אַמָּה (am.mah)

The noun ammah denotes a cubit, an ancient unit of measurement based on the length from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger. This forearm-based standard provided a practical way to gauge distance and size in daily life and construction. The sources indicate that different contexts required specific variations of this measure, such as the common cubit used for general purposes or the longer legal cubit specified for sacred structures like the temple.

With eighty-six occurrences across the Old Testament, the word appears frequently in books detailing the tabernacle’s design and the building of Solomon’s temple. Exodus and Kings use it to describe precise dimensions for altars, curtains, and pillars. In Ezekiel 40:5, the term refers specifically to the sanctuary cubit, highlighting how religious architecture relied on standardized proportions that differed from everyday measurements.

While the primary meaning is clearly a linear measure, one rare instance in Isaiah 6:4 uses the word to describe the threshold or foundation of the temple door. This unique usage suggests the term could also imply a base or bottom edge, though this sense is exceptional compared to its standard role as a unit of length.