זֶ֫רֶת (ze.ret)
ze.ret
span
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun zereṯ refers to a span, a unit of measurement roughly equivalent to half a cubit. It describes the physical distance between the tip of the thumb and the tip of the little finger when the hand is fully stretched out. This practical metric provided a standardized way to gauge length in ancient Israel, relying on the human body as a reference point.
Although it appears only four times in the Hebrew Bible, its occurrences are significant. The word describes dimensions in sacred contexts, such as the size of the altar’s horns in Exodus 27:4 and the thickness of the temple wall in Ezekiel 40:5. It also appears in poetic descriptions, like the height of a young man in 1 Samuel 17:4.
This term highlights how biblical measurements were often grounded in tangible, everyday realities. By using the span, the text connects abstract dimensions to human scale, making architectural and ritual details more accessible. The consistency of this measure across different books shows its established role in daily life and religious practice.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word zereṯ measures the distance from thumb to little finger when stretched out. This simple human gesture became a standard unit for building sacred spaces like the tabernacle and temple. It shows that God’s instructions were grounded in everyday reality, using what people knew well.
In Isaiah 40:12, this same span measures the sky. The contrast is striking. The hand that fits a wall also holds the heavens. This reminds us that the Creator who designed the universe understands our smallness and uses it to meet us where we are.
Whether building an altar or facing a giant like Goliath, these measurements mattered. They connected the physical world to spiritual truth. We can trust that God cares about the details of our lives, just as He cared about the span of His temple.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- with <the>/ span1×
- and/ a span1×
- and/ [will be] a span1×
- and/ [was] a span1×
- [will be] a span1×
- [was] a span1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וְ/זֶ֥רֶת2×
- זֶ֧רֶת1×
- זֶ֥רֶת1×
- וָ/זָֽרֶת\׃1×
- בַּ/זֶּ֣רֶת1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 40:12
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and marked off the sky with his span, and calculated the dust of the earth in a measuring basket, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?
This verse uses the span to describe God measuring the sky, highlighting His infinite power compared to human scale.
-
Exodus 28:16
It shall be square and folded double; a span shall be its length, and a span its width.
The breastplate’s dimensions use a span, showing how precise measurements were vital for sacred priestly garments.
-
I Samuel 17:4
A champion out of the camp of the Philistines named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span went out.
Goliath’s height includes a span, emphasizing his immense size beyond the standard six cubits.