cubit

The Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek that is translated as “cubit” or into a metric or imperial measurement in English is translated in Kutu, Kwere, and Nyamwezi as makono or “armlength.” Since a cubit is the measurement from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, one armlength (measured from the center of the chest to the fingertips) equals two cubits or roughly 1 meter. (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

In Klao it is converted into “hand spans” (app. 6 inches or 12 cm) and “finger spans” (app. 1 inch or 2 cm) (Source: Don Slager)

Translation commentary on Exod 26:2

Each curtain refers to each of the ten pieces of linen cloth in verse 1, which was to be twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide. All the curtains shall have one measure simply emphasizes that each curtain was to be “the same size” (Good News Translation). This means that each piece was to be about “14 yards” by “2 yards” (Good News Translation), or “twelve meters” by “two meters.” Contemporary English Version has “Make each piece fourteen yards long and two yards wide.”

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .