Reference: House
American
Is often put for dwelling, residence; and hence the temple, and even the tabernacle, are called the house of God.
The universal mode of building houses in the East, is in the form of a hollow square, with an open court or yard in the center; which is thus entirely shut in by the walls of the house around it. Into this court all the windows open, there being usually no windows towards the street. Some houses of large size require several courts, and these usually communicate with each other. These courts are commonly paved; and in many large houses parts of them are planted with shrubs and trees, Ps 84:3; 128:3; they have also, when possible, a fountain in them, often with a jet d' eau, 2Sa 17:18. It is customary in many houses to extend an awning over the whole court in hot weather; and the people of the house then spend much of the day in the open air, and indeed often receive visits there. In Aleppo, at least, there is often on the south side of the court an alcove in the wall of the house, furnished with divans or sofas, for reclining and enjoying the fresh air in the hot seasons.
In the middle of the front of each house is usually an arched passage, leading into the court-not directly, lest the court should be exposed to view from the street, but by turning to one side. The outer door of this passage was, in large houses, guarded by a porter, Ac 12:13. The entrance into the house is either from this passage or from the court itself.
The following extracts from Dr. Shaw will interest the reader, and at the same time serve to illustrate many passages of Scripture. He remarks, "the general method of building, both in Barbary and the Levant, seems to have continued the same from the earliest ages, without the least alteration or improvement. Large doors, spacious chambers, marble pavements, cloistered courts, with fountains sometimes playing in the midst, are certainly conveniences very well adapted to the circumstances of these climates, where the summer heats are generally so intense. The jealously likewise of these people is less apt to be alarmed, while all the windows open into their respective courts, if we except a latticed window or balcony which sometimes looks into the streets, 2Ki 9:30.
The streets of eastern cities, the better to shade them from the sun, are usually narrow, with sometimes a range of shops on each side. If from these we enter into one of the principal houses, we shall first pass through a porch or gateway with benches on each side, there the master of the family receives visits and dispatches business; few persons, not even the nearest relations, having a further admission, except upon extraordinary occasions. From hence we are received into the court, or quadrangle, which, lying open to the weather, is, according to the ability of the owner, paved with marble, or such materials as will immediately carry off the water into the common sewers. When many people are to be admitted, as upon the celebration of marriage, the circumcising of a child, or occasions of the like nature, the company is rarely or never received into one of the chambers. The court is the usual place of their reception, which is strewed accordingly with mats and carpets for their more commodious entertainment. Hence it is probable that the place where our Savior and the apostles were frequently accustomed to give their instructions, was in the area, or quadrangle, of one of this kind of houses. In the summer season, and upon all occasions when a large company is to be received, this court is commonly sheltered from the heat or inclemency of the weather by a veil or awning, which, being expanded upon ropes from one side of the parapet wall to the other, may be folded or unfolded at pleasure. The psalmist seems to allude either to the tents of the Bedaween, or to some covering of this kind, in that beautiful expression, of spreading out the heavens like a curtain, Ps 140:2. The court is for the most part surrounded with a cloister or colonnade; over which, when the house has two or three stories, there is a gallery erected, of the same dimensions with the cloister, having a balustrade, or else a piece of carved or latticed work going round about it to prevent people from falling from it into the court. From the cloister and galleries we are conducted into large spacious chambers, of the same length with the court, but seldom or never communicating with one another. One of them frequently serves a whole family; particularly when a father indulges his married children to live with him; or when several person join in the rent of the same house. From whence it is, that the cities of these countries, which in general are much inferior in bigness to those of Europe, yet are so exceedingly populous, that great numbers op people are always swept away by the plague, or any other contagious distemper.
The chambers of the rich were often hung with velvet or damask tapestry, Es 1:6; the upper part adorned with fretwork and stucco; and the ceilings with wainscot or mosaic work or fragrant wood, sometimes richly painted, Jer 22:14. The floors were of wood or of painted tiles, or marbles; and were usually spread with carpets. Around the walls were mattresses or low sofas, instead of chairs. The beds were often at one end of the chamber, on a gallery several feet above the floor, with steps and a low balustrade,
2Ki 1:4,16. The stairs were usually in a corner of the court, beside the gateway, Mt 24:17.
The top of the house, says Dr. Shaw, "which is always flat, is covered with a strong plaster of terrace; from whence, in the Frank language, it has attained the name of the terrace. It is usually surrounded by two walls; the outermost whereof is partly built over the street, partly makes the partition with the contiguous houses, being frequently so low that one may easily climb over it. The other, which I call the parapet wall, hangs immediately over the court, being always breast high; we render it the 'battlements,' De 22:8. Instead of this parapet wall, some terraces are guarded in the same manner the galleries are, with balustrades only, or latticed work; in which fashion probably, as the name seems to import, was the net, or 'lattice,' as we render it, that Ahaziah, 2Ki 1:2, might be carelessly leaning over, when he fell down from thence into the court. For upon these terraces several office of the family, are performed; such as the drying of linen and flax, Jos 2:6, the preparing of figs and raisins; here likewise they enjoy the cool, refreshing breezes of the evening; converse with one another, 1Sa 9:25; 2Sa 11:2; and offer up their devotions, 2Ki 23:12; Jer 19:13; Ac 10:9. In the feast of Tabernacles booths were erected upon them, Ne 8:16. When one of these cities is built upon level ground, we can pass from one end of it to the other, along the tops of the houses, without coming down into the street.
Such, in general, is the manner and contrivance of the eastern houses. And if it may be presumed that our Savior, at the healing of the paralytic, was preaching in a house of this fashion, we preaching in a house of this fashion, we may, by attending only to the structure of it, give no small light to one circumstance of that history, which has given great offence to some unbelievers. Among other pretended difficulties and absurdities relating to this fact, it has been urged that the uncovering or breaking up on the roof, Mr 2:4, or the letting a person down through it, Lu 5:19, suppose that the crowd being so great around Jesus in the court below, that those who brought the sick man could not come near him, they went upon the flat roof, and removing a part of the awning, let the sick man down in his mattress over the parapet, quite at the feet of Jesus.
Dr. Shaw proceeds to describe a sort of addition to many oriental houses, which corresponds probably to the upper chambers often mentioned time the Bible. He says, "To most of these houses there is a smaller one annexed, which sometimes rises one story higher than the house; at other times it consists of one or two rooms only and a terrace; while others that are built, as they frequently are, over the porch or gateway, have
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When thou buildest a new house, then shalt thou make a parapet to thy roof, so shalt thou not treasure up blood-guiltiness against thy house, for he that is in danger of falling might fall therefrom.
