An ancient Hebrew unit of length, in concept the width of the palm, = 4 etzbah, about 7.4 centimeters (2.9 inches). It belongs to the palm family of units. Also romanized as ṭṓphaḥ, ṭéphaḥ
In the Bible in English, it has been translated by “handbreadth.”
And behold a wall on the outside of the house round about, and in the man's hand a measuring reed of six cubits long by the cubit and a handbreadth: so he measured the breadth of the building, one reed; and the height, one reed.
Ezekiel 40:5. (King James)
And these are the measures of the altar after the cubits: The cubit is a cubit and an hand breadth; even the bottom shall be a cubit, and the breadth a cubit, and the border thereof by the edge thereof round about shall be a span: and this shall be the higher place of the altar.
Ezekiel 43:13 (King James)
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Last revised: 2 August 2004.