4083. péchus

Lexicon

péchus: Cubit

Original Word: πῆχυς
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: péchus
Pronunciation: PAY-khoos
Phonetic Spelling: (pay'-khoos)
Definition: Cubit
Meaning: a cubit, about a foot and a half.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

cubit.

Of uncertain affinity; the fore-arm, i.e. (as a measure) a cubit -- cubit.

HELPS Word-studies

4083 pḗxys – "traditionally the distance from the elbow to the end of the fingers, about eighteen inches or one-half meter – 'cubit, eighteen inches, half meter' " (L & N, 1, 81.25).

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a prim. word
Definition
the forearm, i.e. a cubit
NASB Translation
hour (2), yards (2).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 4083: πῆχυς

πῆχυς, genitive πηχεως (not found in the N. T.), genitive plural πηχῶν contracted from Ionic πήχεων (John 21:8; Revelation 21:17; 1 Kings 7:3 (15), 39 (2); Esther 7:9; Ezekiel 40:5) according to later usage, for the earlier and Attic πήχεων, which is common in the Sept. (cf. Lob. ad Phryn., p. 245f; (WHs Appendix, p. 157); Winer's Grammar, § 9, 2 e.), ὁ, the forearm i. e. that part of the arm between the hand and the elbow-joint (Homer, Odyssey 17, 38; Iliad 21, 166, etc.); hence, a cubit (ell, Latinulna), a measure of length equal to the distance from the joint of the elbow to the tip of the middle finger (i. e. about one foot and a half, but its precise length varied and is disputed; see B. D., under the phrase, Weights and Measures, II. 1): Matthew 6:27; Luke 12:25 (on these passages, cf. ἡλικία, 1 a.); John 21:8; Revelation 21:17. (The Sept. very often for אַמָּה.)

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the base of πῆγμα (pēgma), meaning "a fixing" or "a fastening," which relates to the concept of measurement.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • Strong's Hebrew 520: אַמָּה (ammah) • The Hebrew equivalent of the Greek πῆχυς, also meaning "cubit." It is used extensively in the Old Testament to describe measurements, particularly in the construction of sacred spaces and objects.

This entry provides a comprehensive understanding of the term πῆχυς, its origins, and its significance within the biblical narrative, highlighting its role in both practical and symbolic contexts.

Usage: The term πῆχυς is used in the New Testament to describe measurements, particularly in contexts involving construction or dimensions. It is a standard unit of length in biblical times.

Context: The term πῆχυς (pēchys) appears in the New Testament in contexts where precise measurements are significant, often in relation to structures or objects of importance. The cubit was a common unit of measurement in the ancient Near East, including among the Israelites, and it is frequently mentioned in the Old Testament for the construction of the Tabernacle, the Temple, and other significant structures.

In the New Testament, the term is used in passages such as Matthew 6:27, where Jesus uses it metaphorically: "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" (BSB). Here, the cubit is used to illustrate the futility of anxiety in altering one's lifespan, emphasizing reliance on God's provision.

The cubit is also mentioned in Revelation 21:17, describing the measurements of the New Jerusalem: "And he measured its wall to be 144 cubits, by the human measure the angel was using" (BSB). This usage underscores the grandeur and divine perfection of the heavenly city.

The cubit, as a measure, reflects the practical aspects of daily life in biblical times, as well as the symbolic dimensions of divine order and human limitation. Its use in Scripture often points to the intersection of the physical and the spiritual, where earthly measurements are imbued with deeper theological significance.

Forms and Transliterations

πήχει πηχεις πήχεις πηχεος πήχεος πηχεών πηχέων πήχεων πήχεως πήχους πηχυν πήχυν πῆχυν πήχυς πηχων πηχών πηχῶν pechon pechôn pēchōn pēchō̂n pechun pēchun pechyn pêchyn pēchyn pē̂chyn

Englishman's Concordance

Matthew 6:27 N-AMS
GRK: ἡλικίαν αὐτοῦ πῆχυν ἕνα
NAS: can add a [single] hour to his life?
KJV: add one cubit unto his
INT: life span of him hour one

Luke 12:25 N-AMS
GRK: αὐτοῦ προσθεῖναι πῆχυν
NAS: add a [single] hour to his life's span?
KJV: stature one cubit?
INT: of him to add one hour

John 21:8 N-GMP
GRK: ὡς ἀπὸ πηχῶν διακοσίων σύροντες
NAS: one hundred yards away,
KJV: two hundred cubits,) dragging
INT: about from cubits two hundred dragging

Revelation 21:17 N-GMP
GRK: τεσσεράκοντα τεσσάρων πηχῶν μέτρον ἀνθρώπου
NAS: its wall, seventy-two yards, [according to] human
KJV: [and] four cubits, [according to] the measure
INT: [and] forty four cubits measure of a man

Strong's Greek 4083
4 Occurrences

πηχῶν — 2 Occ.
πῆχυν — 2 Occ.