But, she, had taken them up to the roof, - and concealed them with the stalks of flax which she had laid in order for herself upon the roof.
And, Ehud, came in unto him, he, having been sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself, alone, and Ehud said, A divine word, have I, unto thee. So he arose from off his seat.
And, when they had come down from the high place into the city, he spread a couch for Saul upon the house-top, and he lay down.
And, when they had come down from the high place into the city, he spread a couch for Saul upon the house-top, and he lay down.
And it came to pass that, at eventide, David arose from his couch, and walked to and fro on the roof of the king's house, when, from the roof, he saw a woman bathing herself, - the woman being exceeding beautiful to look upon.
And, though a young man did see them, and told Absolom, yet they both departed quickly, and entered the house of a man in Bahurim, and, he, had a well in his court, into which they went down;
Then was the king deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept, - and, thus, he said as he went - O my son Absolom, my son - my son - Absolom! could, I, but have died in thy stead, O Absolom, my son - my son!
And Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber, which was in Samaria, and became sick, - so he sent messengers, and said unto them - Go enquire of Baalzebub, god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this sickness.
Wherefore, Thus, saith Yahweh, From the bed whereunto thou hast gone up, shalt thou not come down, for thou shalt, surely die. And Elijah departed.
and said unto him - Thus, saith Yahweh - For that thou didst send messengers to enquire of Baalzebub, god of Ekron, was it because there was no God in Israel, for whose word thou couldst enquire? Therefore, from the bed whereunto thou hast gone up, shalt thou not come down, for thou shalt, surely die.
I pray thee, let us make a little upper chamber on the wall and set for him there - a bed, and a table, and a seat, and a lampstand, - so shall it be, when he cometh to us, that he can turn in thither.
Now, when Jehu entered Jezreel and, Jezebel, heard of it, she set her eyes in stibium, and ornamented her head, and looked forth through the lattice.
and, the altars which were on the roof of the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, also the altars which Manasseh had made, in the two courts of the house of Yahweh, did the king break down, - and hurried away from thence, and cast out the powder of them into the Kidron ravine;
So the people went forth, and brought in, and made themselves booths, every one upon his roof, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the broad place of the water-gate, and in the broad place of the gate of Ephraim.
white stuff, cotton and blue, being held fast with cords of fine linen and purple, upon rods of silver, and pillars of white marble, - the couches being of gold and silver, upon a pavement of alabaster and white marble, and pearl and black marble.
How much more the dwellers in houses of clay, which, in the dust, have their foundation, which are crushed sooner than a moth:
He breaketh, in the dark, into houses, - By day, they lock themselves in, They know not the light;
Even the sparrow, hath found a home, And, the swallow, a nest for herself, where she hath laid her young, Thine altars, O Yahweh of hosts, My king and my God!
Thy wife, like a fruitful vine, within the recesses of thy house, - Thy children, like plantings of olive-trees, round about thy table.
Let them become like the grass of housetops, which, before it is pulled up, hath withered; Wherewith no reaper, hath filled his hand, nor binder, his bosom:
Who have devised mischiefs in their heart , Every day, do they stir up wars:
A continuous dripping on a day of downpour, and a contentious wife, are alike:
In their streets, have they girded them with sackcloth, - On their housetops, and in their broadways, every one is howling - melting in tears;
The oracle on the valley of vision, - What aileth thee, then, That thou art wholly gone up to the house-tops?
And their inhabitants, being powerless, were overthrown and put to shame - They became - Grass of the field and Young herbage, Grass on housetops, and Seed parched before it came up.
Yea, the houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah, shall like the place of Topheth, be places defiled, - even all the houses upon whose roofs they burned incense to all the host of the heavens, and poured out drink-offerings to other gods.
Who saith - I will build me a roomy house, with spacious roof-chambers, - So he cutteth him open its windows, And it is covered in with cedar, And he painteth it with vermilion.
Before their eyes, break thou forth by thyself through the wall, - and carry forth through it.
Because, yea, even because, they have led astray my people saying. Prosperity! when there was no prosperity, - and one man, was building a partition wall, when there they were! eating it with whitewash Say thou unto them who are coating with whitewash It shall fall,- There hath come an Overflowing rain And I will make ha-stones fall, And a tempestuous wind shall break it down. read more. Lo! when the wall hath fallen, shall it not be said unto you, Where is the coating, wherewith ye coated it? Therefore Thus saith my Lord, Yahweh, So will I break down with a tempestuous wind. in mine indignation, - And an overflowing rain in mine anger, shall there be, With hailstones in wrath to make an end; And I will pull down the wall which ye have coated with whitewash And will bring it unto the ground So shall be discovered its foundation, Yea it shall fall And ye shall come to an end in the midst thereof, So shall ye know that am Yahweh. Thus will I bring to an end mine indignation against the wall, and against them who were coating it with whitewash, And will say to you No more is the wall, And no more are they who were coating it: to wit the prophets of Israel who are prophesying unto Jerusalem, and are seeing, on her behalf, visions of prosperity, - when there is no prosperity, Declareth My Lord Yahweh.
the king spake and said, Is not, this, Babylon the great, - which, I myself, have built as the home of the kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the dignity of my majesty?
But, thou, when thou wouldest pray, enter into thy closet, and, fastening thy door, pray unto thy Father who is in secret, - and, thy Father who seeth in secret, will reward thee.
Be not laying up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where, moth and rust, do tarnish, and where, thieves, dig through and steal;
Every one, therefore, who heareth thesemy words, and doeth them, shall be likened to a prudent man, who built his house upon the rock; And the rain descended, and the streams came, and the winds blew, and rushed against that house, and it fell not; for it had been founded upon the rock. read more. And every one who heareth these my words, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand; And the rain descended, and the streams came, and the winds blew, and dashed against that house, and it fell; and, the fall thereof, was, great.
And this glad message of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the inhabited earth, for a witness unto all the nations, - and, then, will have come, the end.
And, he that is on the house-top, let him not come down, to take away the things out of his house;
and, not being able to get near him by reason of the multitude, they uncovered the roof where he was, and, having broken it up, they began letting down the couch whereon the paralytic was lying;
And, not finding by what means they might bring him in, because of the multitude, going up on the house-top, through the tiling, let they him down, with the little-couch, into the midst before Jesus.
And it came to pass in those days, that she, sickening, died; and, bathing her, they laid her in an upper room.
