Handful

(1) chophen, chophnayim. The fist or closed hand occurs in the dual in Ex 9:8, where it signifies what can be taken in the two hands conjoined, a double handful.

(2) kaph, "hollow of the hand," the palm; an open handful (Lev 9:17; 1 Ki 17:12; Eccl 4:6).

(3) `amir, "sheaf or bundle." It signifies the quantity of grain a gleaner may gather in his hand (Jer 9:22 (Hebrew 21)).

(4) qomets, "the closed handful" (Gen 41:47; Lev 2:2; 5:12; 6:15 (Hebrew 6:8); Nu 5:26).

(5) sho`al, "the hollow of the hand," or what can be held in it (1 Ki 20:10; Ezek 13:19). In Isa 40:12 it signifies "measure."

(6) piccah (Ps 72:16) is rendered "handful" by the King James Version, but is properly "abundance" as in the Revised Version (British and American).

H. Porter