What is the ratio between the two measures of the cubit mentioned in the Bible?

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In summary, the conversation discusses the question of the length of the cubit as referenced in the Bible, with one person stating that the Bible gives its length as 18 inches. However, it is noted that the Bible does not mention inches and there were multiple different cubits used in the ancient Near East. The conversation also mentions the application of the cubit in building a scale model of Noah's ark and the potential implications of the cubit as a system of measurement.
  • #1
Jug
Question regarding length of the cubit keeps popping up. The Bible gives its length as 18 inches. I have a kyak to scale of Noah's ark -18.75 feet long, 3.125 feet broad, 1.6666 feet deep. Slickest thing afloat!
 
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  • #2
Actually the Bible doesn't mention inches! Inches were not "invented" until long after the bible was written. There were several different "cubits" used in the ancient near east and different references to cubits in the bible probably meant different things.
 
  • #3
Cubit

HallsofIvy, of course the Bible doesn't mention inches (or metres).Some things we have to figure out and apply for ourselves. Yhe Bible does give two different measures for the cubit - one is Beauty, which I believe describes the cubit of the arc; the other is Bands, which I believe describes David's giant. "Beauty" truly is!
 
  • #4
A cubit is the length of a grown man's arm with fingers outstretched from the tip of his fingers to his elbow.

Or just about a foot and a half.
 
  • #5
Cubit

No, Enigma, "exactly" a foot and a halph - by application.
 
  • #6
Jug, you were the one who said "The Bible gives its length as 18 inches." Then you say "Some things we have to figure out and apply for ourselves." In other words, you knew what you said wasn't true.
Taking the definition of cubit as "the length of a grown man's arm with fingers outstretched from the tip of his fingers to his elbow." as enigma said, then 18 inches is "about", not "exactly". Surely you understand that not all grown men have arms the same length!

In any case, that definition is not given in the Bible: it gives no definition of cubit, just uses the cubit without definition. There were, in fact, several different cubits in use, one of which was about 18 inches, one of the others about twice that.
 
  • #7
Cubit

HallsofIvy, I know what I said is true because I applied the known parameters given for the cubit, which in the case of the Bible is Noah's arc. Every authoritive concordance gives the cubit of Noah's arc as 18 inches. Yhe said kyak built to scale has been put through the most severe tests and found to be untippable in the roughest of waters. We don't know any more of any science than what passes empirical proving.
 
  • #8
But that is not what you said: You said "Question regarding length of the cubit keeps popping up. The Bible gives its length as 18 inches." Now you are saying that " Every authoritive concordance gives the cubit of Noah's arc as 18 inches". That's a completely different thing.
 
  • #9
Cubit

Yes, but the question is still open...perhaps because I stated it clumsily. I have applied one of the measures given for the cubit by the Bible and found it to have significant implications by application to a specific purpose. The cubit appears to be a "system" of measure (a geometry), the Bible alluding to one other measure to the cubit. One interest here is in determining the ratio between the two measures. I suspect it to be the ratio of 2:3.
 

1. What is the definition of a cubit?

A cubit is an ancient unit of length that was used in many civilizations, typically ranging from 18 to 22 inches. It is believed to have originated from the distance between a person's elbow and the tip of their middle finger.

2. How was the length of the cubit determined?

The length of the cubit was determined by using the body measurements of the person using it. This resulted in slight variations in the length of the cubit across different civilizations and time periods.

3. What was the purpose of using the cubit as a unit of length?

The cubit was primarily used in construction and measurement of large structures such as buildings, temples, and ships. It was also used in daily life for measuring smaller objects and distances.

4. Is the cubit still used today?

No, the cubit is not used as a standard unit of measurement in modern times. It has been replaced by more precise and standardized units such as inches, feet, and meters.

5. How does the length of the cubit compare to modern units of length?

The exact length of the cubit varies depending on the civilization using it, but on average, it is equivalent to approximately 18 inches or 45.7 centimeters. This is slightly longer than the modern unit of measurement, the foot, which is equal to 12 inches or 30.48 centimeters.

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