Now, on the morrow, as those men were journeying, and, unto the city, drawing near, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour;
Now, on the morrow, as those men were journeying, and, unto the city, drawing near, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour;
And, when he had knocked at the door of the porch, there came unto it a maiden to hearken, by name Rhoda;
And there sat, a certain young man by name Eutychus, in the window, who was getting overpowered by a deep sleep; and, while Paul was discoursing yet further, being overpowered by his sleep, he fell, from the third story, down, and was taken up dead.
Easton
Till their sojourn in Egypt the Hebrews dwelt in tents. They then for the first time inhabited cities (Ge 47:3; Ex 12:7; Heb 11:9). From the earliest times the Assyrians and the Canaanites were builders of cities. The Hebrews after the Conquest took possession of the captured cities, and seem to have followed the methods of building that had been pursued by the Canaanites. Reference is made to the stone (1Ki 7:9; Isa 9:10) and marble (1Ch 29:2) used in building, and to the internal wood-work of the houses (1Ki 6:15; 7:2; 10:11-12; 2Ch 3:5; Jer 22:14). "Ceiled houses" were such as had beams inlaid in the walls to which wainscotting was fastened (Ezr 6:4; Jer 22:14; Hag 1:4). "Ivory houses" had the upper parts of the walls adorned with figures in stucco with gold and ivory (1Ki 22:39; 2Ch 3:6; Ps 45:8).
The roofs of the dwelling-houses were flat, and are often alluded to in Scripture (2Sa 11:2; Isa 22:1; Mt 24:17). Sometimes tents or booths were erected on them (2Sa 16:22). They were protected by parapets or low walls (De 22:8). On the house-tops grass sometimes grew (Pr 19:13; 27:15; Ps 129:6-7). They were used, not only as places of recreation in the evening, but also sometimes as sleeping-places at night (1Sa 9:25-26; 2Sa 11:2; 16:22; Da 4:29; Job 27:18; Pr 21:9), and as places of devotion (Jer 32:29; 19:13).
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And Pharaoh said unto the brethren of Joseph - What is your occupation? And they said unto Pharaoh - Feeders of flocks, are thy servants, both we and our fathers.
And they shall take of the blood, and put upon the two door-posts and upon the upper-beam, - upon the houses wherein they are to eat it.
When thou buildest a new house, then shalt thou make a parapet to thy roof, so shalt thou not treasure up blood-guiltiness against thy house, for he that is in danger of falling might fall therefrom.
And, when they had come down from the high place into the city, he spread a couch for Saul upon the house-top, and he lay down. And it came to pass, at the uprisings of the dawn, that Samuel called unto Saul on the house-top, saying, Arise! that I may send thee away. So Saul arose, and they two, he and Samuel, went forth abroad.
And it came to pass that, at eventide, David arose from his couch, and walked to and fro on the roof of the king's house, when, from the roof, he saw a woman bathing herself, - the woman being exceeding beautiful to look upon.
And they stretched out for Absolom a tent, upon the house-top, - and Absolom went in unto his father's concubines, in the sight of all Israel.
and he built the walls of the house on the inside, with boards of cedar, from the floor of the house, unto the cross-beams of the ceiling, he overlaid it with wood, on the inside, - and he overlaid the floor of the house with boards of fir.
Yea he built the house of the forest of Lebanon, a hundred cubits, the length thereof, and, fifty cubits, the breadth thereof, and, thirty cubits, the height thereof, - upon four rows of pillars of cedar, with beams of cedar, upon the pillars;
All these, were of costly stones, after the dimensions of hewn stones, sawn with saws, within and without, - even from the foundation, unto the coping, and without as far as the great court.
Moreover also, the fleet of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir, brought in, from Ophir sandal-wood in great abundance, and precious stones. So the king made of the sandal-wood a footpath to the house of Yahweh, and to the house of the king, lyres also and harps, for the singers, - there hath neither come in such sandal-wood, nor been seen, unto this day.
Now, the rest of the story of Ahab, and all that he did, and the house of ivory that he built, and all the cities that he built, are, they, not written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?
And, with all my might, have I made preparation for the house of my God, the gold for the gold, and the silver for the silver, and the bronze for the bronze, the iron for the iron, and the wood for the wood, - and beryl stones and settings, stones coloured and particoloured, and all manner of precious stones and stones of white marble, in abundance.
layers of large stones, three, and one layer of new timber, - and, as for the expenses, out of the house of the king, let them be given.
He hath built, like a moth, his house, - like a hut, which a watcher hath made.
Myrrh and aloes, cassias, all thy garments, - Out of the palaces of ivory, the tones of strings, have rejoiced thee.
Let them become like the grass of housetops, which, before it is pulled up, hath withered; Wherewith no reaper, hath filled his hand, nor binder, his bosom:
Engulfing ruin to his father, is a son that is a dullard, - and, a continuous dripping, are the contentions of a wife.
Better to dwell on the corner of the roof, than a quarrelsome wife, and a house in common.
A continuous dripping on a day of downpour, and a contentious wife, are alike:
Bricks, have fallen down But with hewn stone, will we build, - Sycomores, have been felled, But with cedars, will we replace them.
The oracle on the valley of vision, - What aileth thee, then, That thou art wholly gone up to the house-tops?
Yea, the houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah, shall like the place of Topheth, be places defiled, - even all the houses upon whose roofs they burned incense to all the host of the heavens, and poured out drink-offerings to other gods.
Who saith - I will build me a roomy house, with spacious roof-chambers, - So he cutteth him open its windows, And it is covered in with cedar, And he painteth it with vermilion.
Who saith - I will build me a roomy house, with spacious roof-chambers, - So he cutteth him open its windows, And it is covered in with cedar, And he painteth it with vermilion.
And the Chaldeans, who are fighting against this city, Shall enter, and Shall set this city on fire, and Shall consume it, - With the houses on whose roofs they burned incense to Baal and poured out drink-offerings to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger; For the sons of Israel and the sons of Judah have been nothing but doers of wickedness in my sight from the days of their youth, -
At the end of twelve months, over the palace of the kingdom of Babylon, was he walking:
Is it a time that, ye yourselves, should be dwelling in your own paneled houses? and, this house, be in ruins?
