Hebrew word · H7251

רָבַע

ravua'

to square

A passive participle of a verb formed from 'four', meaning 'made four-sided' or 'squared'. It is used for square objects in the sanctuary: the breastpiece (Exod 28:16), the incense altar (30:2), and Ezekiel's altar and temple measurements (Ezek 40:47; 43:16).

Appears 12 times in 12 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

1) to square, be squared

1a) (Qal) square (participle)

1b) (Pual) square (participle)

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Exodus 27:1

Range of meaning

A passive participle of a verb formed from 'four', meaning 'made four-sided' or 'squared'. It is used for square objects in the sanctuary: the breastpiece (Exod 28:16), the incense altar (30:2), and Ezekiel's altar and temple measurements (Ezek 40:47; 43:16).

Against the English

KJV 'foursquare' keeps the connection to 'four'. 'Square' is accurate. BSB moves the word ahead of the measurements, which reads smoothly but loses the Hebrew order, where 'square' sums up the two equal numbers just given.

Used elsewhere in the period

Square ground plans are common in sanctuary design in the ancient Near East. In Israel's texts 'squared' recurs for the most sacred objects and spaces: the holy of holies is a perfect cube (1 Kgs 6:20).

From the study of Exodus 38:1

Range of meaning

'Squared, four-sided'. It is a passive form of a verb related to ʾarbaʿ, 'four'. It is used for the square tabernacle objects (the incense altar, 30:2; the breastpiece, 28:16) and for the square layouts in Ezekiel's temple vision (Ezek 40:47; 43:16).

Against the English

Modern 'square' is accurate. KJV 'foursquare' keeps the link with 'four', and with the four corners and four horns described in the next verse.

Used elsewhere in the period

Ezekiel's ideal altar hearth is also described as 'square on its four sides' (Ezek 43:16). Square measurements are a recurring sign of order and completeness in sanctuary plans.

From the study of Ezekiel 40:47

Range of meaning

'Squared, made four-sided.' The root is related to the number four (ʾarbaʿ). It is used of objects built with equal sides.

Against the English

BSB, WEB 'square' and KJV 'foursquare' all get it right. KJV's 'foursquare' keeps the link to 'four' that is in the Hebrew root.

Used elsewhere in the period

The tabernacle altar is 'square' (Exod 27:1; 30:2), as is the high priest's breastpiece (Exod 28:16). Ezekiel uses the same form for doorposts (41:21) and for the 500-cubit sacred area (45:2). Solomon's inner sanctuary was a perfect cube (1 Kgs 6:20), and Ezekiel's is a 20 × 20 square (41:4). Revelation 21:16 describes the new Jerusalem as 'foursquare' (Greek tetragōnos).

Where it appears

Exodus · 6

  1. Exodus 27:1 רָב֤וּעַ square

    “You are to build an altar of acacia wood. The altar must be square, five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high.

    Here: A passive form of a verb related to the number four (arba'), meaning 'made four-sided' or 'squared'. It stresses the even, square ground plan. KJV's 'foursquare' captures the link to 'four' well.

  2. Exodus 28:16 רָב֥וּעַ square

    It must be square when folded over double, a span long and a span wide.

  3. Exodus 30:2 רָב֣וּעַ square

    It is to be square, a cubit long, a cubit wide, and two cubits high. Its horns must be of one piece.

  4. Exodus 37:25 רָב֗וּעַ square

    He made the altar of incense out of acacia wood. It was square, a cubit long, a cubit wide, and two cubits high. Its horns were of one piece.

  5. Exodus 38:1 רָב֔וּעַ square

    Bezalel constructed the altar of burnt offering from acacia wood. It was square, five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high.

    Here: A verb form meaning 'made square', related to the word for 'four' (ʾarbaʿ). It describes the altar as four-sided and even. The KJV's 'foursquare' keeps that echo of 'four'.

  6. Exodus 39:9 רָב֧וּעַ square

    It was square when folded over double, a span long and a span wide.

1 Kings · 2

  1. 1 Kings 7:5 רְבֻעִ֣ים [were] square

    All the doorways had rectangular frames, with the openings facing one another in three tiers.

  2. 1 Kings 7:31 מְרֻבָּע֖וֹת [were] square

    The opening to each stand inside the crown at the top was one cubit deep, with a round opening like the design of a pedestal, a cubit and a half wide. And around its opening were engravings, but the panels of the stands were square, not round.

Ezekiel · 4

  1. Ezekiel 40:47 מְרֻבָּ֑עַת a square

    Next he measured the court. It was square, a hundred cubits long and a hundred cubits wide. And the altar was in front of the temple.

    Here: A passive form, 'squared' or 'made four-sided', from the same root as the number four. It confirms the shape and links the court to other squared holy objects: the altar, the high priest's breastpiece, the inner sanctuary.

  2. Ezekiel 41:21 רְבֻעָ֑ה a square

    The outer sanctuary had a rectangular doorframe, and the doorframe of the sanctuary was similar.

  3. Ezekiel 43:16 רָב֕וּעַ square

    The altar hearth shall be square at its four corners, twelve cubits long and twelve cubits wide.

    Here: A passive verb form, 'made square' or 'squared'. It comes from the root for 'four' and sets up a sound play with the next two words: ravua' … arba'at … reva'av.

  4. Ezekiel 45:2 מְרֻבָּ֣ע square

    Within this area there is to be a section for the sanctuary 500 cubits square, with 50 cubits around it for open land.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.