What Does Ezekiel 42:17 Mean in the King James?
He measured the north side, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed round about.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The north side’s length belongs to a boundary traced all the way around, so the verse measures a whole, not an isolated edge.
THE MEANING
The north side receives a definite span, and the measuring reed traces the boundary round about. The repeated act makes the space legible as a whole: this side belongs to a circuit.
THE ROOT
סָבִיב
sāvîv
GROWS FROM
סבב
To turn, go around, or encircle.
“round about” in this verse is sāvîv. English gives the measurement a location; the Hebrew also echoes the act of circling around. That makes the north side one segment of a circuit, not a standalone number.
ALSO GROWS
savav: To turn, go around, or surround.
סָבַב
The verbal form makes the surrounding boundary an action traced around the space.
sevivah: The surroundings; the area around.
סְבִיבָה
This related form names what lies around something, bringing the measured side into its surrounding whole.
THE PATTERN
A measured boundary gives an otherwise open space a legible shape.
And behold a wall on the outside of the house round about, and in the man’s hand a measuring reed of six cubits long by the cubit and an hand breadth: so he measured the breadth of the building, one reed; and the height, one reed.I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold a man with a measuring line in his hand.And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.THE THREAD
And behold a wall on the outside of the house round about, and in the man’s hand a measuring reed of six cubits long by the cubit and an hand breadth: so he measured the breadth of the building, one reed; and the height, one reed.This verse uses the same Hebrew root סבב (savav, to go around) in “round about,” alongside the measuring reed. It opens the north side’s span into a complete circuit that also gives the building its breadth and height.
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