And, he that is on the house-top, let him not come down, to take away the things out of his house;
By faith, he sojourned in the land of promise, as a foreign land, in tents, dwelling, along with Isaac and Jacob, the joint-heirs of the same promise;
Fausets
Known to man as early at least as Cain; the tent not until Jabal, the fifth in descent from Cain (Ge 4:7,17,20). The rude wigwam and the natural cave were the abodes of those who, being scattered abroad, subsequently degenerated from the primitive civilization implied in the elaborate structure of Babel (Ge 11:3,31). It was from a land of houses that Abram, at God's call, became a dweller in tents (Ge 12:1; Heb 11:9). At times he still lived in a house (Ge 17:27); so also Isaac (Ge 27:15), and Jacob (Ge 33:15). In Egypt the Israelites resumed a fixed life in permanent houses, and must have learned architectural skill in that land of stately edifices. After their wilderness sojourn in tents they entered into possession of the Canaanite goodly cities. The parts of the eastern house are:
(1) The porch; not referred to in the Old Testament save in the temple and Solomon's palace (1Ki 7:6-7; 2Ch 15:8; Eze 40:7,16); in Egypt (from whence he derived it) often it consisted of a double row of pillars; in Jg 3:23 the Hebrew word (the front hall) is different. The porch of the high priest's palace (Mt 26:71; puloon, which is translated "gate" in Ac 10:17; 12:14; 14:13; Re 21:12) means simply "the gate." The five porches of Bethesda (Joh 5:2) were cloisters or a colonnade for the use of the sick.
(2) The court is the chief feature of every eastern house. The passage into it is so contrived that the court cannot be seen from the street outside. An awning from one wall to the opposite shelters from the heat; this is the image, Ps 104:2, "who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain." At the side of the court opposite the entrance was the:
(3) guest chamber (Lu 22:11-12), Hebrew lishkah, from laashak, "to recline"; where Samuel received his guests (1Sa 9:22). Often open in front, and supported by a pillar; on the ground floor, but raised above the level. A low divan goes round it, used for sitting or reclining by day, and for placing beds on by night. In the court the palm and olive were planted, from whence the psalmist writes, "I am like a green olive tree in the house of God"; an olive tree in a house would be a strange image to us, but suggestive to an eastern of a home with refreshing shade and air. So Ps 92:13, "those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God." Contrast the picture of Edom's desolation, "thorns in the palaces, nettles and brambles in the fortresses ... a court for owls" (Isa 34:13).
(4) The stairs. Outside the house, so that Ehud could readily escape after slaying Eglon (Jg 3:23), and the bearers of the paralytic, unable to get to the door, could easily mount by the outside stairs to the roof, and, breaking an opening in it, let him down in the midst of the room where Jesus was (Mr 2:4). The Israelite captains placed Jehu upon their garments on the top of the stairs, as the most public place, and from them proclaimed "Jehu is king" (2Ki 9:13).
(5) The roof is often of a material which could easily be broken up, as it was by the paralytic's friends: sticks, thorn bushes (bellan), with mortar, and marl or earth. A stone roller is kept on the top to harden the flat roof that rain may not enter. Amusement, business, conversation (1Sa 9:25), and worship (Ac 10:9) are carried on here, especially in the evening, as a pleasant and cool retreat (2Sa 11:2) from the narrow filthy streets of an eastern town. Translated 1Sa 9:26, "about daybreak Samuel called (from below, within the house, up) to Saul upon the top (or roof) of the house (where Saul was sleeping upon the balcony, compare 2Ki 4:10), Rise up," etc. On the flat roof it was that Rahab spread the flax to dry, hiding the spies (Jos 2:6).
Here, in national calamities, the people retired to bewail their state (Isa 15:3; Jer 48:38); here in times of danger they watched the foe advancing (Isa 22:1, "thou art wholly gone up to the housetops"), or the bearer of tidings approaching (2Sa 18:24,33). On the top of the upper chamber, as the highest point of the house, the kings of Judah made idolatrous altars to the sun and heavenly hosts (2Ki 23:12; Jer 19:13; 32:29). Retributively in kind, as they burnt incense to Baal the god of fire, the Chaldeans should burn the houses, the scene of his worship, with fire (Zep 1:5). On the top of the house the tent was spread for Absalom's incestuous act with his father's concubines, to show the breach with David was irreparable (2Sa 16:21-22).
On the housetop publicly the disciples should proclaim what Jesus privately taught them (Mt 10:27; Lu 12:3). Here Peter in prayer saw the vision (Ac 10:9). From the balustraded vast roof of Dagon's temple the 3,000 Philistines witnessed Samson's feats (Jg 16:27). By pulling down the two central pillars on which in front the roof rested, he pulled down the whole edifice. Here the people erected their booths for the feast of tabernacles (Ne 8:16). The partly earth materials gave soil for grass to spring in rain, speedily about to wither, because of the shallowness of soil, under the sun's heat like the sinner's evanescent prosperity (2Ki 19:26; Ps 129:6).
Though pleasant in the cool evening and night, at other times the housetop would be anything but pleasant; so "it is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop (though there exposed to wind, rain, heat, and cold) than with a brawling woman in a wide house" (a house of community, i.e. shared with her) (Pr 21:9).
(6) The "inner chamber." 1Ki 20:30; 22:25 should be translated (fleeing) "from chamber to chamber." The "guest chamber" was often the uppermost room (Greek huperoon, Hebrew aliyeh), a loft upon the roof (Ac 1:13; 9:37; 20:8-9), the pleasantest room in the house. Eutychus from "the third loft" fell down into the court. Little chambers surround the courtyard, piled upon one another, the half roof of the lower forming a walking terrace of the higher, to which the ascent is by a ladder or flight of steps.
Such "a little chamber" the Shunammite woman made (built) "on the wall" of the house for Elisha (2Ki 4:10, compare 1Ki 17:19). Ahaziah fell down from such an "upper chamber" with a projecting latticed window (2Ki 1:2). The "summer house" was generally the upper room, the "winter house" was the lower room of the same house (Jer 36:22; Am 3:15); or if both were on the same floor the "summer house" was the outer, the "winter house" the inner apartment. An upper room was generally over gateways (2Sa 18:33). Poetically, "God layeth the beams of His upper chambers (Hebrew) in the waters, whence "He watereth the hills" (Ps 104:3,13).
(7) Fireplaces are seldom in the houses; but fire pans in winter heated the apartment. Jer 36:22 translated he stove (a brazen vessel, with charcoal) was burning before him." Chimneys were few (Ho 13:3), simple orifices in the wall, both admitting the light and emitting the smoke. Kitchens are first mentioned in Eze 46:23-24. A fire was sometimes burned in the open court (Lu 22:55-56,61); Peter warmed himself at such a fire, when Jesus on His trial in the large hall, open in front to the court, with arches and a pillar to support the wall above, "turned and looked" on him. Cellars often were made under the ground floor for storage, "secret chambers" (Mt 24:20). Sometimes the granary was "in the midst of the house" (2Sa 4:6).
