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Ezekiel 41:5 — Word Study

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WLCוַיָּ֥מָד קִֽיר־ הַבַּ֖יִת שֵׁ֣שׁ אַמּ֑וֹת וְרֹ֣חַב הַצֵּלָע֩ אַרְבַּ֨ע אַמּ֜וֹת סָבִ֧יב׀ סָבִ֛יב לַבַּ֖יִת סָבִֽיב׃

BSANext he measuredmâdad [took the dimensions of] the wallqîyr [structure, barrier] of the templebayith [place of worship, holy dwelling] [to be] sixshêsh cubits [thick]ʼammâh [a unit of measurement, about the length of a forearm] and the widthrôchab [breadth, extent] of eachçâbîyb side roomtsêlâʻ [chamber, cell] aroundçâbîyb [surrounding, encompassing] the templebayith [was] fourʼarbaʻ cubitsʼammâh

Word
Listen & take awayEzekiel 41
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 5 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 (sa.Viv) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Ezekiel 41:5quick helps
In a sentenceEzekiel describes the measurements of the temple's wall and the surrounding side chambers.
Who is speakingEzekiel, receiving a vision and instruction.
Where we areThe detailed measurements of the temple structure.
The hard wordשֵׁ֣שׁ
Take awayThe temple is precisely measured, indicating its significance.
8 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 41:5

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 Measurements of the Templegenerated

4Then he measured the room adjacent to the inner sanctuary to be twenty cubits long and twenty cubits wide. And he said to me, “This is the Most Holy Place. ”
5Next he measured the wall of the temple to be six cubits thick, and the width of each side room around the temple was four cubits.
6The side rooms were arranged one above another in three levels of thirty rooms each. There were ledges all around the wall of the temple to serve as supports for the side rooms, so that the supports would not be fastened into the wall of the temple itself.
7The side rooms surrounding the temple widened at each successive level, because the structure surrounding the temple ascended by stages corresponding to the narrowing of the temple wall as it rose upward. And so a stairway went up from the lowest story to the highest, through the middle one.

Ezekiel 41:5 describes the meticulous measurements of the temple's wall and the adjacent side rooms. This passage emphasizes the importance of the temple's structure, which serves as a holy dwelling place for worship. The surrounding chambers are also measured, showcasing the careful planning involved in the temple's design, as further elaborated in Ezekiel 41:6 and Ezekiel 41:7.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Ezekiel 41:6–7The side rooms were arranged one above another in three levels of thirty rooms each. There were ledges all around the wall of the temple to serve as supports for the side rooms, so that the supports would not be fastened into the wall of the temple itself.
2Ezekiel 42:3–14Gallery faced gallery in three levels opposite the twenty cubits that belonged to the inner court and opposite the pavement that belonged to the outer court.
31 Kings 6:5–6Against the walls of the temple and the inner sanctuary, Solomon built a chambered structure around the temple, in which he constructed the side rooms.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word וַיָּ֥מָד, vai.Ya.modgenerated

The verb מָדַד (madad) means to measure or assess. It indicates the act of taking precise dimensions, which is crucial for the construction of sacred spaces like the temple. The parsing as a sequential imperfect third person masculine singular suggests an ongoing action in the context of the vision Ezekiel is experiencing.

This word is often used in the context of measuring boundaries or structures, showing God's attention to detail in the design of His dwelling place. The use of this term here highlights the significance of the temple's dimensions in relation to its purpose as a holy site.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb governing the verse is וַיָּ֥מָד, and he measured, which introduces the action of measuring the wall. The structure of the sentence follows a straightforward sequence, detailing the measurements of both the wall and the side chambers.

The phrase וְרֹ֣חַב הַצֵּלָע describes the width of the side chambers, indicating a relationship between the measurements of the wall and the chambers surrounding the temple.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates וַיָּ֥מָד as διεμέτρησεν, which also means 'he measured.' This choice reflects a direct correspondence to the Hebrew, emphasizing the act of measurement.

The Greek word οἴκου for הַבַּ֖יִת indicates a dwelling or house, aligning with the Hebrew meaning of a sacred space.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Ezekiel 41:5 describes how Ezekiel measured the wall of the temple, noting it was six cubits thick. He also measured the width of the side rooms around the temple, which was four cubits. This careful measurement shows the importance of the temple's structure as a place of worship.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Why is measuring the temple important?

Measuring the temple signifies God's specific design for His dwelling place, emphasizing its sacredness and the importance of proper worship.

What does a cubit represent?

A cubit is a unit of measurement, about the length of a forearm, used in the Bible to indicate dimensions of significant structures like the temple.

How do the measurements relate to the temple's purpose?

