Topical Bible: Measure: A Handbreadth

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A handbreadth is an ancient unit of measurement used in the Bible, equivalent to the width of a human hand. This measure is one of the smallest units mentioned in the Scriptures and is often used to convey precision and detail in descriptions of sacred objects and spaces.

Biblical References:

1. Exodus 25:25 : In the instructions for the construction of the Tabernacle, God commands Moses regarding the table for the Bread of the Presence: "And make a rim around it a handbreadth wide and put a gold molding on the rim." Here, the handbreadth is used to specify the width of the decorative rim, emphasizing the care and precision required in crafting items for worship.

2. 1 Kings 7:26 : In the description of Solomon's Temple, the handbreadth is used to describe the thickness of the cast metal sea: "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 measurement highlights the substantial nature of the sea, a large basin used for ceremonial washing.

3. Ezekiel 40:5 : In Ezekiel's vision of the new temple, the handbreadth is again used as a unit of measurement: "And behold, there was 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." This passage illustrates the detailed and specific nature of the prophetic vision, with the handbreadth adding to the precision of the cubit measurement.

Cultural and Historical Context:

The handbreadth, as a unit of measure, reflects the practical and accessible nature of ancient measurement systems, which often relied on the human body as a standard. This method allowed for consistency and ease of use in everyday life and in the construction of significant religious structures.

In biblical times, the handbreadth was part of a broader system of measurements that included the cubit, span, and fingerbreadth. The cubit, typically the length from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, was the primary unit, with the handbreadth serving as a smaller subdivision. This system underscores the importance of proportionality and order in the biblical worldview, particularly in the context of worship and the sacred.

Theological Significance:

The use of the handbreadth in Scripture often appears in contexts related to the construction and furnishing of sacred spaces, such as the Tabernacle and the Temple. This reflects the biblical emphasis on the holiness and sanctity of places dedicated to God. The precise measurements, including the handbreadth, signify the divine order and intentionality behind these structures, pointing to God's desire for beauty, order, and reverence in worship.

Moreover, the handbreadth as a measure can symbolize the finite and limited nature of human life in contrast to the infinite and eternal nature of God. In Psalm 39:5 , David reflects on the brevity of life: "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." This metaphorical use of the handbreadth serves as a reminder of human mortality and the need for humility before the Creator.

In summary, the handbreadth is a small yet significant measure in the biblical text, serving both practical and symbolic purposes. It underscores the importance of precision in the service of God and offers a poignant reminder of the transience of human life.

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Exodus 25:25
And you shall make to it a border of an hand breadth round about, and you shall make a golden crown to the border thereof round about.
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Exodus 37:12
Also he made thereunto a border of an handbreadth round about; and made a crown of gold for the border thereof round about.
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1 Kings 7:26
And it was an hand breadth thick, and the brim thereof was worked like the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies: it contained two thousand baths.
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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 held three thousand baths.
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Psalm 39:5
Behold, you have made my days as an handbreadth; and my age is as nothing before you: truly every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.
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Ezekiel 40:5,43
And behold a wall on the outside of the house round about, and in the man's hand a measuring reed of six cubits long by the cubit and an hand breadth: so he measured the breadth of the building, one reed; and the height, one reed.
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Ezekiel 43:13
And these are the measures of the altar after the cubits: The cubit is a cubit and an hand breadth; even the bottom shall be a cubit, and the breadth a cubit, and the border thereof by the edge thereof round about shall be a span: and this shall be the higher place of the altar.
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Library

"What is Your Life?"
... Well, he got it. It was the breadth of his hand. We carry about with us continually
the measure of our days. "My days are as an handbreadth.". ...
//christianbookshelf.org/drummond/the ideal life/what is your life.htm

Thou Art the Man
... by their very names"foot, handbreadth, nail, and the like, tell us that they were
originally but the length of one man's limb. And so your measure of right ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/thou art the man.htm

Psalm 39
... 4Mine end, and measure of my days,. O Lord, unto me show. What is the same; that
I thereby. my frailty well may know. ^5Lo, thou my days an handbreadth mad'st; ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/anonymous/scottish psalter and paraphrases/psalm 39.htm

The New Man
... of the great mercy of God, and have so been led in some measure to put ... 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

The Healing of the Woman - Christ's Personal Appearance - the ...
... It was covered by the upper garment or Tallith to within about a handbreadth. ... We
shall think highly of all this in measure as we consciously think highly of Him ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xxvi the healing of.htm