(8) The cisterns cut in the limestone rock are a leading feature in the houses at Jerusalem, varying from 4 ft. to 30 ft. in width, 8 inches to 30 inches length, 12 inches to 20 inches depth. Almost every house has one, and some as many as four. The rain water is conducted from the roofs into them. Hence the inhabitants within Jerusalem never suffered from want of water in the longest sieges, whereas the besiegers have often suffered. So Ne 9:25, "cisterns hewn" margin, compare 2Ki 18:31; 2Ch 26:10 margin," Uzziah cut out many cisterns." Israel's forsaking God for earthly trusts is called a "forsaking of the fountain of living waters" for "broken cisterns that can hold no water" (Jer 2:13). Pr 5:15, "drink waters out of thine own cistern," means, enjoy thine own wife's love, seek none else. So the heavenly spouse is called "a fountain sealed" (Song 4:12).
(9) The foundation was an object of gr
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Shall it not, if thou do right, be lifted up? But if thou do not right, at the entrance a sin-bearer is lying, - Unto thee, moreover, shall be his longing, though, thou, rule over him.
And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived, and bare Enoch, - Now it happened that he was building a city, so he called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.
And Adah bare Jabal, - he, was father of such as dwell in tents, and have cattle;
Then said they, each man to his friend, Come on! let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly, - So the bricks, served them for stone, and bitumen, served them for mortar,
And Terah took Abram his son and Lot son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, wife of Abram his son, - and came forth with them out of Ur of the Chaldees, that they might go their way towards the land of Canaan, and they came in as far as Haran and dwelt there.
And Yahweh said unto Abram: Come thou on thy way, Out of thy land and out of the place of thy birth and out of the house of thy father, - Unto the land that I will show thee;
and, all the men of his house, born of his house, and bought with silver from the son of a stranger, were circumcised with him.
So the man came in towards the house, and ungirded the camels, - and there was given him straw and fodder for the camels, and water for bathing his own feet and the feet of the men who were with him;
Then took Rebekah the garments of Esau her elder son, the costly ones, which were with her in the house, - and put them on Jacob her younger son:
Then said Esau: Let me leave, I pray thee, along with thee, some of the people who are with me! And he said - Why so? let me find favour in the eyes of my lord!
and shall take other stones, and put in the place of the stones, - and, other mortar, shall he take and plaster the house.
But, she, had taken them up to the roof, - and concealed them with the stalks of flax which she had laid in order for herself upon the roof.
And, when Ehud came out into the porch, he closed the doors of the parlour upon him, and bolted them.
And, when Ehud came out into the porch, he closed the doors of the parlour upon him, and bolted them.
Now, the house, was full of men and women, there, also were all the lords of the Philistines, - and, on the roof, were about three thousand men and women, looking on while Samson made sport.
And Samuel took Saul and his young man, and brought them into the guest-chamber, - and gave them a place at the head of them who were bidden, they being about thirty persons.
And, when they had come down from the high place into the city, he spread a couch for Saul upon the house-top, and he lay down. And it came to pass, at the uprisings of the dawn, that Samuel called unto Saul on the house-top, saying, Arise! that I may send thee away. So Saul arose, and they two, he and Samuel, went forth abroad.
and, thither, entered they as fro as the middle of the house, to fetch wheat, and they smote him in the belly, - and, Rechab and Baanah his brother, escaped.
And it came to pass that, at eventide, David arose from his couch, and walked to and fro on the roof of the king's house, when, from the roof, he saw a woman bathing herself, - the woman being exceeding beautiful to look upon.
And Ahithophel said unto Absolom, Go in unto thy father's concubines, whom he hath left to keep the house, - so shall all Israel hear that thou hast made thyself odious unto thy father, and the hands of all that are with thee, shall be strengthened. And they stretched out for Absolom a tent, upon the house-top, - and Absolom went in unto his father's concubines, in the sight of all Israel.
Now, David, was sitting between the two gates, - and the watchman went on to the top of the gate-house, upon the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and lo! a man, running alone.
Then was the king deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept, - and, thus, he said as he went - O my son Absolom, my son - my son - Absolom! could, I, but have died in thy stead, O Absolom, my son - my son!
Then was the king deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept, - and, thus, he said as he went - O my son Absolom, my son - my son - Absolom! could, I, but have died in thy stead, O Absolom, my son - my son!
And, a porch of pillars, made he, fifty cubits, in length, and, thirty cubits, in breadth, - and, a porch, was on the one front of them, and pillars and threshold, were on the other front of them. And, a porch for the throne, where he should judge, even the porch of judgment, made he, and it was wainscotted with cedar, from floor to ceiling.
And he said unto her - Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him unto the upper room, where, he, was staying, and laid him upon his own bed.
And they who were left fled to Aphek, into the city, and the wall fell upon twenty-seven thousand men who were left, - and, Ben-hadad, fled, and came into the city, into a chamber within a chamber.
Then said Micaiah, Lo! thou art about to see, on that day, - when thou enterest a chamber within a chamber, to hide thyself.
And Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber, which was in Samaria, and became sick, - so he sent messengers, and said unto them - Go enquire of Baalzebub, god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this sickness.
I pray thee, let us make a little upper chamber on the wall and set for him there - a bed, and a table, and a seat, and a lampstand, - so shall it be, when he cometh to us, that he can turn in thither.
I pray thee, let us make a little upper chamber on the wall and set for him there - a bed, and a table, and a seat, and a lampstand, - so shall it be, when he cometh to us, that he can turn in thither.
Then hasted they, and took, every man his garment, and put it under him, upon the very steps, - and blew with a horn, and said, Jehu, is king!
Do not hearken unto Hezekiah, - for, thus, saith the king of Assyria, Deal with me thankfully, and come out unto me, then shall ye eat - every one of his own vine, and every one of his own fig-tree, and drink every one the waters of his own cistern;
And, their inhabitants, being powerless, were overthrown and put to shame, - they became grass of the field, and young herbage, grass on housetops, and seed withered before it came up.
and, the altars which were on the roof of the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, also the altars which Manasseh had made, in the two courts of the house of Yahweh, did the king break down, - and hurried away from thence, and cast out the powder of them into the Kidron ravine;
So the people went forth, and brought in, and made themselves booths, every one upon his roof, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the broad place of the water-gate, and in the broad place of the gate of Ephraim.
and they captured fortified cities and a fat soil, and took possession of houses full of every good thing, wells digged, vineyards and oliveyards and fruit-trees, in abundance, - so they did eat and were filled and became fat, and luxuriated in thy great goodness.