The precise measurements reflect the temple's intended function as a holy space for worship, indicating that every detail matters in God's design.

What do the side chambers represent?

The side chambers indicate additional space for various functions within the temple, highlighting the complexity and thoughtfulness of its design.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What significance do you find in the detailed measurements of the temple?
  2. How can understanding the structure of the temple enhance your view of worship?
  3. In what ways does God's attention to detail in the temple inspire you in your own life?
  4. How do you see the concept of sacred space reflected in your community today?

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

Jerome comments on the measurements in this verse, highlighting the significance of the temple's structure and its dimensions.

JeromeVers. 5 seqq. c. 347–420
And the wall of the house was measured six cubits, and the width of each side was four cubits all around the house. The sides were side by side, thirty-three on each side,
Early Church Fathers on Ezekiel 41 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Ezekiel 41:5 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

After he measured the wall of the house six cubits,.... Or a reed, three yards and a half thick: this was the wall of the holy of holies, or which divided that from the holy place, and was not in the

Read John Gill on Ezekiel 41 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

After he measured the wall of the house, six cubits; and the breadth of every side chamber, four cubits, round about the house on every side. The breadth of every side chamber - the singular used collectively for the plural.

Read Robert Jamieson on Ezekiel 41 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Having left the holy of holies measured in the 3rd verse, now he is come to take the measures of the outer wall. The house; the temple itself, Six cubits; three yards thick was this wall from the ground to the first story of the side chambers. Every side chamber of the lowest floor; for there were three stories of these, and they differed in their breadth, as the wall of the temple on which they rested abated of its thickness; for the middle chambers were broader than the lowest by a cubit, and the highest as much broader than the middle. Round about; on the north, south, and west parts. On every side; on each side of every one of these three gates. The east gate, and buildings about that…

Read Matthew Poole on Ezekiel 41 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Ezekiel 41:5 After he measured the wall of the house, six cubits; and the breadth of [every] side chamber, four cubits, round about the house on every side.Ver. 5. He measured the wall.] With the counterforts added to it for strength and ornament; these are commonly called pilasters or pillars. Six cubits,] scil., In breadth.

Read John Trapp on Ezekiel 41 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(5) The wall of the house, six cubits.—The thickness of the wall is the same with that of the wall of the outer court (Ezekiel 40:5), about ten feet. Great massiveness is characteristic of Oriental architecture, but is carried to excess in this vision, to set forth the firmness and security of the things symbolised. Every side chamber.—Every is not in the original, and is unnecessary. He measured the range of side rooms, the word being used collectively. These (J J [Ezekiel 40:44-49]) entirely surrounded the house, except on the front or east side where the porch stood.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Ezekiel 41 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Ch. Ezekiel 41:5-11. The side chambers or annexe to the house The text in some places is confused, but the general meaning is clear. Round about the wall of the house on three sides (N., W. and S.) were built side-chambers in three stories, thirty chambers in each story, Fig. 2, D. The chamber on the ground floor was 4 cubits wide (N. to S.), but in the second story the width was greater than in the first, and in the third story greater than in the second. The reason of this greater wideness of the upper stories was that the wall of the house on which the chambers were built diminished in thickness as it ascended. This wall was 6 cubits thick at the base (Ezekiel 41:5), but it was let in at…

Read Cambridge on Ezekiel 41 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The wall of the house - This was the outer wall of the temple itself. Its thickness of six cubits corresponds with the colossal proportions of the architecture of the east. Every side chamber - the side-chambers (D).

Read Albert Barnes on Ezekiel 41 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

5-11. Various details in this description of the side chambers (compare 1 Kings 6:5-10; 1 Kings 7:51) are uncertain, but Toy’s rendering makes plain the general meaning: “He measured the wall of the temple six cubits thick.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Ezekiel 41 →

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

Next he measured the wall of the temple to be six cubits thick, and the width of each side room around the temple was four cubits.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Then he measured the wall of the house, six cubits; and the width of every side room, four cubits, all around the house on every side.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Next he measured the wall of the temple to be six cubits thick, and the width of each side room around the temple was four cubits.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Then he measured the wall of the temple as 10½ feet, and the width of the side chambers as 7 feet, all around the temple.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

After he measured the wall of the house, six cubits; and the breadth of every side chamber, four cubits, round about the house on every side.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Then he measured the wall of the house, six cubits; and the breadth of every side-chamber, four cubits, round about the house on every side.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Then he measured the wall of the house, six cubits; and the breadth of every side-chamber, four cubits, round about the house on every side.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Afterward he measured the wall of the house, six cubits; and the breadth of every side-chamber, four cubits, round the house on every side.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

