Topical Encyclopedia
In biblical times, measuring was an essential practice for various aspects of daily life, including construction, agriculture, commerce, and religious observance. The Bible contains numerous references to measurements, both literal and metaphorical, reflecting the importance of precision and fairness in the ancient world.
Units of MeasurementThe Bible mentions several units of measurement, which were used to quantify length, volume, and weight. Common units of length included the cubit, span, and handbreadth. The cubit, approximately 18 inches or 45 centimeters, was the most frequently used unit, often defined as the length from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger. In
Ezekiel 40:5 , the prophet describes a measuring rod "six long cubits in length, each cubit being a cubit and a handbreadth."
For volume, the ephah and the bath were standard units. The ephah was used for dry measures, while the bath was used for liquids. In
Ezekiel 45:11 , it is stated, "The ephah and the bath will be the same size: the bath containing a tenth of a homer, and the ephah a tenth of a homer; their standard will be the homer."
Weights were measured using the talent, mina, shekel, and gerah. The shekel was a common unit of weight, as seen in
Exodus 30:13 : "Each one who crosses over to those already counted is to give a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs."
Measuring in Construction and LandMeasuring was crucial in construction, particularly in the building of sacred structures. In the construction of the Tabernacle, precise measurements were given by God to Moses, as recorded in
Exodus 26. Similarly, Solomon's Temple was built according to specific dimensions, as detailed in
1 Kings 6.
Land measurement was also significant, especially in the context of inheritance and property boundaries. In
Deuteronomy 19:14 , the Israelites are instructed, "You must not move your neighbor’s boundary marker, which was set up by your ancestors in the inheritance you will receive in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess."
Metaphorical Use of MeasuringThe concept of measuring extends beyond the physical to the spiritual and moral realms. In the Bible, measuring is often used metaphorically to convey divine judgment and righteousness. In
Isaiah 28:17 , God declares, "I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line; hail will sweep away your refuge of lies, and water will flood your hiding place."
The New Testament also employs the metaphor of measuring in the context of judgment and mercy. In
Matthew 7:2 , Jesus teaches, "For with the same judgment you pronounce, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
Symbolism in Prophetic VisionsProphetic visions in the Bible often include the imagery of measuring, symbolizing God's authority and the establishment of His order. In the book of Ezekiel, the prophet is given a vision of a new temple, and a man with a measuring rod measures the temple's dimensions (
Ezekiel 40:3-4). Similarly, in
Revelation 11:1 , John is instructed, "Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers there."
These visions emphasize God's sovereignty and the fulfillment of His divine plan, with measuring serving as a symbol of His precise and just governance.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
p. pr. & vb. n.) of Measure.
2. (a.) Used in, or adapted for, ascertaining measurements, or dividing by measure.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
MEASURING LINE(qaw, qeweh): The usual meaning is simply line, rope or cord, inIsaiah 28:10, 13, but the line was used for measurement, as is evident from such passages as1 Kings 7:23Job 38:5Jeremiah 31:39. Whether the line for measuring had a definite length or not we have no means of knowing. InIsaiah 44:13 it refers to the line used by the carpenter in marking the timber on which he is working, and inZechariah 1:16 it refers to the builder's line.
Figuratively: It signifies destruction, or a portion of something marked off by line for destruction, as in2 Kings 21:13; or for judgment, as inIsaiah 28:17.
H. Porter
MEASURING REED
(qeneh hamiddah; kalamos): Used inEzekiel 40:5;; 42:16:00; 45:01:00;Revelation 11:1;Revelation 21:15, 16. The length of the reed is given as 6 cubits, each cubit being a cubit and a palm, i.e. the large cubit of 7 palms, or about 10 ft. SeeCUBIT. Originally it was an actual reed used for measurements of considerable length, but came at last to be used for a measure of definite length, as indicated by the reference in Ezekiel (compare "pole" in English measures).
REED, MEASURING
mezh'-ur-ing (qeneh ha-middah): In Ezekiel's vision of the temple a "man" (an angel) appears with a "measuring reed" to measure the dimensions of the temple (Ezekiel 40:3; 42:16). The reed is described as 6 cubits long, "of a cubit and a handbreadth each," i.e. the cubit used was a handbreadth longer than the common cubit (see CUBIT; WEIGHTS AND MEASURES; TEMPLE). In the Apocalypse this idea of a measuring reed reappears for measuring the temple (Revelation 11:1) and the holy city (Revelation 21:15, 16, "a golden reed"). The thought conveyed is exactitude in the dimensions of these edifices, symbolic of the symmetry and perfection of God's church.
James Orr
Greek
3358. metron -- a measure... a measure. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: metron Phonetic Spelling:
(met'-ron) Short Definition: a measure,
measuring rod Definition: a measure
...2563. kalamos -- a reed
... Masculine Transliteration: kalamos Phonetic Spelling: (kal'-am-os) Short Definition:
a reed, reed-pen Definition: a reed; a reed-pen, reed-staff,measuring rod...
3356. metriopatheo -- to hold one's emotions in restraint
... 3356 (from , "mediating," derived from , "an instrument formeasuring" and 3806 ,
"feeling") -- properly, to , ie with ("God-controlled ")....
3400. milion -- a Roman mile (about 1618 yards)
... Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: milion Phonetic Spelling: (mil'-ee-on) Short
Definition: a Roman mile Definition: a Roman mile,measuring 1478.5 meters...
Strong's Hebrew
2256a. chebel -- cord, territory, band... cord, territory, band NASB Word Usage allotment (1), coast (1), cord (2), cords
(13), group (2), line (4), lines (2), measurement (1),
measuring line (1
...2339. chut -- thread, cord, line
... cord, fillet, line, thread. From an unused root probably meaning to sew; a string;
by implication, ameasuring tape -- cord, fillet, line, thread. 2338, 2339...
