Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

b-hebrew - [b-hebrew] Cubits or rods

b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Biblical Hebrew Forum

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Daniel Buck <bucksburg AT yahoo.com>
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [b-hebrew] Cubits or rods
  • Date: Sat, 8 Aug 2009 14:22:12 -0700 (PDT)


The question arises in Ezekiel 42:16-19 as to the exact dimensions of the
Courtyard in Ezekiel's Temple. Are they in cubits ('MH) or rods (QNH)? I'd
like some help sorting out the differences between the Kethib and Qere
readings.
Kethib apparently reads XM$ 'MW+ QNIM (five cubits rods) whilst Qere reads
XM$ M'W+ QNIM (five hundred rods). But this is only in v. 16; the other
verses just have XM$ M'W+ without stipulating the unit of measurement.

If the Temple courtyard were 500 rods square, it would be 36 times larger
than if it were 500 cubits square. Most translators appear to opt for cubits
across the board, but is there any real evidence for this reading from the MT?

Daniel Buck







Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page