After, he measured the wall of the house, sixe cubites, and the breadth of euery chamber foure cubites rounde about the house, on euery side.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And he measured the wall of the house, six cubits; and the breadth of the side-chambers, four cubits, round about the house on every side.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And he measureth the wall of the house six cubits, and the breadth of the side-chamber four cubits, all round the house round about.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And he measures the wall of the house—six cubits, and the breadth of the side-chamber—four cubits, all around the house.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

After this he measured the wall of the house, six cubits; and the breadth of every side-chamber was four cubits, all round about the house on every side.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Then the man measured the wall of the house—it was six cubits thick. The width of each side room around the house was four cubits in width.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And he measured the wall of the house six cubits: and the breadth of every side chamber four cubits round about the house on every side.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

He measured Temple wall as six cubits thick, and each side room around the Temple was four cubits wide.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Then he took the measure of the wall of the house, which was six cubits; and of the side-rooms round the house, which were four cubits wide.

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.

וַandclauseclauseverbיָּ֥מָדhe.measurednoun phrase · objectקִֽירthe.wallnoun phraseהַofבַּ֖יִתthe.housenoun phrase · second objectשֵׁ֣שׁsixאַמּ֑וֹתcubitsוְandclausenoun phrase · objectרֹ֣חַבthe.breadthnoun phraseהַofצֵּלָע֩the.side-chambernoun phrase · second objectאַרְבַּ֨ע[was].fourאַמּ֜וֹתcubitsprepositional phrase · prepositionaladverb phraseסָבִ֧יבall.aroundסָבִ֛יבall.aroundprepositional phraseלַtonoun phrasetheבַּ֖יִתhouseadverbialסָבִֽיבall.around

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


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

The Masoretic Text (MT) states that the wall of the temple is six cubits thick and that the width of each side room is four cubits. The Septuagint (LXX) has a partial agreement with the MT, matching 9 of the 13 words, but its specific wording and structure differ, reflecting its own translation style. The Dead Sea Scrolls (4Q73) contain a fragment of this verse, with 12 words present, though 3 are partly restored and 8 are supplied by an editor, indicating some variation in preservation compared to the MT. Overall, the MT's details about the measurements are consistent across the witnesses, though the LXX and 4Q73 show some textual variations in their presentation.

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

וַיָּ֥מָד קִֽיר־ הַבַּ֖יִת שֵׁ֣שׁ אַמּ֑וֹת וְרֹ֣חַב הַצֵּלָע֩ אַרְבַּ֨ע אַמּ֜וֹת סָבִ֧יב׀ סָבִ֛יב לַבַּ֖יִת סָבִֽיב׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיָּ֥מָדδιεμέτρησενהַבַּ֖יִתοἴκουשֵׁ֣שׁπηξῶνאַמּ֑וֹתἓχוְרֹ֣חַבκαὶהַצֵּלָע֩πλευρᾶςאַרְבַּ֨עπηξῶνאַמּ֜וֹתτεσσάρωνסָבִ֧יב׀κυκλόθεν

9 of the 13 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.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q73a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[וימד] [קיר] הבית שש אמות [ורחב] [הצלע] [ארבע] [אמות] [סביב] סביב [לבית]

12 words of the verse are on this fragment — 3 partly restored, 8 supplied entire by an editor.

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 41:5מָדַדand he measand he measuredמָדַדקִיר[the] wall [the] wall ofקִירבֵּיתthe housethe houseבֵּיתשֵׁשׁsixsixשֵׁשׁאַמָּהcubitscubitsאַמָּהרֹ֫חַבand [the] band [the] breadרֹ֫חַבצֵלָעthe side-chthe side-chambeצֵלָעאַרְבַּע[was] four[was] fourאַרְבַּעאַמָּהcubitscubitsאַמָּהסָבִיבall aroundall aroundסָבִיבסָבִיבall aroundall aroundסָבִיבבֵּיתto the housto the houseבֵּיתסָבִיבall aroundall aroundסָבִיבבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהסָבַבto turn: tto turn: turnסָבַבאֵםmothermotherאֵםקוּרto digto digקוּררָחַבto enlargeto enlargeרָחַבצָלַעto limpto limpצָלַערָבַעto squareto squareרָבַעשׂוּשׂto rejoiceto rejoiceשׂוּשׂאֹ֫רֶךְlengthlengthאֹ֫רֶךְאֵילָםarchesarchesאֵילָםחַלּוֹןwindowwindowחַלּוֹןאוֹצָרtreasuretreasureאוֹצָררֹ֫חַבwidthwidthרֹ֫חַבדָּרוֹםsouthsouthדָּרוֹםקָדִיםeasteastקָדִיםשָׁתַןto urinateto urinateשָׁתַןחָתַרto digto digחָתַרמֵאָהhundredhundredמֵאָה
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 41:5

