A handbreadth is an ancient unit of measurement used in the Bible, equivalent to the width of a human hand. This measurement is approximately 3 to 4 inches or about 7.5 to 10 centimeters. The handbreadth is one of several anthropometric units used in biblical times, alongside others such as the cubit, span, and fingerbreadth. These measurements were based on the human body, making them practical and accessible for everyday use in construction, trade, and various other activities.

Biblical References:

1. Exodus 25:25 : "And make a rim around it a handbreadth wide and put a gold molding on the rim." This verse refers to the construction of the table for the Bread of the Presence in the Tabernacle. The use of a handbreadth as a measurement for the rim emphasizes the precision and care involved in crafting items for worship, reflecting the importance of following God's instructions meticulously.

2. 1 Kings 7:26 : "It was a handbreadth thick, and its rim was fashioned like the brim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It could hold two thousand baths." This passage describes the dimensions of the "Sea," a large basin in Solomon's Temple. The thickness of a handbreadth indicates the substantial and robust nature of the construction, suitable for its sacred purpose.

3. Ezekiel 40:5 : "And I saw a wall surrounding the temple area. The measuring rod in the man’s hand was six long cubits, each of which was a cubit and a handbreadth." In Ezekiel's vision of the new temple, the inclusion of a handbreadth in the measurement of the cubit suggests an extended cubit, indicating a specific and divinely ordained standard for the temple's construction.

Symbolic Significance:

The handbreadth, while a practical unit of measurement, also carries symbolic weight in the biblical narrative. It represents the finite and limited nature of human life in contrast to the infinite and eternal nature of God. This is illustrated in Psalm 39:5 : "You, indeed, have made my days as handbreadths, and my lifetime as nothing before You. Truly each man at his best exists as but a breath." Here, the brevity of life is underscored by the smallness of a handbreadth, reminding believers of the importance of humility and reliance on God.

Cultural Context:

In the ancient Near East, measurements based on the human body were common due to their convenience and universality. The handbreadth, being a part of this system, was easily understood and applied across various cultures and societies. Its use in the Bible reflects the everyday realities of the people and provides insight into the practical aspects of their lives, from building and crafting to trade and commerce.

The handbreadth, as a unit of measure, serves as a reminder of the tangible and relatable aspects of biblical teachings, grounding spiritual truths in the physical realities of human existence.A measure of four fingers, equal to about four inches (Exodus 25:25; 37:12; Psalm 39:5, etc.). (n.) A space equal to the breadth of the hand; a palm.HANDBREADTH

hand'-bredth (Tephach, Tophach, 1 Kings 7:26 2 Chronicles 4:5; Psalm 39:5 Exodus 25:25; Exodus 37:12 Ezekiel 40:5, 43; Ezekiel 43:13): A Hebrew linear measure containing 4 fingers, or digits, and equal to about 3 inches.

See WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.

2947. tephach -- a span, handbreadth, coping
... 2946, 2947. tephach. 2948 . a span, handbreadth, coping. Transliteration: tephach
Phonetic Spelling: (tay'-fakh) Short Definition: handbreadth. ...
/hebrew/2947.htm - 6k

2948. tophach -- a span, handbreadth
... 2947, 2948. tophach. 2949 . a span, handbreadth. Transliteration: tophach
Phonetic Spelling: (to'-fakh) Short Definition: handbreadth. ...
/hebrew/2948.htm - 6k

The Bitterness and Blessedness of the Brevity of Life
... than petition"and which is absorbed in the contemplation of the manifest melancholy
facts of human life"'Thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/the bitterness and blessedness of.htm

God's Waiting and Man's
... short. And when the perfect fruition is come, and we enter into the great
spaces of Eternity, it will seem as an handbreadth. 'Take ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/gods waiting and mans.htm

Whether the Whole Good of Human Nature Can be Destroyed by Sin
... text 37, any finite magnitude will at length be exhausted if the same quantity is
repeatedly taken from it"if I were to subtract a handbreadth from a finite ...
/.../aquinas/nature and grace/article two whether the whole.htm

Psalm 39
... What is the same; that I thereby. my frailty well may know. ^5Lo, thou my days an
handbreadth mad'st; mine age is in thine eye. As nothing: sure each man at best ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/anonymous/scottish psalter and paraphrases/psalm 39.htm

Chastisements.
... Not only he himself, with his handbreadth of days, that shrink into absolute
nothingness when brought into contrast with the life of God, but "every man," even ...
//christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/the life of david/xiv chastisements.htm

Clairvoyance
... And even to convey the simpler truth that life is short, we find only references
to short things that are seen"a handbreadth, a pilgrimage, a flower, a ...
//christianbookshelf.org/drummond/the ideal life/clairvoyance.htm

"What is Your Life?"
... It is a handbreadth; a weaver's shuttle; nothing; an eagle hasting to the prey;
a swift post; a swift ship. ... "My days are as an handbreadth.". ...
//christianbookshelf.org/drummond/the ideal life/what is your life.htm

Second Great Group of Parables.
... Lightfoot, a wall and not a gulf separated between the just and the unjust, and
they were not "afar off" from each other, the distance being but a handbreadth. ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/xcii second great group of 6.htm

Thou Art the Man
... My conscience, your conscience, is like the standard measures which we at present
possess, which by their very names"foot, handbreadth, nail, and the like ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/thou art the man.htm

The New Man
... Moral harmony. What separates men from their Father in heaven? Is it that His 'years
are throughout all generations,' and 'my days are as an handbreadth'? ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture ephesians peter/the new man.htm

Handbreadth (9 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. HANDBREADTH. ...Handbreadth (9 Occurrences).
Exodus 25:25 You shall make a rim of a handbreadth around it. ...
/h/handbreadth.htm - 10k

Rim (18 Occurrences)
... Rim (18 Occurrences). Exodus 25:25 You shall make a rim of a handbreadth around
it. You shall make a golden molding on its rim around it. (WEB NAS NIV). ...
/r/rim.htm - 11k

Measuring (42 Occurrences)
... The reed is described as 6 cubits long, "of a cubit and a handbreadth each," ie
the cubit used was a handbreadth longer than the common cubit (see CUBIT ...
/m/measuring.htm - 22k

Thickness (12 Occurrences)
... 2 Chronicles 4:5 And the thickness of it was an handbreadth, and the brim of it
like the work of the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies; and it received and ...
/t/thickness.htm - 10k

Molding (10 Occurrences)
... (WEB RSV NIV). Exodus 25:25 You shall make a rim of a handbreadth around it. You
shall make a golden molding on its rim around it. (WEB RSV NIV). ...
/m/molding.htm - 9k

Brim (9 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 7:26 It was a handbreadth thick: and its brim was worked like the brim
of a cup, like the flower of a lily: it held two thousand baths. ...
/b/brim.htm - 10k

Baths (8 Occurrences)
... (See NIV). 1 Kings 7:26 It was a handbreadth thick: and its brim was worked like
the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily: it held two thousand baths. ...
/b/baths.htm - 9k

Containeth (3 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 7:26 And its thickness 'is' an handbreadth, and its edge as the work of
the edge of a cup, flowers of lilies; two thousand baths it containeth. (YLT). ...
/c/containeth.htm - 7k

Flower (33 Occurrences)
... (BBE). 1 Kings 7:26 It was a handbreadth thick: and its brim was worked like the
brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily: it held two thousand baths. ...
/f/flower.htm - 18k

Lily (9 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 7:26 It was a handbreadth thick: and its brim was worked like the brim
of a cup, like the flower of a lily: it held two thousand baths. ...
/l/lily.htm - 15k

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Handbreadth: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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