Christian Classics
‹ The People's New Testament

Barton Warren Johnson · 4 of 317

A Table of Measures

A Cubit, somewhat more than one foot nine inches English.

A Span, half a cubit, or nearly eleven inches.

A Hand-breadth, sixth part of a cubit, or a little more than three inches and a half.

A Fathom, four cubits, about seven feet and three inches and a half.

A Measuring Reed, six cubits and a hand-breadth, or nearly eleven feet. The was used in measuring buildings.

A Measuring Line, fourscore cubits, about one hundred and forty-five feet eleven inches. This was used to measure grounds; hence the lines (Psalm 16:6) are taken figuratively for the inheritance itself.

A Stadium, or Furlong, nearly 146 paces .

A Day's Journey, about 729 paces.

An Eastern Mile, one mile and 403 paces, English measure.

A Day's Journey, upwards of thirty-three miles and a half.

NOTE.—A pace is equal to five feet.

There were different kinds of cubits. The common cubit, called the cubit of a man, was about eighteen inches (Deut. 3:11). The king's cubit was three inches longer than the common one. The holy cubit was a yard, or two common ones.