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] wall of the house six cubits and [the] breadth of the side-chamber [was] four cubits all around all around to the house all around
וַיָּ֥מָדvai.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
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] wall of the house six cubits and [the] breadth of the side-chamber [was] four cubits all around all around to the house all around
קִֽיר־kir- [the] wall of H7023 Noun common · masculine singular construct
75× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means a wall, often referring to the walls of houses, chambers, or even the altar. It is used to describe structures built for protection or division. The KJV translates it as wall or side.
Amplified meaning
structure, barrier
Tyndale gloss
wall
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קִיר (qir) means 'wall' and can refer to the walls of a house, chamber, or altar sides. It is derived from a root that is not clearly defined. The word appears in contexts such as Isaiah 22:5, where it is used to describe a wall.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קִיר 74 n.m. wall (√ unknown)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7023 קִיר wall (√ unknown)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7023 qiyr keer

or qir (Isa. 22:5) {keer}; or (feminine) qiyrah {kee-raw'};

from 6979; a wall (as built in a trench):--+ mason, side,

town, X very, wall.

see HEBREW for 06979

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קִיר (qir) — wall.

1) wall, side

1a) wall (of house or chamber)

1b) the sides (of the altar)

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] wall of the house six cubits and [the] breadth of the side-chamber [was] four cubits all around all around to the house all around
הַבַּ֖יִתha.Ba.yit the house H1004 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
place of worship, holy dwelling
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
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hous (bayith; oikos, in classical Greek generally "an estate," oikia, oikema (literally, "habitation"), in Ac 12:1, "prison"):

I. CAVE DWELLINGS

II. STONE-BUILT AND MUD/BRICK-BUILT HOUSES

1. Details of Plan and Construction

(1) Corner-Stone

(2) Floor

(3) Gutter

(4) Door

(5) Hinge

(6) Lock and Key

(7) Threshold

(8) Hearth

(9) Window

(10) Roof

2. Houses of More than One Story

(1) Upper Chambers and Stairs

(2) Palaces and Castles

3. Internal Appearance

III. OTHER MEANINGS

LITERATURE

I. Cave Dwellings.

The earliest permanent habitations of the prehistoric inhabitants of Palestine were the natural caves which abound throughout the country. As the people increased and grouped themselves into communities, these abodes were supplemented by systems of artificial caves which, in some cases, developed into extensive burrowings of many adjoining compartments, having…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

House

Till their sojourn in Egypt the Hebrews dwelt in tents. They then for the first time inhabited cities (Gen. 47:3; Ex. 12:7; Heb. 11:9). From the earliest times the Assyrians and the Canaanites were builders of cities. The Hebrews after the Conquest took possession of the captured cities, and seem to have followed the methods of building that had been pursued by the Canaanites. Reference is made to the stone (1 Kings 7:9; Isa. 9:10) and marble (1 Chr. 29:2) used in building, and to the internal wood-work of the houses (

The houses of the rural poor in Egypt, as well as in most parts of Syria, Arabia and Persia, are generally mere huts of mud or sunburnt bricks. In some parts of Palestine and Arabia stone is used, and in certain districts caves in the rocks are used as dwellings. (Amos 5:11) The houses are usually of one story only, viz., the ground floor, and often contain only one apartment. Sometimes a small court for the cattle is attached; and in some cases the cattle are housed in the same building, or the live in a raised platform, and, the cattle round them on the ground. (1 Samuel 28:24) The windows are small apertures high up in the walls, sometimes grated with wood. The roofs are commonly but not always flat, and are usually formed of plaster of mud and straw laid upon boughs or…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Is often put for dwelling, residence; and hence the temple, and even the tabernacle, are called the house of God.

The universal mode of building houses in the East, is in the form of a hollow square, with an open court or yard in the center; which is thus entirely shut in by the walls of the house around it. Into this court all the windows open, there being usually no windows towards the street. Some houses of large size require several courts, and these usually communicate with each other. These courts are commonly paved; and in many large houses parts of them are planted with shrubs and trees, Ps 84:3 128:3; they have also, when possible, a fountain in them, often with a jet d’ eau, 2Sa 17:18. It is customary in many houses to extend an awning over the whole court in hot…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he measured [the] wall of the house six cubits and [the] breadth of the side-chamber [was] four cubits all around all around to the house all around
שֵׁ֣שׁshesh six H8337 Adj
216× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means the number six, and is often used in the Bible to describe measurements, like the six days of creation in Genesis 1.
Tyndale gloss
six
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שֵׁשׁ, transliterated as shesh, means 'six' and can function as both a cardinal and ordinal number, indicating the sixth position. It is a primitive number that signifies an excess beyond five, as noted in the entries. The Aramaic equivalent is שֵׁת (shet).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שֵׁשׁ, שִׁשָּׁה 216 n.m. et f. six

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8337 שֵׁשׁ, שִׁשָּׁה six

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8337 shesh shaysh

masculine shishshah {shish-shaw'}; a primitive number; six

(as an overplus (see 7797) beyond five or the fingers of the

hand); as ord. sixth:--six((-teen, -teenth)), sixth.

see HEBREW for 07797

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֵׁשׁ (shesh) — six.

