cubit

The Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek that is translated as “cubit” or into a metric or imperial measurement in English is translated in Kutu, Kwere, and Nyamwezi as makono or “armlength.” Since a cubit is the measurement from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, one armlength (measured from the center of the chest to the fingertips) equals two cubits or roughly 1 meter. (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

Similarly, in Akoose, the translation is “arm distance.” (Source: Joseph Nkwelle Ngome and Marlie van Rooyen & Jacobus A. Naudé in Communicatio 2009, p. 251ff.)

In Klao it is converted into “hand spans” (app. 6 inches or 12 cm) and “finger spans” (app. 1 inch or 2 cm). (Source: Don Slager)

reed

There are two general types of reed in Israel, the Common Reed Phragmites australis and the Giant Reed Arundo donax, and it is impossible to say which one is intended in a given biblical context.

The English word “cane” comes from the Hebrew word qaneh. Qaneh is the most general Hebrew word of the many referring to reeds and rushes. Like the English word “reed,” it may refer to a specific type of reed or be a general name for several kinds of water plant. This word is also used to refer to the stalk of grain in Pharaoh’s dream (Genesis 41:5, Genesis 41:22), to the shaft and branches of the golden lampstand in the Tabernacle (Exodus 25:31 et al.), to the beam of a scale (Isaiah 46:6), to the upper arm of a person (Job 31:22), to a measuring stick (Ezekiel 40:3 et al.), and to aromatic cane (Song of Songs 4:14 et al.).

The Greek word kalamos is also used to refer to a measuring stick (Revelation 11:1 et al.) and to a pen (3 John 1:13 and 3 Maccabees 4:20).

The common reed is a tall grass with stiff, sharply-pointed leaves and a plume-like flower head that reaches to more than 2 meters (7 feet). It grows in lakes and streams, the roots creeping across the bottom of the lake to produce new leaves and stalks.

The giant reed is similar to the common reed but tends to grow not in the water but on the river banks. Its majestic plumes can reach up to 5 meters (17 feet) in height on hollow stalks that look like bamboo.

Reeds of both kinds were used for baskets, mats, flutes, pens, arrows, and roof-coverings. Isaiah 42:3 says that the Messiah will be gentle with weak people (“a bruised reed he will not break”), in contrast to the typical iron-fisted tyrants of the day. The Pharaoh is likened to an undependable reed staff in 2 Kings 18:21 et al. In 1 Kings 14:15 Israel is compared to a reed shaking in the water.

The common reed of the Mediterranean area has relatives in Europe, India, Japan, and North America. It is thought to be the only species of the genus Phragmites (although some botanists divide it into three species). It is very important for conservationists, because it provides habitat for many kinds of animals and birds. In North America the weaker native type is being overtaken by more robust types from Europe, which are now threatening other kinds of marsh plants. In Japan people eat the young shoots of reeds. Native Americans used to eat the seeds.

Translators living near lakes and rivers will be able to find an equivalent, if not a relative, of the reed. Others can be generic and use “grass” or a phrase such as “tall grass growing in the water.”

Common reed, photo by Rob Koops

Source: Each According to its Kind: Plants and Trees in the Bible (UBS Helps for Translators)

In Newari it is translated as “bamboo.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)

distance (long / wide / high)

The concepts of distance that are translated in English with “long,” “wide,” and “high/tall” are translated in Kwere with one word: utali. (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

Translation commentary on Ezekiel 40:7 - 40:9

And the side rooms, one reed long, and one reed broad: The side rooms are introduced as if the reader knows about them, even though this is the first time they have been mentioned. This is a vivid example of someone describing something they see, without giving all the details. As a result, anyone who cannot see what they see finds it hard to follow the description. Many translators might add something like “Next I saw” or “Then he showed me” to begin verse 7. The side rooms were square, one reed long, and one reed broad, that is, 3 meters by 3 meters, or 10 feet by 10 feet. Ezekiel does not say what these side rooms were used for, but in the town gates of the time, they functioned as guardrooms, where guards would be positioned to protect the town. Many translations assume that the rooms in the new Temple would have the same function, so they call them “guardrooms” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New American Standard Bible, Jerusalem Bible/New Jerusalem Bible, Christian Community Bible, Complete Jewish Bible, Moffatt) or “rooms for the guards” (New Century Version; similarly New International Reader’s Version). But this is not certain, so it is better to call them “alcoves” (New International Version), “recesses” (New Revised Standard Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) or “small rooms,” provided that the term chosen is consistent with a room 3 meters (10 feet) square.