Notwithstanding the roaring of the lion, and the noise of the howling lion, yet, the teeth of the fierce lions, are broken:
How much more the dwellers in houses of clay, which, in the dust, have their foundation, which are crushed sooner than a moth:
And had inhabited demolished cities, houses, wherein men would not dwell, that were destined to become heaps.
He breaketh, in the dark, into houses, - By day, they lock themselves in, They know not the light;
They who are planted in the house of Yahweh, In the courts of our God, shall flourish;
Putting on light, as a robe, Stretching out the heavens, as a curtain; Building, in the waters, his upper chambers, - Who maketh clouds his chariot, Who passeth along on the wings of the wind;
Who watereth the mountains out of his upper chambers, Out of the fruit of thy works, thou satisfiest the earth.
Let them become like the grass of housetops, which, before it is pulled up, hath withered;
Drink thou water out of thine own cistern, and flowing streams out of the midst of thine own well.
Better to dwell on the corner of the roof, than a quarrelsome wife, and a house in common.
In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the men of might bow themselves, - and the grinders cease because they are few, and they who look through the windows are darkened;
Resembleth, my beloved, a gazelle, or a young stag, - Lo! here he is, standing behind our wall, looking in at the windows, peeping in at the lattice.
A garden barred, is my sister, bride, - a spring barred, a fountain sealed:
In their streets, have they girded them with sackcloth, - On their housetops, and in their broadways, every one is howling - melting in tears;
The oracle on the valley of vision, - What aileth thee, then, That thou art wholly gone up to the house-tops?
Of a king, in his beauty, shall thine eyes have vision: They shall see a land that stretcheth afar.
Then shall come up, in her palaces thorns Nettles and thistles in her fortresses, - And she shall become A home for wild dogs, An enclosure for ostriches;
For two wicked things, have my people committed, - Me, have they forsaken a fountain of living water, To hew out for themselves cisterns broken cisterns, that cannot hold water.
Yea, the houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah, shall like the place of Topheth, be places defiled, - even all the houses upon whose roofs they burned incense to all the host of the heavens, and poured out drink-offerings to other gods.
And the Chaldeans, who are fighting against this city, Shall enter, and Shall set this city on fire, and Shall consume it, - With the houses on whose roofs they burned incense to Baal and poured out drink-offerings to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger; For the sons of Israel and the sons of Judah have been nothing but doers of wickedness in my sight from the days of their youth, -
Now, the king, was sitting in the winter house in the ninth month, - with the fire-stove before him burning.
Now, the king, was sitting in the winter house in the ninth month, - with the fire-stove before him burning.
Upon all the housetops of Moab And in her broadways, it is all lamentation, - For I have broken Moab - Like a vessel wherein is no pleasure Declareth Yahweh.
Because, yea, even because, they have led astray my people saying. Prosperity! when there was no prosperity, - and one man, was building a partition wall, when there they were! eating it with whitewash Say thou unto them who are coating with whitewash It shall fall,- There hath come an Overflowing rain And I will make ha-stones fall, And a tempestuous wind shall break it down. read more. Lo! when the wall hath fallen, shall it not be said unto you, Where is the coating, wherewith ye coated it? Therefore Thus saith my Lord, Yahweh, So will I break down with a tempestuous wind. in mine indignation, - And an overflowing rain in mine anger, shall there be, With hailstones in wrath to make an end; And I will pull down the wall which ye have coated with whitewash And will bring it unto the ground So shall be discovered its foundation, Yea it shall fall And ye shall come to an end in the midst thereof, So shall ye know that am Yahweh. Thus will I bring to an end mine indignation against the wall, and against them who were coating it with whitewash, And will say to you No more is the wall, And no more are they who were coating it: to wit the prophets of Israel who are prophesying unto Jerusalem, and are seeing, on her behalf, visions of prosperity, - when there is no prosperity, Declareth My Lord Yahweh.
And the lodge was one reed long, and one reed broad, and between the lodges, was a space of five cubits, - and the threshold of the gate from beside the porch of the gate inwards, was one reed.
And latticed windows had the lodges, even towards their projections within the gate round about on every side, and, so, had the recesses, - and windows round about on every side inwards, and against each projection, palm trees.
And latticed windows had the lodges, even towards their projections within the gate round about on every side, and, so, had the recesses, - and windows round about on every side inwards, and against each projection, palm trees.
And there was an enclosure round about in them round about to those four, - and boiling places had been made under the enclosures round about. And he said unto me, - they, are the places of them who boil, where they who wait upon the house shall be the sacrifice of the people.
Therefore, shall they become like the morning cloud, and like the dew early departing, - like chaff storm-driven out of the threshing-floor, and like smoke out of a chimney.
And I will smite the winter house along with the summer house, - and the houses of ivory, shall be destroyed! and the great houses, shall disappear, Declareth Yahweh.
And them who bow down upon the housetops to the host of the heavens, - and them who bow down - who swear to Yahweh, and swear by Milcom;
What I am saying to you in the darkness, tell ye in the light, - and, what whispered into the ear ye are hearing, proclaim ye on the housetops.
And, Simon Peter, answering, said - Thou, art the Christ, the Son of the Living God. And Jesus, answering, said to him - Happy, art thou, Simon Bar-yona, - because, flesh and blood, revealed it not unto thee, but my Father who is in the heavens. read more. And, I also, unto thee, say - Thou, art Peter, - and, upon this rock, will I build my assembly, and, the gates of hades, shall not prevail against it. I will give thee, the keys of the kingdom of the heavens, - and, whatsoever thou shalt bind upon the earth, shall be bound in the heavens, and, whatsoever thou shalt loose upon the earth, shall be loosed in the heavens.
And, taking him aside, Peter began to rebuke him, saying - Mercy on thee Lord! In nowise, shall, this, befall thee. But, he, turning, said to Peter - Withdraw behind me, Satan! A snare, art thou of mine, because thou art not regarding the things of God, but the things of men.