1) six

1a) six (cardinal number)

1b) sixth (ordinal number)

1c) in combination with other numbers

Aramaic equivalent: shet (שֵׁת "six" H8353)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAcbsc
and he measured [the] wall of the house six cubits and [the] breadth of the side-chamber [was] four cubits all around all around to the house all around
אַמּ֑וֹת'a.Mot cubits H520 Noun common · feminine plural absolute
247× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A cubit is a unit of measurement, about the length of a forearm, used in the Bible to describe the size of objects like the Ark of the Covenant in Exodus. It is also used to describe a foundation or a door-base.
Amplified meaning
a unit of measurement, about the length of a forearm
Tyndale gloss
cubit
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַמָּה (ammah) primarily means 'cubit,' a unit of measure roughly equivalent to 18 inches or 0.5 meters, derived from the word for 'mother' or 'forearm.' It can also refer to a foundation or base, as noted in Isaiah 6:4. The lexicons mention different types of cubits used in the Old Testament, including the common cubit and the legal cubit.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַמָּה 246 n.f. ell, cubit

cubit

† measure, full measure, limit

base

[אַמָּה] n.f. (etym. & mng. dub.; Thes foundation) only Is 6:4.

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H520a אַמָּה ell, cubit H520b אַמָּה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

520 'ammah am-maw'

prolonged from 517; 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):--cubit, + hundred (by

exchange for 3967), measure, post.

see HEBREW for 0517

see HEBREW for 03967

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַמָּה (am.mah) — cubit.

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.

Aramaic equivalent: am.mah (אַמָּה "cubit" H0521)

אַמָּה (am.mah) — foundation.

foundation

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fp — Noun common · feminine plural absolute
HNcfpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Thompson Chain Reference topics

measures of length

Ge 6:16; Ex 37:1; De 3:11; Mt 6:27; Re 21:17

--SEE Tables, 3532

and he measured [the] wall of the house six cubits and [the] breadth of the side-chamber [was] four cubits all around all around to the house all around
וְרֹ֣חַבve.Ro.chav and [the] breadth of H7341 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct
101× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means width or breadth, used to describe physical size or space. It appears in the Bible to describe the width of the earth or a room. In the KJV, it is translated as breadth or broad.
Amplified meaning
breadth, extent
Tyndale gloss
width
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רֹ֫חַב (rochab) refers to width or breadth, encompassing both literal and figurative uses. It is derived from the root word meaning to be wide. The term appears in various contexts, indicating expanse or largeness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רֹ֫חַב 101 n.[m.] breadth, width

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7341 רֹ֫חַב breadth, width

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7341 rochab ro'-khab

from 7337; width (literally or figuratively):--breadth,

broad, largeness, thickness, wideness.

see HEBREW for 07337

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רֹ֫חַב (ro.chav) — width.

breadth, width, expanse

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct
HC/Ncmsc
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] wall of the house six cubits and [the] breadth of the side-chamber [was] four cubits all around all around to the house all around
הַצֵּלָע֩ha.tze.La' the side-chamber H6763 Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
40× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a side or a rib, and it's used to describe parts of the body or objects. It's also used architecturally to describe beams or planks in buildings like the temple.
Amplified meaning
chamber, cell
Tyndale gloss
side
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

צֵלָע (tsela`) primarily means 'rib' or 'side.' It can refer to a rib of a person, a structural beam, or a side of an object, including architectural elements like planks and chambers. The word encompasses both literal and figurative uses, appearing in various contexts such as anatomy and construction.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

צֵלָע 41 n.f. rib, side

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6763 צֵלָע rib, side

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6763 tsela` tsay-law'

or (feminine) tsalTah {tsal-aw'}; from 6760; a rib (as

curved), literally (of the body) or figuratively (of a door,

i.e. leaf); hence, a side, literally (of a person) or

figuratively (of an object or the sky, i.e. quarter);

architecturally, a (especially floor or ceiling) timber or

plank (single or collective, i.e. a flooring):--beam, board,

chamber, corner, leaf, plank, rib, side (chamber).

see HEBREW for 06760

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צֵלָע (tse.la) — side.