In verse 10 we read that there were six side rooms, three on either side of a central passage. Some languages may find it clearer to bring that information up to verse 7; for example, Good News Translation begins verse 7 with “Beyond it there was a passageway, which had three guardrooms on each side” (similarly Contemporary English Version). Another possible model is “Then I saw a passageway, which had three small rooms on each side.”

And the space between the side rooms, five cubits: The Hebrew text does not have a word for space, since this phrase does not refer to an open space, but to a solid wall; the Septuagint clearly understood it to mean this. It refers to the walls that separated the side rooms from each other, so Good News Translation renders the space between the side rooms as “the walls between them.” These walls were five cubits, that is, 2.5 meters (8 feet), thick.

And the threshold of the gate by the vestibule of the gate at the inner end, one reed: The focus of attention now moves to the other end of the east gatehouse. The inner end (literally “from the house”) refers to the end of the gatehouse that was nearest to the Temple. This was the opposite end to the one the man first entered and where he began measuring. Good News Translation and New Century Version refer to this other end of the gatehouse as the one that “faced the Temple” (similarly Contemporary English Version, New International Version, New International Reader’s Version, Revised English Bible, Complete Jewish Bible, Moffatt, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). At the inner end of the gatehouse was a vestibule, which may be rendered “entrance room” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version), “foyer” (New Living Translation [1996]), or “porch” (New International Reader’s Version, New Century Version, King James Version, New American Standard Bible, Jerusalem Bible/New Jerusalem Bible, Christian Community Bible). This porch looked out into the outer courtyard toward the Temple. Between the porch (vestibule) and the passageway with the six small rooms was another threshold, or doorway. Like the other end of the gatehouse, this doorway was one reed, that is, 3 meters (10 feet) deep.

Then he measured the vestibule of the gateway, eight cubits: The porch itself was eight cubits, that is, 4 meters (13 feet), long.

And its jambs, two cubits: Its jambs refers to the sides of the opening between the porch and the Temple’s outer courtyard. Other possible models for the Hebrew word rendered jambs (also New International Version, English Standard Version, Jerusalem Bible, Christian Community Bible, Moffatt) are “pilasters” (New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New American Bible), “posts” (King James Version), “gateposts” (New King James Version ), “doorposts” (New International Reader’s Version), “doorway” (Contemporary English Version), and “doorframe.” Some translators will need to describe these jambs as “sides of the opening between the porch and the courtyard.” There is no suggestion that this opening had any doors or gates, so it is most likely that the sides of the opening were solid square stone walls, as Good News Translation implies. These walls would have been used as the doorframe, if doors had been hung there. The jambs were two cubits, that is, 1 meter (3 feet), thick.

And the vestibule of the gate was at the inner end: This clause repeats that the porch was at the end of the gatehouse that was nearest to the Temple.

In Hebrew verses 8-9a read “8 And he measured the vestibule of the [inner] gateway from [that is, facing] the house; it was one reed. 9 And he measured the vestibule of the gateway; it was eight cubits” (similarly King James Version/NJKV, New American Standard Bible, English Standard Version, Complete Jewish Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). This is a blatant contradiction that makes no sense. Probably a scribe accidentally copied the last five Hebrew words of verse 7 a second time after the first few words of verse 9 which are very similar to the words in verse 7. Therefore we recommend that translators delete the reference in verse 8 to “one reed” (that is, 6 cubits), and simply record that the length of the porch was 4 meters (13 feet).

A model for verses 7b-9 is:

• At the far end of the gatehouse was [or, I saw] a porch that faced toward the Temple. The doorway between the last small room and the porch was 3 meters deep. 8 Then he measured the porch of the gatehouse. It was 4 meters long. 9 The walls at the opening between the porch and the Temple courtyard were one meter thick. The porch was at the very end of the gatehouse, nearest to the Temple.

Quoted with permission from Gross, Carl & Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Ezekiel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .