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Ezekiel 40:8 — Word Study

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WLCוַיָּ֜מָד אֶת־ אֻלָ֥ם הַשַּׁ֛עַר מֵהַבַּ֖יִת קָנֶ֥ה אֶחָֽד׃

BSAThen he measuredmâdad [took the dimensions of, stretched out a line to] the porticoʼûwlâm [porch, covered way, vestibule] of the gatewayshaʻar [gate, door, entrance] insidebayith [toward the house, within the temple, one reed, a single unit of measurement]

Word
Listen & take awayEzekiel 40
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 8 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration ('e.Chad) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Ezekiel 40:8quick helps
In a sentenceEzekiel describes the measurement of the portico at the gateway inside the temple.
Who is speakingEzekiel, observing the actions of a man measuring the temple.
Where we areIn a detailed vision of the temple's structure and dimensions.
The hard wordמָדַד
Take awayThe precise measurements emphasize the importance of the temple's design.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbמָדַד The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Ezekiel 40:8

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — The Vision of the Templegenerated

7Each gate chamber was one rod long and one rod wide, and there were five cubits between the gate chambers. The inner threshold of the gate by the portico facing inward was one rod deep.
8Then he measured the portico of the gateway inside;
9it was eight cubits deep, and its jambs were two cubits thick. And the portico of the gateway faced the temple.
10There were three gate chambers on each side of the east gate, each with the same measurements, and the gateposts on either side also had the same measurements.

Ezekiel 40:8 is part of a larger vision where Ezekiel is shown the measurements of the temple and its various components. This detailed account highlights the significance of the temple's design and structure, which is central to the worship of Israel. The vision conveys God's instructions for the temple, emphasizing order and holiness in its construction.


Cross References


The Key Word מָדַד, vai.Ya.modgenerated

The verb מָדַד (madad) means to measure or stretch, indicating the act of determining dimensions. It is used in contexts that involve physical measurements, such as those for the tabernacle and temple, and can also imply assessing or evaluating something.

In this verse, the use of מָדַד underscores the importance of precise measurements in the construction of sacred spaces, reflecting God's order and design in the temple's layout.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

All translations agree on the meaning of מָדַד as measured.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb וַיָּ֜מָד (vai.Ya.mod), meaning 'and he measured', governs the entire verse. The structure includes a noun phrase as the object, followed by a prepositional phrase indicating the location of the measurement.

The sentence structure emphasizes the action of measuring, with the portico being the focal point of the measurement.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint does not provide a direct translation for this verse, but it typically uses different word choices that may reflect a broader interpretation of the Hebrew text. The absence of a direct Greek equivalent for מָדַד suggests a potential difference in emphasis or understanding of the act of measuring.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Ezekiel 40:8 describes how Ezekiel saw a man measuring the portico of the gateway inside the temple. This measurement is part of a detailed vision about the temple's design, showing how God instructed Ezekiel to understand its structure.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What is the significance of measuring the temple?

Measuring the temple signifies God's order and the importance of precise dimensions in sacred spaces, reflecting His divine plan.

Why is the portico specifically mentioned?

The portico serves as an important area for gathering and entering the temple, highlighting its role in worship.

How does this measurement relate to the overall vision?

This measurement is part of a larger vision that emphasizes the holiness and structure of the temple, which is central to Israel's worship.

What can we learn from the details of the temple's measurements?

The details remind us of the importance of order and reverence in our approach to worship and how God desires His dwelling places to be constructed.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What aspects of God's order do I see reflected in my own life?
  2. How can I apply the principle of careful measurement to my spiritual practices?
  3. In what ways does understanding the structure of the temple enhance my appreciation for worship?
  4. How can I ensure that my approach to God is respectful and orderly, as seen in the temple's design?

The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it

Early church fathers reference this verse to discuss the significance of the temple's measurements and their implications for worship.

JeromeCOMMENTARY ON Ezekiel 12:40.5-13 c. 347–420
Ten is a perfect number and comprises the Decalogue.
Early Church Fathers on Ezekiel 40 →
Gregory the DialogistHomilies on Ezekiel, Book 2, Homily 4 c. 540–604
The man, whose appearance was like the appearance of bronze, measured the vestibule of the gate at eight cubits, and its front at two cubits.
Early Church Fathers on Ezekiel 40 →

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Ezekiel 40:8 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

He measured also the porch of the gate within, one reed. This was either the measure of the breadth of the porch between the opposite chambers on both sides; or rather of the length of that space,

Read John Gill on Ezekiel 40 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

He measured also the porch of the gate within, one reed. No JFB commentary on this verse.