1) side, rib, beam

1a) rib (of man)

1b) rib (of hill, ridge, etc)

1c) side-chambers or cells (of temple structure)

1d) rib, plank, board (of cedar or fir)

1e) leaves (of door)

1f) side (of ark)

Aramaic equivalent: a.la (עֲלַע "rib" H5967)

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

cham'-ber (the translation of the following Hebrew words: chedher, chuppah, yatsia`, yatsua`, lishkah, nishkah, `aliyah, tsela`, and the Aramaic word `illith): For the most part the word chamber is the expression of an idea which would be adequately expressed by the English word "room," in accordance with an earlier use of the word, now little employed. For the arrangement of rooms in a Hebrew house, see HOUSE. Chedher is a word of frequent occurrence, and designates a private room. Chuppah is translated "chamber" only in Ps 19:5, where it is used in connection with "bridegroom," and means a bridal chamber. The same Hebrew word used of the bride in Joe 2:16 is rendered "closet." Yatsia` and yatsua` are found only in 1Ki 6:5,6,10…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Chamber

“on the wall,” which the Shunammite prepared for the prophet Elisha (2 Kings 4:10), was an upper chamber over the porch through the hall toward the street. This was the “guest chamber” where entertainments were prepared (Mark 14:14). There were also “chambers within chambers” (1 Kings 22:25; 2 Kings 9:2). To enter into a chamber is used metaphorically of prayer and communion with God (Isa. 26:20). The “chambers of the south” (Job 9:9) are probably the constelations of the southern hemisphere. The “chambers of imagery”, i.e., chambers painted with images, as…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(Genesis 43:30; 2 Samuel 18:33; Psalms 19:5; Daniel 6:10) The word chamber in these passages has much the same significance as with us, meaning the private rooms of the house --the guest chamber, as with us, meaning a room set apart for the accommodation of the visiting friend. (Mark 14:14,15; Luke 22:12) The upper chamber was used more particularly for the lodgment of strangers. (Acts 9:37)

and he measured [the] wall of the house six cubits and [the] breadth of the side-chamber [was] four cubits all around all around to the house all around
אַרְבַּ֨ע'ar.Ba' [was] four H702 Adj
318× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The number four is a simple counting number in Hebrew, used to describe quantities of things, such as people, objects, or groups.
Tyndale gloss
four
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַרְבַּע (arba) means 'four' in Hebrew. It is a masculine noun derived from the root associated with the number four. The entries consistently affirm this meaning without any significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַרְבַּע, אַרְבָּעָה four

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H702 אַרְבַּע, אַרְבָּעָה four

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

702 'arba` ar-bah'

masculine oarbaah {ar-baw-aw'}; from 7251; four:--four.

see HEBREW for 07251

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַרְבַּע (ar.ba) — four.

four

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAcbsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

for ('arba`; tessares): "Four" (cardinal number) was a sacred and complete number with the Hebrews, as well as with several other peoples. It occurs very frequently in the Old Testament and the New Testament.

(1) It indicates completeness. We have the four rivers of Paradise (Ge 2:10); the four winds of heaven (Eze 37:9; Da 7:2; 8:8; 11:4; Zec 6:5, the Revised Version, margin "spirits"; /APC 2Esdras 13:5); "the four winds" (Mt 24:31; Mr 13:27); "the four corners of the earth" (Isa 11:12;

and he measured [the] wall of the house six cubits and [the] breadth of the side-chamber [was] four cubits all around all around to the house all around
אַמּ֜וֹת'a.Mot cubits H520 Noun common · feminine plural absolute
247× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A cubit is a unit of measurement, about the length of a forearm, used in the Bible to describe the size of objects like the Ark of the Covenant in Exodus. It is also used to describe a foundation or a door-base.
Tyndale gloss
cubit
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַמָּה (ammah) primarily means 'cubit,' a unit of measure roughly equivalent to 18 inches or 0.5 meters, derived from the word for 'mother' or 'forearm.' It can also refer to a foundation or base, as noted in Isaiah 6:4. The lexicons mention different types of cubits used in the Old Testament, including the common cubit and the legal cubit.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַמָּה 246 n.f. ell, cubit

cubit

† measure, full measure, limit

base

[אַמָּה] n.f. (etym. & mng. dub.; Thes foundation) only Is 6:4.

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H520a אַמָּה ell, cubit H520b אַמָּה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

520 'ammah am-maw'

prolonged from 517; 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):--cubit, + hundred (by

exchange for 3967), measure, post.

see HEBREW for 0517

see HEBREW for 03967

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַמָּה (am.mah) — cubit.