But be praying that your flight, may not happen in winter, nor on sabbath;
And, when he went out into the porch, another female saw him, and said unto them who were there - This, one was with Jesus the Nazarene.
and, not being able to get near him by reason of the multitude, they uncovered the roof where he was, and, having broken it up, they began letting down the couch whereon the paralytic was lying;
and she gave birth to her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
He is like unto a man building a house, who digged, and deepened, and laid a foundation upon the rock, - and, a flood, coming, the stream burst against that house, and was not strong enough to shake it, because it had been, well, built.
Because, as many things as, in the darkness, ye have said, in the light, shall be heard; and, what to the ear ye spake, in the chambers, shall be proclaimed on the housetops.
And ye shall say unto the master of the house - The teacher saith unto thee, where is the lodging, where, the passover, with my disciples, I may eat? And, he, unto you, will shew, a large upper room, spread: there, make ready.
And, they having kindled up a fire in the midst of the court, and taken seats together, Peter was for sitting among them. But, a certain maid-servant, seeing him seating himself towards the light, and looking steadfastly at him, said - This one also, was, with him.
And the Lord turned, and looked at Peter; and Peter was put in mind of the declaration of the Lord, how he had said to him - Before, a cock, crow this day, thou wilt deny me thrice!
Now there is in Jerusalem, at the Sheep-gate, a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethzatha, - having, five porches.
Abraham, your father, exulted that he should see my day; and he saw, and rejoiced.
He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he, it is that loveth me; and, he that loveth me, shall be loved by my Father, and, I, will love him, and will manifest, myself, unto him.
And, when they had entered, into the upper-story went they up, where remained behind - both Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the zealot, and Judas the son of James.
And it came to pass in those days, that she, sickening, died; and, bathing her, they laid her in an upper room.
Now, on the morrow, as those men were journeying, and, unto the city, drawing near, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour;
Now, on the morrow, as those men were journeying, and, unto the city, drawing near, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour;
And, as within himself Peter was doubting what the vision which he had seen might mean, lo! the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having sought out the house of Simon, stood at the gate,
And, recognizing the voice of Peter, by reason of her joy, she opened not the porch, - but, running in, bare tidings that Peter was standing before the porch. But, they, unto her, said - Thou art raving
Also, the priest of the Jupiter that was before the city, bringing bulls and garlands unto the gates, with the multitudes, would have offered sacrifice.
Now there were a good many torches in the upper room, where we were gathered together. And there sat, a certain young man by name Eutychus, in the window, who was getting overpowered by a deep sleep; and, while Paul was discoursing yet further, being overpowered by his sleep, he fell, from the third story, down, and was taken up dead.
For, other foundation, can, no one, lay, than that which is lying, which is, Jesus Christ.
For we see, as yet, through a dim window, obscurely, but, then, face to face: as yet, I gain knowledge, in part, but, then, shall I fully know, even as I was also fully known.
Having been built up on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, there being, for chief corner stone, Jesus Christ himself, -
Which entrance he hath consecrated for us, as a way recent and living, through the veil, that is, his flesh, -
By faith, he sojourned in the land of promise, as a foreign land, in tents, dwelling, along with Isaac and Jacob, the joint-heirs of the same promise;
having a wall great and high, having twelve gates, and, at the gates, twelve messengers, and names inscribed, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel, -
Hastings
The history of human habitation in Palestine goes back to the undated spaces of the pal
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Then said they, each man to his friend, Come on! let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly, - So the bricks, served them for stone, and bitumen, served them for mortar,
So Abraham took the pieces of wood for the ascending-sacrifice, and laid them on Isaac his son, and took in his own hand the fire and the knife, and they went on their way, both of them together.
And Abraham put forth his hand, and took the knife, - to slay his son.
And it came to pass, ere yet, he, had done speaking, that lo! Rebekah, was coming forth who had been born to Bethuel son of Milcah, wife of Nahor, brother of Abraham, - with her pitcher upon her shoulder,
And he lighted on a place, and tarried the night there, because the sun had gone in, - and he took of the stones of the place, and put for his pillow, and lay down in that place,
So Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone which he halt lint for his pillow, and put it for a pillar, - and poured out oil upon the top thereof;
Then he said: Come, swear to me! And he sware to him. Then did Israel how himself down on the head of the couch.
Go - and thou shalt gather together the eiders of Israel and shalt say unto them-Yahweh. God of your fathers, hath appeared unto me, the God of Abraham Isaac, and Jacob saying, - I am, concerned, for you, and for what is done to you in Egypt;
And they shall take of the blood, and put upon the two door-posts and upon the upper-beam, - upon the houses wherein they are to eat it.
So the people took up their dough, ere yet it was leavened, - with their kneading-bowls, bound up in their mantles on their shoulders,
for that is his only covering, that, is his mantle, for his skin, - wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass when he maketh outcry unto me, then will I hear because, gracious, I am.
and one round-cake of bread, and one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer, - out of the basket of unleavened cakes, which is before Yahweh;
But, if, a meal-offering, on a girdle, be thine oblation, of fine meal, overflowed with oil unleavened, shall it be;
But, if a meal-offering of the boiler, be thine oblation, of fine meal with oil, shall it be made.
But, the earthen vessel wherein it is boiled, shall be broken, - or, if, in a vessel of bronze, it hath been boiled, then shall the vessel be scoured and rinsed in water.
And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the habitation and all that was therein, - and hallowed them;
then shall the priest give command, and they shall pull out the stones, wherein is the mark, - and cast them forth outside the city, into an unclean place; and, the house itself, shall he cause to be scraped on the inside round about, - and they shall pour out the mortar which they have scraped off, outside the city, into an unclean place;
And the earthen vessel which he that hath the flux toucheth shall be broken in pieces, - and, every vessel of wood, shall be rinsed in water.
and his offering, was - one charger of silver, a hundred and thirty shekels, the weight thereof, one tossing bowl of silver, seventy shekels by the shekel of the sanctuary, - both of them, full of fine meal overflowed with oil for a meal-offering;
and his offering, was - one charger of silver, a hundred and thirty shekels, the weight thereof, one tossing bowl of silver, seventy shekels by the shekel of the sanctuary, - both of them, full of fine meal overflowed with oil for a meal-offering;
He poureth forth water from his buckets, And, his seed, is among many waters, - And taller than Agag is his King, And exalted is his kingdom.