Read Robert Jamieson on Ezekiel 40 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

The porch; the posts, which were joined together at the top by an arch, and so made the portico, say some. The open space under the arch between the posts, or the ally which leads from the gate into the more inward parts of the house, or to the inmost. So the French version, puis apres il mesura d’ une eanne l’ alle qui menait a la porte la plus en dedans.

Read Matthew Poole on Ezekiel 40 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Ezekiel 40:8 He measured also the porch of the gate within, one reed.Ver. 8. He measured, also the porch.] This porch, which had neither doors nor roof that we read of, was symbolum coeli: coelum enim undique conspicuum lateque patens significabat, saith Josephus. It represented heaven. De Bell. Jud., lib. vi. cap. 6.

Read John Trapp on Ezekiel 40 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

Ezekiel 40:6-16 contain a description of the eastern gate, or rather, gate-building of the Temple, by which one entered from the precincts into the outer court. The other gates were like it, but this is described first, because it had the pre-eminence. It looked straight to the door of the Temple itself; it was by this that the glory of the Lord was afterwards seen to enter His house (Ezekiel 43:1); and in consequence this gate was to be kept shut, except for the prince (Ezekiel 44:2-3). The accompanying plan may be a help in understanding the description. Notwithstanding the minuteness of detail in the text, a few points remain undetermined; but the plan represents the main features…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Ezekiel 40 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Ch. Ezekiel 40:1-27. The outer gateway and court In the 25th year of Jehoiachin’s captivity, which was the 14th year after the fall of the city (b.c. 572), the prophet fell into a prophetic trance (Ezekiel 40:1); he seemed transported to the land of Israel and set down upon a high mountain, on which was a great building (Ezekiel 40:2). At the gate of the building there stood a man with a line of flax in his hand and a measuring reed (Ezekiel 40:3). The prophet is commanded closely to observe all that is shewn him, and to declare it to the house of Israel.

Read Cambridge on Ezekiel 40 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

6-8. Coming now to the main gateway of the temple, which faced the rising sun, and ascending its seven steps (Ezekiel 40:22; Ezekiel 40:26) the threshold is seen to measure seven cubits, as also each

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Ezekiel 40 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

Then he measured the portico of the gateway inside;

WEBWorld English Bible2000

He measured also the porch of the gate toward the house, one reed.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Then he measured the portico of the gateway inside;

NETBNew English Translation2006

Then he measured the porch of the gate facing inward as 10½ feet.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

He measured also the porch of the gate within, one reed.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

He measured also the porch of the gate toward the house, one reed.

RVARevised Version, American1894

He measured also the porch of the gate toward the house, one reed.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

He measured also the porch of the gate within, one reed.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

He measured also the porche of the gate within with one reede.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And he measured the porch of the gate within, one reed.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And he measureth the porch of the gate from within one reed,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And he measures the porch of the gate from within—one reed,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

He measured also the porch of the gate within, one rod.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

He measured the portico of the gate; it was one stick in length.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And the threshold of the gate by the porch of the gate within, was one reed.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Then he measured the entrance porch.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And he took the measure of the covered way of the doorway inside,

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

וַandclauseverbיָּ֜מָדhe.measurednoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phrasenoun phraseאֻלָ֥םthe.porchnoun phraseהַofשַּׁ֛עַרthe.gateprepositional phraseמֵfromnoun phraseהַtheבַּ֖יִתhousenoun phrase · second objectקָנֶ֥הa.reedאֶחָֽדone

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree in their wording, with five of the seven words matched. The Septuagint's rendering may differ in structure but reflects a similar understanding of the measurement taking place.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

וַיָּ֜מָד אֶת־ אֻלָ֥ם הַשַּׁ֛עַר מֵהַבַּ֖יִת קָנֶ֥ה אֶחָֽד׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיָּ֜מָד’’אֻלָ֥ם’’הַשַּׁ֛עַר’’קָנֶ֥ה’’אֶחָֽד׃’’