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.

Aramaic equivalent: am.mah (אַמָּה "cubit" H0521)

אַמָּה (am.mah) — foundation.

foundation

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fp — Noun common · feminine plural absolute
HNcfpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Thompson Chain Reference topics

measures of length

Ge 6:16; Ex 37:1; De 3:11; Mt 6:27; Re 21:17

--SEE Tables, 3532

and he measured [the] wall of the house six cubits and [the] breadth of the side-chamber [was] four cubits all around all around to the house all around
סָבִ֧יב׀sa.Viv all around H5439 Noun common · both singular absolute
336× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word describes something that surrounds or encompasses, like a circle or neighborhood, and can also mean around or about, as in on every side. It is used to describe physical locations and proximity. The KJV translates it as about or circuit.
Tyndale gloss
around
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

סָבִיב (cabiyb) primarily means 'around' and is used as a noun, adverb, and preposition. It denotes a circle, neighbors, or the surrounding area, often implying a sense of being on every side or in a circuit. The entries consistently emphasize its usage in contexts of proximity and encirclement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

סָבִיב 336 subst., used mostly as adv. and prep., circuit, round about

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5439 סָבִיב subst., used mostly as adv. and prep., circuit, round about

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5439 cabiyb saw-beeb'

or (feminine) cbiybah {seb-ee-baw'}; from 5437; (as noun) a

circle, neighbour, or environs; but chiefly (as adverb, with

or without preposition) around:--(place, round) about,

circuit, compass, on every side.

see HEBREW for 05437

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

סָבִיב (sa.viv) — around.

: around/border

subst

1) places round about, circuit, round about

adv

2) in a circuit, a circuit, round about

prep

3) in the circuit, from every side

סָבִיב (sa.viv) — around: side.

: side

subst

1) places round about, circuit, round about

adv

2) in a circuit, a circuit, round about

prep

3) in the circuit, from every side

סָבִיב (sa.viv) — around: whole.

: whole

subst

1) places round about, circuit, round about

adv

2) in a circuit, a circuit, round about

prep

3) in the circuit, from every side

סָבִיב (sa.viv) — around: neighours.

: neighours

subst

1) places round about, circuit, round about

adv

2) in a circuit, a circuit, round about

prep

3) in the circuit, from every side

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs — Noun common · both singular absolute
HNcbsa
and he measured [the] wall of the house six cubits and [the] breadth of the side-chamber [was] four cubits all around all around to the house all around
סָבִ֛יבsa.Viv all around H5439 Noun common · both singular absolute
336× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word describes something that surrounds or encompasses, like a circle or neighborhood, and can also mean around or about, as in on every side. It is used to describe physical locations and proximity. The KJV translates it as about or circuit.
Amplified meaning
surrounding, encompassing
Tyndale gloss
around
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

סָבִיב (cabiyb) primarily means 'around' and is used as a noun, adverb, and preposition. It denotes a circle, neighbors, or the surrounding area, often implying a sense of being on every side or in a circuit. The entries consistently emphasize its usage in contexts of proximity and encirclement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

סָבִיב 336 subst., used mostly as adv. and prep., circuit, round about

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5439 סָבִיב subst., used mostly as adv. and prep., circuit, round about

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5439 cabiyb saw-beeb'

or (feminine) cbiybah {seb-ee-baw'}; from 5437; (as noun) a

circle, neighbour, or environs; but chiefly (as adverb, with

or without preposition) around:--(place, round) about,

circuit, compass, on every side.

see HEBREW for 05437

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

סָבִיב (sa.viv) — around.

: around/border

subst

1) places round about, circuit, round about

adv

2) in a circuit, a circuit, round about

prep

3) in the circuit, from every side

סָבִיב (sa.viv) — around: side.

: side

subst

1) places round about, circuit, round about

adv

2) in a circuit, a circuit, round about

prep

3) in the circuit, from every side

סָבִיב (sa.viv) — around: whole.

: whole

subst

1) places round about, circuit, round about

adv

2) in a circuit, a circuit, round about

prep

3) in the circuit, from every side

סָבִיב (sa.viv) — around: neighours.

: neighours

subst

1) places round about, circuit, round about

adv

2) in a circuit, a circuit, round about

prep

3) in the circuit, from every side

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs — Noun common · both singular absolute
HNcbsa
and he measured [the] wall of the house six cubits and [the] breadth of the side-chamber [was] four cubits all around all around to the house all around
לַבַּ֖יִתla.Ba.yit to the house H1004 Preposition · 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.
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 | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HRd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hous (bayith; oikos, in classical Greek generally "an estate," oikia, oikema (literally, "habitation"), in Ac 12:1, "prison"):

I. CAVE DWELLINGS

II. STONE-BUILT AND MUD/BRICK-BUILT HOUSES

1. Details of Plan and Construction

(1) Corner-Stone

(2) Floor

(3) Gutter

(4) Door

(5) Hinge

(6) Lock and Key

(7) Threshold

(8) Hearth

(9) Window

(10) Roof

2. Houses of More than One Story

(1) Upper Chambers and Stairs

(2) Palaces and Castles

3. Internal Appearance

III. OTHER MEANINGS

LITERATURE

I. Cave Dwellings.

The earliest permanent habitations of the prehistoric inhabitants of Palestine were the natural caves which abound throughout the country. As the people increased and grouped themselves into communities, these abodes were supplemented by systems of artificial caves which, in some cases, developed into extensive burrowings of many adjoining compartments, having…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

House

Till their sojourn in Egypt the Hebrews dwelt in tents. They then for the first time inhabited cities (Gen. 47:3; Ex. 12:7; Heb. 11:9). From the earliest times the Assyrians and the Canaanites were builders of cities. The Hebrews after the Conquest took possession of the captured cities, and seem to have followed the methods of building that had been pursued by the Canaanites. Reference is made to the stone (1 Kings 7:9; Isa. 9:10) and marble (1 Chr. 29:2) used in building, and to the internal wood-work of the houses (

The houses of the rural poor in Egypt, as well as in most parts of Syria, Arabia and Persia, are generally mere huts of mud or sunburnt bricks. In some parts of Palestine and Arabia stone is used, and in certain districts caves in the rocks are used as dwellings. (Amos 5:11) The houses are usually of one story only, viz., the ground floor, and often contain only one apartment. Sometimes a small court for the cattle is attached; and in some cases the cattle are housed in the same building, or the live in a raised platform, and, the cattle round them on the ground. (1 Samuel 28:24) The windows are small apertures high up in the walls, sometimes grated with wood. The roofs are commonly but not always flat, and are usually formed of plaster of mud and straw laid upon boughs or…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Is often put for dwelling, residence; and hence the temple, and even the tabernacle, are called the house of God.

The universal mode of building houses in the East, is in the form of a hollow square, with an open court or yard in the center; which is thus entirely shut in by the walls of the house around it. Into this court all the windows open, there being usually no windows towards the street. Some houses of large size require several courts, and these usually communicate with each other. These courts are commonly paved; and in many large houses parts of them are planted with shrubs and trees, Ps 84:3 128:3; they have also, when possible, a fountain in them, often with a jet d’ eau, 2Sa 17:18. It is customary in many houses to extend an awning over the whole court in hot…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he measured [the] wall of the house six cubits and [the] breadth of the side-chamber [was] four cubits all around all around to the house all around
סָבִֽיב׃sa.Viv all around H5439 Noun common · both singular absolute
336× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word describes something that surrounds or encompasses, like a circle or neighborhood, and can also mean around or about, as in on every side. It is used to describe physical locations and proximity. The KJV translates it as about or circuit.
Tyndale gloss
around
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

סָבִיב (cabiyb) primarily means 'around' and is used as a noun, adverb, and preposition. It denotes a circle, neighbors, or the surrounding area, often implying a sense of being on every side or in a circuit. The entries consistently emphasize its usage in contexts of proximity and encirclement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

סָבִיב 336 subst., used mostly as adv. and prep., circuit, round about

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5439 סָבִיב subst., used mostly as adv. and prep., circuit, round about

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5439 cabiyb saw-beeb'

or (feminine) cbiybah {seb-ee-baw'}; from 5437; (as noun) a

circle, neighbour, or environs; but chiefly (as adverb, with

or without preposition) around:--(place, round) about,

circuit, compass, on every side.

see HEBREW for 05437

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

סָבִיב (sa.viv) — around.

: around/border

subst

1) places round about, circuit, round about

adv

2) in a circuit, a circuit, round about

prep

3) in the circuit, from every side

סָבִיב (sa.viv) — around: side.

: side

subst

1) places round about, circuit, round about

adv

2) in a circuit, a circuit, round about

prep

3) in the circuit, from every side

סָבִיב (sa.viv) — around: whole.

: whole

subst

1) places round about, circuit, round about

adv

2) in a circuit, a circuit, round about

prep

3) in the circuit, from every side

סָבִיב (sa.viv) — around: neighours.

: neighours

subst

1) places round about, circuit, round about

adv

2) in a circuit, a circuit, round about

prep

3) in the circuit, from every side

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcbsa — Noun common · both singular absolute
HNcbsa
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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