Handbreadth
Summary
An ancient unit of measurement equal to the width of the palm (about 3-4 inches), used to describe small dimensions or the brevity of life.
☩Measurement
The handbreadth (Hebrew 'tephach' or 'topach') measured approximately 3-4 inches—the width of the palm at the base of the fingers. It was used for the tabernacle's table (Exodus 25:25), the temple's molten sea (1 Kings 7:26; 2 Chronicles 4:5), Ezekiel's visionary temple (Ezekiel 40:5, 40:43), and the bronze pillars (Jeremiah 52:21). Six handbreadths equaled a cubit.
☩Figurative Use
The psalmist uses the handbreadth to express life's brevity: 'You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you' (Psalm 39:5). Isaiah 48:13 portrays God's hand spanning the heavens—emphasizing the contrast between human smallness and divine greatness. This vivid imagery emphasizes how brief human existence is compared to God's eternal nature.