5 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Ezekiel 40:8מָדַדand he measand he measuredמָדַדאֵתthe object the object markאֵתאוּלָם[the] porch[the] porch ofאוּלָםשַׁ֫עַרthe gatethe gateשַׁ֫עַרבֵּיתfrom the infrom the insideבֵּיתקָנֶהa reeda reedקָנֶהאֶחָדoneoneאֶחָדבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתאָלַםbe dumbbe dumbאָלַםשָׁעַרto calculato calculateשָׁעַרקָנָהto buyto buyקָנָהחָדַדto go eithto go either waחָדַדמָדַדto measureto measureמָדַדדָּרוֹםsouthsouthדָּרוֹםקָדִיםeasteastקָדִיםמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁהֵיכָלtempletempleהֵיכָלפֶּ֫תַחentranceentranceפֶּ֫תַחאוֹצָרtreasuretreasureאוֹצָרכַּפְתּוֹרcapitalcapitalכַּפְתּוֹרכֶּ֫בֶשׂlamblambכֶּ֫בֶשׂאַ֫יִלramramאַ֫יִל
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Ezekiel 40:8

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

and he measured the object marker [the] porch of the gate from the inside a reed one
וַיָּ֜מָדvai.Ya.mod and he measured H4058 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
51× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To measure means to stretch or extend something, like a line or a boundary. In the Bible, it is used to describe God's measurements for the tabernacle and temple. It can also mean to assess or evaluate something.
Amplified meaning
took the dimensions of, stretched out a line to
Tyndale gloss
to measure
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָדַד (madad) is a Hebrew verb meaning to measure or stretch. It encompasses various forms, including measuring length or distance, extending, and being measured. The word appears in different contexts, such as dry measures and figurative uses related to waters and requital. Notably, it can also refer to the act of extending oneself, as seen in its usage in the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָדַד 53 vb. measure

Qal

measure of length, distance

of dry measure

fig. of measuring waters; of requital

Niph. be measured

Pi.

extend, continue (= make extent or continuation)

measure, measure off

Po. measured

Hithpo. measured (= extended, stretched) himself upon the boy

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4058 מָדַד measure .. measure of length, distance

. of dry measure

. fig. of measuring waters; of requital

. be measured

. . extend, continue (= make extent or continuation)

. measure, measure off

. measured

. measured (= extended, stretched) himself upon the boy

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4058 madad maw-dad'

a primitive root: properly, to stretch; by implication, to

measure (as if by stretching a line); figuratively, to be

extended:--measure, mete, stretch self.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָדַד (ma.dad) — to measure.

1) to measure, stretch

1a) (Qal) to measure

1b) (Niphal) to be measured

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to extend, continue

1c2) to measure, measure off

1d) (Po) measured

1e) (Hithpolel) to extend oneself, stretch oneself

Also means: mid.dad (מָדַד "to extend" H4059)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and he measured the object marker [the] porch of the gate from the inside a reed one
אֶת־'et- the object marker H853 Particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTo — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he measured the object marker [the] porch of the gate from the inside a reed one
אֻלָ֥ם'u.Lam [the] porch of H197 Noun common · masculine singular construct
34× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A portico is a covered area at the entrance of a building, like the temple in Jerusalem. It is a vestibule or porch where people gather before entering the main building.
Amplified meaning
porch, covered way, vestibule
Tyndale gloss
Portico
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אוּלָם (uwlam) refers to a structure like a porch or hall, particularly in the context of Solomon's palace and temple. It is derived from a root meaning to tie, indicating a connection to the building. The term covers various types of halls, including those for justice and the throne, as mentioned in 1 Kings 7:8.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אוּלָם n.m. 1 K 7:8 porch

in Solomon’s temple

in Sol.’s palace

in temple of Ezek.’s vision

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H197 אוּלָם

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

197 'uwlam oo-lawm'

or (shortened) ,ulam {oo-lawm'}; from 481 (in the sense of

tying); a vestibule (as bound to the building):--porch.

see HEBREW for 0481

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אוּלָם (u.lam) — Hall (of pillars).

A hall or porch in Solomon's palace

אוּלָם (u.lam) — Hall (of Justice).

