Measures & money
Cubit
An ancient length measure based on the forearm, from elbow to fingertip.
Also called · ammah
What it means
Genesis 6 gives Noah’s ship a length of three hundred cubits, a width of fifty, and a height of thirty. Exodus 25 uses cubits for a different object, the covenant ark.
In Ezekiel 40’s vision, the measuring reed is six cubits long, with each cubit including a hand width. The passage identifies its own longer measuring standard.
How it appears in the Bible
In John 21, the disciples bring the boat toward land, dragging the net full of fish. The selected World English Bible places them about two hundred cubits from shore.
Translation note
Read the measuring standard and context before converting cubits to meters. A single modern length should not be assumed for every passage.