6961. qaveh -- a line
... line From qavah; a (measuring) cord (as if for binding) -- line. see HEBREW
qavah. 6960b, 6961. qaveh. 6961a . Strong's Numbers.
6957. qav -- line
... line Or qav {kawv}; from qavah (compare qaveh); a cord (as connecting), especially
formeasuring; figuratively, a rule; also a rim, a musical string or accord...
4060a. middah -- measure, measurement, stature, size, a garment
... stature, size, a garment NASB Word Usage area (1), extent (1), measure (6), measurement
(7), measurements (13), measures of volume (1),measuring (10), robes (1...
5608. saphar -- to count, recount, relate
... to count, recount, relate NASB Word Usage assigned (1), count (17), counted (6),
counts (2), declare (6), declared (2), elapse (1),measuring (1), number (3...
4060. middah -- measure, measurement, stature, size, a garment
... mid-daw') Short Definition: garment. garment,measuring, piece, size, great
stature, tribute, wide Feminine of mad; properly, extension...
4971. mathkoneth -- measurement, tally, proportion
... Or mathkuneth {math-koo'-neth}; from takan in the transferred sense ofmeasuring;
proportion (in size, number or ingredients) -- composition, measure, state...
2256. chebel -- cord, territory, band
... Or chebel {khay'-bel}; from chabal; a rope (as twisted), especially ameasuring
line; by implication, a district or inheritance (as measured); or a noose (as...
6957b. qav -- a line
... a line. Transliteration: qav Short Definition: line. Word Origin from qavah Definition
a line NASB Word Usage circumference* (1), line (16),measuring line (3)....
Library
The Sixth Ennead Cfirst Tractate. On the Kinds of Being (1).
... not; and secondly, the numbers inhere in the objects as measures [of extension or
weight], yet as standing outside the objects they have nomeasuring power, as...
The Kingdom Conquering the World
... Am Imeasuring up to the plan of God? Is this churchmeasuring up to the plan of
God? V. Outline of Contents: 1. The Kingdom's Witness in the City....
The New Jerusalem.
... And he, who talked with me, had a goldenmeasuring-reed to measure the city,
and its gates, and its wall. And the city lieth square...
Does not My Soul Most Truly Confess unto Thee...
... Or could I indeed measure the motion of a body how long it were, and in how long
space it could come from this place to that, withoutmeasuring the time in...
The Saint Having Turned to God the Father, Explains Why He Does...
... The prophet saw a line of flax with which the angel measured Jerusalem. An angel
wasmeasuring, not Arius. And he wasmeasuring Jerusalem, not God....
Hiram, the Inspired Artificer
... They stood upon bases,measuring 6 feet by 4 1/2 feet, ornamented carefully on each
side with garlands hanging in festoons, literally, "garlands, pensile work...
Some Miscellaneous Matters Respecting the Face of the Land.
... of them to their praise, and to their dispraise: to their dispraise, because they
gave one part out of a hundred; to their praise, because,measuring with a...
The Conquest of Lydia.
... For example, in the course of his travels, he at one time visited Egypt, and while
there, he contrived a very simple way ofmeasuring the height of the pyramids...
Seventh Tractate. Time and Eternity.
... If so, which of these two would be Time, the measured movement or the
measuring magnitude? For Time [as measure] must be either...
Book Eleven the Eternal Creator and the Creation in Time. ...
... say that this time is twice as long as that one or that this is just as long as
that, and so on for the other fractions of time which we can count bymeasuring...
Thesaurus
Measuring (42 Occurrences)... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
MEASURING LINE.
... Whether the line for
measuring had a definite length or not we have no means of knowing.
...Measuring-reed (6 Occurrences)
Measuring-reed.Measuring-line,Measuring-reed.Measuring-rod .
Multi-Version ConcordanceMeasuring-reed (6 Occurrences). Ezekiel...
Measuring-line (4 Occurrences)
Measuring-line.Measuring,Measuring-line.Measuring-reed . Multi-Version
ConcordanceMeasuring-line (4 Occurrences). Isaiah 28:17...
Measuring-rod (1 Occurrence)
Measuring-rod.Measuring-reed,Measuring-rod. Meat . Multi-Version
ConcordanceMeasuring-rod (1 Occurrence). Revelation...
Reeds (27 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV ASV WBS YLT). Ezekiel 42:16 He measured on the east side with themeasuring
reed five hundred reeds, with themeasuring reed all around....
Line (131 Occurrences)
... (n.) A long tape, or a narrow ribbon of steel, etc., marked with subdivisions, as
feet and inches, formeasuring; a tapeline.... (n.) Ameasuring line or cord....
Reed (41 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.MEASURING REED. (qeneh hamiddah; kalamos): Used
in Ezekiel 40:5;; 42:16:00; 45:01:00; Revelation 11:1; Revelation 21:15, 16....
Rod (138 Occurrences)
... 6. (n.) An instrument formeasuring. 7. (n.) A measure of length containing
sixteen and a half feet; -- called also perch, and pole. Int....
Weights (14 Occurrences)
... Of multiples of the cubit we have themeasuring-reed of 6 long cubits, which consisted
of a cubit and a hand-breadth each (Ezekiel 40:5), or about 10 feet....
Measured (91 Occurrences)
... Genesis 41:49 So he got together a store of grain like the sand of the sea; so great
a store that after a time he gave upmeasuring it, for it might not be...
Resources
How does radiometric dating fit with the view of a young earth? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is a plumb line in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the significance of Ezekiel's temple? | GotQuestions.orgMeasuring: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
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