A hall in Solomon's palace

אוּלָם (u.lam) — Hall (of the Throne).

A hall or porch in Solomon's temple

אוּלָם (u.lam) — Portico.

A hall or porch of the temple

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

and he measured the object marker [the] porch of the gate from the inside a reed one
הַשַּׁ֛עַרha.Sha.'ar the gate H8179 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
374× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means a gate or door, often referring to city entrances or temple doors, like in Genesis and Exodus. It can also symbolize a meeting place or marketplace. The word is used to describe important locations in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
gate, door, entrance
Tyndale gloss
gate
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שַׁ֫עַר (sha'ar) means 'gate' and is derived from a root that signifies an opening. It encompasses various types of gates, including those of cities, palaces, and temples, as well as metaphorical uses like 'gate of heaven.' The entries consistently highlight its role as an entrance or threshold.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שַׁ֫עַר 373 n.m. gate

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8179 שַׁ֫עַר gate

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8179 sha`ar shah'-ar

from 8176 in its original sense; an opening, i.e. door or

gate:--city, door, gate, port (X -er).

see HEBREW for 08176

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שַׁ֫עַר (sha.ar) — gate.

: gate

1) gate

1a) gate (of entrance)

1b) gate (of space inside gate, i.e. marketplace, public meeting place)

1b1) city, town

1c) gate (of palace, royal castle, temple, court of tabernacle)

1d) heaven

שַׁ֫עַר (sha.ar) — gate: town.

: town

1) gate

1a) gate (of entrance)

1b) gate (of space inside gate, i.e. marketplace, public meeting place)

1b1) city, town

1c) gate (of palace, royal castle, temple, court of tabernacle)

1d) heaven

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

gat (Hebrew normally (over 300 times) sha`ar; occasionally deleth, properly, "gateway" (but compare De 3:5); elsewhere the gateway is pethach (compare especially Ge 19:6); Aramaic tera`; Greek pulon, pule; the English Revised Version and the King James Version add caph, "threshold," in 1Ch 9:19,22; and the King James Version adds delathayim, "double-door," in Isa 45:1; thura, "door," Ac 3:2):

(1) The usual gateway was provided with double doors, swung on projections that fitted into sockets in the sill and lintel. Ordinarily the material was wood (Ne 2:3,17), but greater…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Gate

(1.) Of cities, as of Jerusalem (Jer. 37:13; Neh. 1:3; 2:3; 3:3), of Sodom (Gen. 19:1), of Gaza (Judg. 16:3).

(2.) Of royal palaces (Neh. 2:8).

(3.) Of the temple of Solomon (1 Kings 6:34, 35; 2 Kings 18:16); of the holy place (1 Kings 6:31, 32; Ezek. 41:23, 24); of the outer courts of the temple, the beautiful gate (Acts 3:2).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The gate and gateways of eastern cities anciently held and still hold an important part, not only in the defence but in the public economy of the place. They are thus sometimes taken as representing the city itself. (Genesis 22:17; 24:60; 12:12; Judges 5:8; Ruth 4:10; Psalms 87:2; 122:2) Among the special purposes for which they were used may be mentioned. As places of public resort. (Genesis 19:1; 23:10; 34:20; 24; 1 Samuel 4:18) etc. Places for public deliberation, administration of Justice, or of audience for kings and rulers or ambassadors. (16:18; 21:19; 25:7;

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The gates of eastern walled towns were usually of wood, Jud 16:3, often covered with thick plates of iron or copper, Ps 107:16 Isa 45:2 Ac 12:10, secured by bolts and bars, De 3:5 1Ki 4:13, and flanked by towers, 2Sa 18:24,33. A city was usually regarded as taken when its gates were won, De 28:52 Jud 5:8. Hence "gate" sometimes signifies power, dominion; almost in the same sense as the Turkish sultan’s…

and he measured the object marker [the] porch of the gate from the inside a reed one
מֵהַבַּ֖יִתme.ha.Ba.yit from the inside H1004 Preposition · particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
2,049× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for house refers to a dwelling place, including a family home, temple, or even the human body. It appears in various contexts, such as the temple in Jerusalem or the household of a family. In the Bible, it is often used to describe a place of worship or a family's living space.
Amplified meaning
toward the house, within the temple, one reed, a single unit of measurement
Tyndale gloss
place
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word בַּיִת (*bayith*) means 'house' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including dwelling, family, and place. It can refer to physical structures, such as homes and temples, as well as metaphorical uses like the body or household affairs. The word is built from the root related to 'between' and appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between

base

בַּ֫יִת 2034 n.m. house

house

place

receptacle

of house as containing a family

household, family (592 t.)

