Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Daniel Buck <bucksburg AT yahoo.com>]

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