Genesis 6:15

Summary

The verse opens the specification of the ark's dimensions, introduced by a demonstrative and relative clause ("this is how you shall make it"), followed by three measurements in cubits: length, width, and height. Each dimension is expressed through a construct chain linking a number, the word "cubit," and a noun denoting the dimension with a possessive suffix referring back to the ark.

Key words

• Zeh ("this", H2088) — demonstrative particle pointing forward to the instructions that follow.
• 'asher ("that/who", H0834A) — relative particle linking the demonstrative to the verb, forming the sense "this is that which you shall do."
• ta'aseh ("you will make", H6213H) — qal imperfect, second person masculine singular, indicating an action not yet completed, addressed to a single male addressee.
• 'orekh ("length of", H0753) — masculine singular noun in construct state, meaning it must be followed by another noun to complete its sense ("length of the ark").
• rochbah / qomatah ("its breadth" / "its height", H7341 / H6967) — construct nouns each carrying a third-person feminine singular suffix ("her"), referring back to tevah ("ark", H8392), a feminine noun in Hebrew.

What the text says

The verse begins with a demonstrative-relative construction, zeh 'asher ("this that/which"), followed by the qal imperfect verb ta'aseh ("you shall make"), governing the direct object marker 'otah ("it," referring to the ark by a feminine suffix). This opening clause frames what follows as a specification: the instructions given are the content of "this."

The three measurements are each built as construct chains: a cardinal number (shelosh me'ot, "three hundred"; chamishim, "fifty"; sheloshim, "thirty") governs the noun 'amah ("cubit"), and this numeral-cubit unit is itself placed in construct relation to a noun denoting the dimension — 'orekh ("length of"), rochbah ("breadth of"), qomatah ("height of"). The last two dimension-nouns carry a feminine pronominal suffix -ah ("her/its"), agreeing with the feminine noun tevah ("ark"), so that the Hebrew literally reads "fifty cubits [is] her breadth" and "thirty cubits [is] her height," rather than using a separate possessive phrase "of the ark" as in the first measurement, which instead uses the explicit construct 'orekh ha-tevah ("length of the ark").

Differences between versions

The Hebrew opens with the relative clause zeh 'asher ta'aseh 'otah ("this is that which you shall make it"), while the LXX renders this more simply as houtōs poiēseis ("thus you shall make"), omitting an equivalent to the relative 'asher. The Vulgate similarly simplifies to et sic facies eam ("and thus you shall make it"). The SBLIBRE translation converts the cubit measurements into meters (138, 23, and 14 meters), a unit conversion not present in the Hebrew, LXX, or Vulgate, which all retain the cubit ('amah / pēchys / cubitus) as the unit of measure.