house, including household affairs

lit. housewards, hence metaph. inwards

מִבַּיִת

adv. on the inside

prep. within

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1004a בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between H1004b בַּ֫יִת house

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1004 bayith bah'-yith

probably from 1129 abbreviated; a house (in the greatest

variation of applications, especially family, etc.):--court,

daughter, door, + dungeon, family, + forth of, X great as

would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter)house(-hold),

inside(-ward), palace, place, + prison, + steward, + tablet,

temple, web, + within(-out).

see HEBREW for 01129

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּית (bet) — place.

nm

place, origin, between

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — house: home.

: home/temple/building

nm

1) house

1a) house, dwelling habitation

1b) shelter or abode of animals

1c) human bodies (fig.)

1d) of Sheol

1e) of abode of light and darkness

1f) of land of Ephraim

2) place

3) receptacle

4) home, house as containing a family

5) household, family

5a) those belonging to the same household

5b) family of descendants, descendants as organized body

6) household affairs

7) inwards (metaph.)

8) (TWOT) temple

adv

9) on the inside

prep

10) within

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(ashbea).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Combined with ash.be.a (אַשְׁבֵּעַ "Ashbea" H0791)

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth (Haggan).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Combined with hag (גַּן "Haggan" H1588)

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(togarmah).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Art | N-ms — Preposition · particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HR/Td/Ncmsa
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he measured the object marker [the] porch of the gate from the inside a reed one
קָנֶ֥הka.Neh a reed H7070 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
62× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word describes a branch or reed, and is used to represent measurement, strength, or support. In the Bible, it is used to describe objects like the rod of a steelyard or the branches of a lampstand.
Tyndale gloss
branch
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word קָנֶה (*qaneh*) refers to a stalk or reed, often associated with plants like calamus. It has various derived meanings, including measuring-rod and unit of measure (6 cubits), as well as applications in scales and lampstands. The word is built from a root that implies an erect structure, covering a range of uses from botanical to functional.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קָנֶה 62 n.m. stalk, reed

stalk of grain

water-plant, reed

calamus, aromatic reed

derived meanings:

measuring-rod

unit of measure, reed (of 6 cubits)

beam of scales, for scales themselves

shaft of lamp-stand

branches thereof

shoulder-joint

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7070 קָנֶה stalk, reed . stalk of grain

. water-plant, reed

. calamus, aromatic reed

. derived meanings: . measuring-rod

. unit of measure, reed (of 6 cubits)

. beam of scales, for scales themselves

. shaft of lamp-stand

. branches thereof

. shoulder-joint

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7070 qaneh kaw-neh'

from 7069; a reed (as erect); by resemblance a rod

(especially for measuring), shaft, tube, stem, the radius (of

the arm), beam (of a steelyard):--balance, bone, branch,

calamus, cane, reed, X spearman, stalk.

see HEBREW for 07069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָנֶה (qa.neh) — branch.

: branch

1) reed, stalk, bone, balances

1a) stalk

1b) water-plant, reed

1c) calamus (aromatic reed)

1d) derived meanings

1d1) measuring-rod

1d2) reed (as unit of measure-6 cubits)

1d3) beam (of scales-for scales themselves)

1d4) shaft (of lampstand)

1d5) branches (of lampstand)

1d6) shoulder-joint

קָנֶה (qa.neh) — branch: stem.

: stem/reed

1) reed, stalk, bone, balances

1a) stalk

1b) water-plant, reed

1c) calamus (aromatic reed)

1d) derived meanings

1d1) measuring-rod

1d2) reed (as unit of measure-6 cubits)

1d3) beam (of scales-for scales themselves)

1d4) shaft (of lampstand)

1d5) branches (of lampstand)

1d6) shoulder-joint

קָנֶה (qa.neh) — branch: measuring rod.

