H2948 H2948
a handbreadth, a unit of linear measure equal to roughly four finger-widths
A unit of linear measurement based on the width of the palm, approximately 7.4 centimeters or three inches. It appears in descriptions of sacred furniture and architecture: the border around the tabernacle table (Exod 25:25; 37:12), the addition distinguishing the long cubit from the common cubit in Ezekiel's temple vision (Ezek 40:5; 43:13), and the width of ledges on the sacrificial tables (Ezek 40:43). Every occurrence involves precise sacred measurements.
Senses
1. sense 1 — A handbreadth (approximately 7.4 cm / 3 inches), a standard unit of linear measure used exclusively in sacred architectural and furnishing contexts. It specifies the width of the rim around the tabernacle's table of showbread (Exod 25:25; 37:12) and the extra measure added to the common cubit to form the long cubit in Ezekiel's temple vision (Ezek 40:5; 43:13), as well as the ledge width on sacrificial tables (Ezek 40:43). Multilingual uniformity is notable: Spanish 'palmo,' French 'handbreadth,' German 'Handbreite' all preserve the body-based metrology. 5×
AR["شِبراً", "شِبْرٌ", "وَ-شِبْرٌ", "وَشِبْرٍ"]·ben["এক-চাপ", "এবং-এক-চাপ", "বোতা", "হাতের-চওড়া"]·DE["Handbreite", "[וטפח]", "[טפח]", "ein-Handbreite"]·EN["a-handbreadth", "and-handbreadth", "handbreadth"]·FR["[וטפח]", "[טפח]", "handbreadth", "un-handbreadth"]·heb["ו-טופח", "טופח", "טפח"]·HI["और-बालिश्त", "चप्पा-भर", "बालिश्त", "हथेली-चौड़ा"]·ID["dan-satu-jengkal", "dan-sejengkal", "satu-jengkal", "setelapak-tangan", "telapak tangan"]·IT["[וטפח]", "[טפח]", "handbreadth", "un-handbreadth"]·jav["epek", "lan-epak-epakan-tangan", "lan-nyari", "nyari", "saasta"]·KO["그리고-뛰", "그리고-한뒤", "손바닥-너비의", "손바닥넓이", "한뒤"]·PT["e-palmo", "palmo"]·RU["в-ладонь", "и-ладонь", "ладонь", "с-ладонью"]·ES["palmo", "palmo-menor", "un-palmo", "y-palmo", "y-palmo-menor"]·SW["kiganja", "na-kiganja", "upana-wa-kiganja", "wa-nyanda-moja"]·TR["bir-el", "bir-karış", "karış", "ve-bir-karış"]·urd["اور-بالشت", "اور-بالشت-کا", "بالشت", "چپتی"]
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
† טֹ֫פַח n.m. Ez 40:43 span, hand-breadth—always abs. טֹפַח Ex 25:25; 37:12 (both P), width of border of table in tabernacle; Ez 40:5; 43:13 addit. to common cubit; Ez 40:43 width of border (ledge) of four tables in new temple (Sm Co).