אַמָּה
Definition
The Hebrew noun אַמָּה (ʼammâh) is a unit of linear measurement, most commonly translated as 'cubit.' It is based on the approximate length from a man's elbow to the tip of his middle finger, roughly 18 inches or 45 centimeters. In the two biblical passages where this specific Aramaic form appears, it is used to describe the immense dimensions of structures: the decree for rebuilding the Jerusalem temple (Ezra 6:3) and the construction of King Nebuchadnezzar's golden statue (Daniel 3:1). The word consistently denotes a standard measure for length, emphasizing the physical scale of these objects.
Biblical Usage
This Aramaic form of 'cubit' is used exclusively in two post-exilic books written in Aramaic sections of the Bible: Ezra and Daniel. In both instances, it specifies the monumental height of a constructed object. In Ezra 6:3, it details the dimensions of the new temple, and in Daniel 3:1, it gives the towering height of Nebuchadnezzar's golden image. The usage is purely descriptive and architectural, providing concrete measurements within historical and narrative contexts.
Etymology
The word אַמָּה (ʼammâh, H521) is the direct Aramaic cognate and equivalent of the Hebrew word אַמָּה (ʼammâh, H520). Both derive from a common Semitic root (ʼ-m-h) related to the forearm, the body part which originally defined this unit of measurement. Its meaning is stable across both languages, consistently referring to the cubit as a standard linear measure.
Semantic Range
The cubit was the fundamental unit of length in the ancient Near East, used in construction, carpentry, and land measurement. Its basis in human anatomy (the forearm) meant the exact length could vary slightly between cultures, though a 'standard cubit' of about 18 inches was commonly used for official purposes. The measurements given in Ezra and Daniel (e.g., 60 cubits high) would have conveyed an immediate sense of colossal, awe-inspiring scale to the original audience, highlighting the grandeur of a temple or the arrogance of a king's statue.
אַמָּה (ʼammâh, H520) — The standard Hebrew term for 'cubit,' identical in meaning to its Aramaic counterpart (H521).
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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