengkal", "setelapak-tangan"]·IT["[טפח]", "[טפחות]", "handbreadth", "il-coping"]·jav["epek-epek", "sajeroning-asta", "tepi-tembok"]·KO["갈랫돌들까지", "뿈들-로", "손바닥-너비", "손바닥이었다"]·PT["as-beiradas", "como-palmos", "palmo"]·RU["верха", "ладонь", "пядями"]·ES["las-cornisas", "palmo", "palmos", "un-palmo"]·SW["kama-nyanda-za-mkono", "na-kutoka-nje", "nyanda", "shubiri"]·TR["karış", "karış-kadar", "saraklar"]·urd["ایک-بالشت", "بالشت", "بالشت-بھر", "منڈیروں-"]
Related Senses
H8033 1. There (locative adverb) (835×)H7760a 1. put, place, set physically (444×)H8064 1. heavens / sky (329×)H5439 1. around, all around (spatial) (319×)H4057b 1. wilderness, desert region (270×)H3220 1. sea, body of water (269×)H0520a 1. cubit (unit of length) (246×)H0127 1. ground, land (territory) (210×)H3383 1. Jordan River (proper noun) (183×)G1093 1. earth, the world (176×)H5800a 1. forsake, abandon (Qal active) (166×)H8121 1. sun (celestial body) (133×)H7126 1. offer, present sacrificially (122×)H6828 1. north, cardinal direction (120×)H2351 1. outside, exterior space (119×)H5104 1. river, stream (119×)H7341 1. width, breadth (101×)G1563 1. there (95×)H7126 2. draw near, approach (95×)G2281 1. sea, large body of water (91×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† טֶ֫פַח n.[m.] 1. a span, hand-breadth; 2. coping (?);— 1. a span, hand-breadth, טֶ֫פַח 1 K 7:26 = 2 Ch 4:5 of thickness of the molten sea; pl. טְפָחוֹת ψ 39:6 (a few) hand-breadths are my days. 2. architectural term, perhaps coping, וּמִמַּסַּד עַד־הַטְּפָחוֹת (K 3 וּמִמַּסָּד) 1 K 7:9.