Lexical Definition

‎אַמָּה‎ ʼammâh (am-maw') cubit ^H:N-F
prolonged from ‎אֵם‎

cubit, [phrase] hundred (by exchange for ‎מֵאָה‎), measure, post.

• properly, a mother (i.e. unit of measure, or the fore-arm (below the elbow), i.e. a cubit
• also a door-base (as a bond of the entrance)

1) cubit-a measure of distance (the forearm), roughly 18 in (. 5m). There are several cubits used in the OT, the cubit of a man or common cubit (De 3:11), the legal cubit or cubit of the sanctuary (Eze 40:5) plus others. See a Bible Dictionary for a complete treatment.

See Greek: μέτρον · πῆχυς

Extended Information

• cubit-a measure of distance (the forearm), roughly 18 in (. 5m). There are several cubits used in the OT, the cubit of a man or common cubit (Deu.3.11 ), the legal cubit or cubit of the sanctuary (Ezk.40.5 ) plus others. See a Bible Dictionary for a complete treatment.
• Aramaic equivalent: am.mah (‎א‎ַ‎מ‎ָּ‎ה‎ "cubit" אַמָּה)

Brown-Driver-Briggs

Aramaic form: אַמָּה
II. ‎אַמָּה‎₂₄₆ noun feminine ell, cubit (SI ‎אמה‎; so Sabean DHM^{ZMG 1865, 613}; Aramaic , ‎אַמָּא‎; Assyrian ammatu Nor²⁸⁰; Ethiopic etymology dubious; Thes and others mater brachii, i.e. length of fore-arm; others derive from √ ‎אמם‎, precede, be in front, & hence fore-arm compare Di Isa 6:4 Dl^{Pr 109} MV derive immediately from √‎אמם‎ be wide (see above), ‎אַמָּה‎ = distance, & hence a particular distance, ell, cubit) — ‎׳‎‎א‎ absolute Gen 6:15 +; construct ‎אַמַּת‎ Deut 3:11; Jer 51:13 dual ‎אַמָּתַיִם‎ Exod 25:10 +; plural ‎אַמּוֺת‎ Exod 26:16 +; —

1. cubit, so ‎אַמַּתאִֿישׁ‎ i.e. ordinary cubit, Deut 3:11 (compare Isa 8:1); in Ezek 40:5; Ezek 43:13 is a cubit one hand-breadth longer, compare 2Chr 3:3 ‎בַּמִּחָה הָרִאשׁוֺנָה‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎; absolute length dubious, compare Smith^{Dict. Bib., article Weights and Measures}; Lepsius^{Längenmaasse der Alten, SBAk 1883,1195 f.} identification with Egyptian, longer cubit. 525m., shorter .450m.; see also Id.^{Babylonian-Assyr. Längenmaasse 1877; MBAk 1877, 741} Oppert^{GGA 1878, 1055; Rev. d'Assyr. i. 124} (also on the Babylonian 'half-cubit' = .270 m. Hpt^{AJPh 1888, 419} Hom^{Semiten i. 501}); on ‎אַצִּילָה‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ Ezek 41:8 compare Sm & Co (Co strike out); ‎חֲמֵשׁ אמות קָנִים‎ Ezek 42:16 Kt, read ‎מֵאוֺת‎ so Qr Co; chiefly in Ex 25-27. 36-38 (56 t.) 1Kgs 6. 7 (45 t.) 2Chr 3.4 (21 t.) Ezek 40-43 (86 t.); a (one) cubit = ‎אַמָּה‎ Gen 6:16; Exod 25:10; Exod 25:23 +; ‎הָאַמָּה‎ Ezek 43:14 ‎אַחַת‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ Ezek 40:12 (twice in verse); Ezek 40:42 (3 t. in verse); Ezek 42:4; Ezek 43:14 two cubits = ‎אַמָּתַיִם‎ Exod 25:10; Exod 25:17; Exod 25:23; Exod 30:2; Exod 37:1; Exod 37:6; Exod 37:10; Exod 37:25; Num 11:31 ‎שְׁתַּיִם‎ ‎אַמּוֺת‎ Ezek 40:9; Ezek 41:3; Ezek 41:22; Ezek 43:14 with numbers 1-10 ‎׳‎‎א‎ mostly follows number in plural Exod 26:16; Exod 27:1 (3 t. in verse); 1Kgs 6:10; Ezek 40:5; Ezek 40:7; Ezek 40:9 +; with numbers 11-1000 +, it mostly following number in singular Gen 6:15 (3 t. in verse); Exod 27:12; Exod 27:13; Exod 38:13; Exod 38:14; Exod 38:15; Num 35:4; Josh 3:4; 1Kgs 6:2 (twice in verse); 1Kgs 6:3; 1Kgs 7:15 (twice in verse); Jer 52:21; Jer 52:22; Ezek 40:49 (twice in verse) +; seldom following, in plural Ezek 40:11 (strike out Co) vEzek 40:27 (Co singular) Ezek 42:2 so also ‎עֶשְׂרִים וְחָמֵשׁ אַמּוֺת‎ Ezek 40:13; Ezek 40:29 but ‎חָמֵשׁ וְעֶשְׂרִים‎ ‎אַמָּה‎ Ezek 40:25; Ezek 40:30; Ezek 40:33; Ezek 40:36 (late) also in plural precedes all numbers 2Chr 3:3 (twice in verse); 2Chr 3:4; 2Chr 3:8 (twice in verse) +; 2Chr 6:13; Ezek 42:2 also often ‎בָּאַמָּה‎ following all numbers Exod 26:2 (twice in verse); Exod 26:8 (twice in verse); Exod 27:9; Exod 27:18; Exod 36:9 (twice in verse); Exod 36:15 (twice in verse); Exod 36:21; Num 35:5 (4 t. in verse); 1Kgs 6:6 (3 t. in verse); 1Kgs 7:23 (3 t. in verse); 2Chr 4:2 (3 t. in verse); Ezek 40:21; Ezek 47:3; Zech 5:2 (twice in verse) +, compare ‎לְאַמּוֺת חָמֵשׁ‎ 2Chr 3:11 often ‎וַחֲצִי‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ Exod 25:10 (3 t. in verse); Exod 25:17 (twice in verse) +, also ‎׳‎‎וַחֲצִי הָא‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ Exod 26:16; Exod 36:21; Exod 1:31; 1Kgs 17:32; 1Kgs 17:35 etc.; compare ‎שֵׁשׁ אַמּוֺת וָזָרֶ֑ת‎ 1Sam 17:4 followed by ‎בַּמִּדָּה‎ in measurement Josh 3:4; 2Chr 3:3.

2. measure, full measure, limit, only ‎אַמַּת בִּצְעֵךְ‎ the measure of thy gain-making Jer 51:13 (|| ‎קִצֵּךְ‎).

III. [‎אַמָּה‎] noun feminine (etymology & meaning dubious; Thes foundation (compare Talmud AW ), from ‎אֵם‎ in metaphorical sense, compare MV; De on Isa 6:4 derived similarly, but makes support of superliminaria (compare ᵐ5 ᵑ6 ᵑ9); Ew Di derived from √ ‎אמם‎ = precede, whence front; Dl^{Pr 110} translates holder from √ ‎אמם‎ be wide, hence contain, hold) only ‎אַמּוֺת הַסִּפִּים‎ Isa 6:4.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References