Talk:Biblical mile

The term "Biblical mile"

Why is the term "Biblical mile" used, when the word מיל mil doesn't appear in the Bible at all? This makes no sense. It should be "halakhic mile" or "Jewish mile" or "Talmudic mile". To call it "Biblical" shows a profound lack of interest in historical evidence. --Linguistatlunch (talk) 21:22, 24 December 2018 (UTC)

The truth is, the mil of rabbinic literature (i.e. 2,000 cubits) is more notably called in English "biblical mile" than "halachic mile," as its parameters come entirely from the Hebrew Bible. While the term "mil" is, in fact, a borrowed loanword from the Latin, it was used for more than 2 millennia in Jewish circles. But to distinguish it from the English mile or Roman mile we say, in our case, "biblical mile."Davidbena (talk) 21:42, 24 December 2018 (UTC)

But that's the concern noted. The term doesn't appear in the Hebrew Bible at all, so how can its parameters come from the Hebrew Bible!? As Linguistatlunch stated, this is a post-biblical term, and is used exclusively in the Mishna, the Talmud, and phaps in the Midrash. CrescentStorm (talk) 17:35, 22 February 2026 (UTC)

Anyway, just to allay all concerns, if anyone searches for this topic by typing "Halakhic mile" or "Jewish mile" or "Talmudic mile," he will automatically be redirected to this page.Davidbena (talk) 21:54, 24 December 2018 (UTC)