Lexical Summary pethay: Simplicity, naivety Original Word: פְתַי Strong's Exhaustive Concordance breadth (Aramaic) from a root corresponding to pathah; open, i.e. (as noun) width -- breadth. see HEBREW pathah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) from a root corresponding to pathah Definition breadth NASB Translation width (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs [מְּתָי] noun [masculine] breadth (ᵑ7 Syriac; Egyptian Aramaic RES246 S-CD4); — suffix מְּתָיֵהּ Daniel 3:1; Ezra 6:3.Topical Lexicon פְתַי Semantic Scope A Biblical-Aramaic noun denoting the lateral dimension of a structure—its width or breadth. In Scripture it functions as a concrete, technical term within royal building records, underscoring precision, stability and intentional design. Occurrences and Narrative Setting • Ezra 6:3 – The Persian state memorandum that reaffirms King Cyrus’ decree for rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem. Width of the Second Temple Foundation (Ezra 6:3) “In the first year of King Cyrus, King Cyrus issued a decree concerning the house of God in Jerusalem: Let the house be rebuilt... its height to be sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits.” The repeated sixty-cubits measurement communicates perfect symmetry and generous capacity. The equal height and width highlight the temple’s majesty while recalling the grandeur of Solomon’s sanctuary (compare 1 Kings 6:2). The record, preserved in imperial archives and later searched out by Darius, affirms God’s sovereignty over empires and His faithfulness to the restoration promises voiced by prophets such as Isaiah and Jeremiah. The use of פְתַי here ties the returnees’ labor to the exact decree of Cyrus, providing legal protection and demonstrating that worship must proceed according to divinely sanctioned design. Width of Nebuchadnezzar’s Golden Image (Daniel 3:1) “King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold—sixty cubits high and six cubits wide; he set it up on the plain of Dura...” Here פְתַי defines the statue’s breadth, revealing a ratio (60:6) that intentionally exaggerates height, producing an imposing, almost needle-like figure intended to dominate the horizon. The idol’s precise measurements mirror Babylonian engineering prowess, yet the narrative contrasts this human spectacle with the immeasurable sovereignty of the God who rescues Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The same term that dignifies the temple’s width exposes the pretension of human self-exaltation. Theological Reflections 1. Order and verifiability. Exact specifications witness to God’s concern for order (1 Corinthians 14:33) and provide historical anchors that corroborate Scripture’s reliability. Ministry and Discipleship Application • Encourage precision and integrity in ministry planning; God honors careful stewardship (Exodus 25:40). Related Themes and Cross-References Genesis 6:15; Exodus 27:1–2; 1 Kings 6:2; Revelation 21:15-17 – divine measurements. Haggai 2:3-9 – glory of the rebuilt temple. Acts 17:24-25 – God not confined to man-made temples. Forms and Transliterations פְּתָיֵ֖הּ פתיה pə·ṯā·yêh petaYeh pəṯāyêhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezra 6:3 HEB: אַמִּ֣ין שִׁתִּ֔ין פְּתָיֵ֖הּ אַמִּ֥ין שִׁתִּֽין׃ NAS: cubits and its width 60 KJV: cubits, [and] the breadth thereof threescore INT: cubits the breadth cubits Daniel 3:1 2 Occurrences |
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