: measuring_rod

1) reed, stalk, bone, balances

1a) stalk

1b) water-plant, reed

1c) calamus (aromatic reed)

1d) derived meanings

1d1) measuring-rod

1d2) reed (as unit of measure-6 cubits)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmsa — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

red:

(1) achu, translated "reed-grass" (Ge 41:2,18; Job 8:11 margin). See FLAG.

(2) 'ebheh, translated "swift," margin "reed" (Job 9:26). The "ships of reed" are the light skiffs made of plaited reeds used on the Nile; compare "vessels of papyrus" (Isa 18:2).

(3) 'aghammim, translated "reeds," margin "marshes," Hebrew "pools" (Jer 51:32); elsewhere "pools" (Ex 7:19; 8:5; Isa 14:23, etc.). See POOL.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Reed

(1.) “Paper reeds” (Isa. 19:7; R.V., “reeds”). Heb. ‘aroth, properly green herbage growing in marshy places.

(2.) Heb. kaneh (1 Kings 14:15; Job 40:21; Isa. 19:6), whence the Gr. kanna, a “cane,” a generic name for a reed of any kind.

The reed of Egypt and Palestine is the Arundo donax, which grows to the height of 12 feet, its stalk jointed like the bamboo, “with a magnificent panicle of blossom at the top, and so slender and yielding that it will lie perfectly flat under a gust of wind, and immediately resume its upright position.” It is used to illustrate weakness (2 Kings 18:21;

Under this name may be noticed the following Hebrew words: Agmon occurs in (Job 40:12,16; Isaiah 9:14) (Authorized Version "rush"). There can be no doubt that it denotes some aquatic reed-like plant, probably the Phragmitis communis , which, if it does not occur in Palestine and Egypt, is represented by a very closely-allied species, viz., the Arundo isiaca of Delisle. The drooping panicle of this plant will answer well to the "bowing down the head" of which Isaiah speaks. (Isaiah 58:5) Gnome , translated "rush" and "bulrush" by the Authorized Version, without doubt denotes the celebrated paper-reed of the ancients, Papyrus antiquorum , which formerly was common in some parts of Egypt. The papyrus reed is not now found in Egypt; it grows however, in Syria. Dr. Hooker saw it on the banks of Lake Tiberias, a few miles north of the…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Sometimes a stalk or rod of any plant, as of the hyssop, Mt 27:48 Joh 19:29.

Usually, however, the word reed denotes a reed or cane growing in marshy grounds, Job 40:21 Isa 19:6; slender and fragile, and hence taken as an emblem of weakness, 1Ki 18:21 Isa 36:6 Eze 29:6; and of instability, Mt 11:7. "A bruised reed," Isa 42:3 Mt 12:20, is an emblem of a…

and he measured the object marker [the] porch of the gate from the inside a reed one
אֶחָֽד׃'e.Chad one H259
971× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means one or united, and is used to describe something that is single or unique. It is often translated as one, first, or alone. For example, in Genesis 1:5, God calls the light day and the darkness night, and separates them into one thing from another.
Tyndale gloss
one
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֶחָד (echad) means 'one' and is derived from a numeral. It encompasses meanings such as each, every, a certain, and can serve as an indefinite article. It is also used as an ordinal to denote 'first' and appears in various combinations, including eleven. The entries consistently emphasize its numerical and qualitative aspects.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶחָד 972 adj.num. one

one

= each, every

= a certain

= indef. art.

only, & (fem.) once

one … another, one … the other

as ordinal first

in combin.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H259 אֶחָד one . one

. = each, every

. = a certain

. = indef. art.

. only, & (fem.) once

. one … another, one … the other

. as ordinal first

. in combin.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

259 'echad ekh-awd'

a numeral from 258; properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an

ordinal) first:--a, alike, alone, altogether, and,

any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-)ly, each (one), +

eleven, every, few, first, + highway, a man, once, one, only,

other, some, together,

see HEBREW for 0258

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶחָד (e.chad) — one.

1) one (number)

1a) one (number)

1b) each, every

1c) a certain

1d) an (indefinite article)

1e) only, once, once for all

1f) one...another, the one...the other, one after another, one by one

1g) first

1h) eleven (in combination), eleventh (ordinal)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HAcfsa
HAcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

wun.

See NUMBER.

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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