Hear, O Israel: Yahweh, is our God, - Yahweh alone. Thou shalt therefore love Yahweh thy God, - with all thy heart and with all thy soul, and with all thy might; read more. so shall these words which I am commanding thee to-day, be upon thy heart; and thou shalt impress them upon thy sons, and shalt speak of them, - when thou sittest in thy house and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down and when thou risest up; and thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy hand, - and they shall serve for bands between thine eyes; and thou shalt write them upon the pests of thy house and within thy gates.
and thou shalt write them upon the pests of thy house and within thy gates. So shall it be, when Yahweh thy God shall bring thee into the land, which he sware to thy fathers - to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob to give unto thee, - into cities great and goodly, which thou didst not build;
And it shall come to pass, if ye will hearken, unto my commandments, which, I am commanding you to-day, - to love Yahweh your God, and to serve him, with, all your heart, and with all your soul, then saith he I will give the rain of your land in it season, the early rain and the latter rain; so shalt thou gather in thy corn, and thy new wine and thine oil; read more. and I will give grass in thy field for thy cattle, - and thou shalt eat and be satisfied. Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be befooled, - and ye turn aside and serve other gods, and bow down to them. So would the anger of Yahweh kindle upon you and he would shut up the heavens, that them should he no rain, and the ground, would not yield her increase, - so should ye perish speedily, from off the good land, which Yahweh is giving unto you. Therefore shall ye lay these my words upon your heart, and upon your soul, - and bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall serve as bands between your eyes; and ye shall teach them unto your children by speaking of them, - when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down and when thou risest up; and thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thy house and within thy gates:
and thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thy house and within thy gates: that your days may multiply, and the days of your children, upon rite soil which Yahweh sware unto your fathers, to give unto them, - like the days of the heavens upon the earth.
Then shall the officers speak unto the people saying, Who is the man that hath built a new house and hath not dedicated it? let him go and return unto his house, - lest he die in the battle, and, another man dedicate it.
When thou buildest a new house, then shalt thou make a parapet to thy roof, so shalt thou not treasure up blood-guiltiness against thy house, for he that is in danger of falling might fall therefrom.
then shalt thou take - of the first of all the fruit of the soil which thou shalt bring in from thy land which Yahweh thy God is giving unto thee and shalt put it in a basket, - and go thy way unto the place which Yahweh thy God shall choose, to make a habitation for his name there.
But, she, had taken them up to the roof, - and concealed them with the stalks of flax which she had laid in order for herself upon the roof.
And she let them down with a cord through the window, - for, her house, was within the wall of the rampart, and, within the rampart, she was dwelling.
At that time, said Yahweh unto Joshua, Make thee knives of flint, - and again circumcise the sons of Israel, a second time.
they, however, acted craftily, and went and started, - and took old sacks for their asses, and leathern wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up;
and, these leathern wine bottles, which we filled new, lo! also, they are rent, - and, as for these our mantles and our sandals, they are worn out, by reason of the very long journey.
And, Ehud, came in unto him, he, having been sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself, alone, and Ehud said, A divine word, have I, unto thee. So he arose from off his seat.
And, when Ehud came out into the porch, he closed the doors of the parlour upon him, and bolted them.
Water, he asked, Milk, she gave, - In a bowl for nobles, presented cream:
and the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel, - because of Midian, did the sons of Israel prepare for themselves the hollows which were in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds.
So, Gideon, went in, and made ready a kid of the goats, and, of an ephah of meal, unleavened cakes, the flesh, he put in a basket, and, the broth, he put in a pot, - and brought them forth unto him, under the oak, and presented them.
And it was so, and he rose up early, on the morrow, and pressed together the fleece, - and wrung out the dew from the fleece, a small bowl full of water.
Then did Samson grasp the two middle pillars, whereon the house rested, and whereon it was upheld, and he braced himself against them, - the one with his right hand, and the other with his left.
So then her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and went forth, to go on his journey, - when lo! the woman, his concubine, fallen at the entrance of the house, with her hands upon the threshold.
And, when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, limb by limb, into twelve pieces, - and sent her throughout all the bounds of Israel.
And, the custom of the priests with the people, was - when any man offered a sacrifice, then would come the priests young man, as the flesh was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand; and would strike it into the boiler, or into the trough, or into the kettle, or into the pot, all that the fork would bring up, the priest took for himself. Thus and thus, used they to do unto all Israel, who came thither, in Shiloh.
Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name, was Kish - son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, son of a Benjamite, - a mighty man of valour;
And, when they had come down from the high place into the city, he spread a couch for Saul upon the house-top, and he lay down.
And Michal took the household god, and put it in the bed, and, a fly-net of goats-hair, put she at its head, - and covered it with the clothes.
And Michal took the household god, and put it in the bed, and, a fly-net of goats-hair, put she at its head, - and covered it with the clothes.
So David came, with Abishai, unto the people by night, and lo! Saul lying asleep, within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground, at his head, - and Abner and the people lying round about him.
Far be it from me, of Yahweh, that I should thrust forth my hand against the anointed of Yahweh! Now, therefore, take, I pray thee, the spear that is at his head, and the cruse of water, and let us go our way.
and, thither, entered they as fro as the middle of the house, to fetch wheat, and they smote him in the belly, - and, Rechab and Baanah his brother, escaped. Thus they entered the house when, he, was lying on his bed, in his sleeping-chamber, and smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, - and took his head, and journeyed by way of the waste plain all the night;
And David said, on that day - Whosoever is smiting the Jebusites, then let him reach as far as the aqueduct. But, as for the lame and the blind, they were the hated of David's soul, - for which cause, they kept on saying, Blind and lame! he will not enter the place.
And it came to pass that, at eventide, David arose from his couch, and walked to and fro on the roof of the king's house, when, from the roof, he saw a woman bathing herself, - the woman being exceeding beautiful to look upon.
And they stretched out for Absolom a tent, upon the house-top, - and Absolom went in unto his father's concubines, in the sight of all Israel.
And, though a young man did see them, and told Absolom, yet they both departed quickly, and entered the house of a man in Bahurim, and, he, had a well in his court, into which they went down;
And, though a young man did see them, and told Absolom, yet they both departed quickly, and entered the house of a man in Bahurim, and, he, had a well in his court, into which they went down;
brought, sleeping rugs, and basins, and earthen vessels, and wheat and barley, and meal and roasted corn, - and beans and lentils, and parched pulse;
Now, the young woman, was exceeding fair, - so she became unto the king a companion, and ministered unto him, but, the king, knew her not.
And the king commanded, and they quarried great stones, costly stones, to found the house with hewn stones.
And the king commanded, and they quarried great stones, costly stones, to found the house with hewn stones.
Now, the house which King Solomon built unto Yahweh, was sixty cubits in length, and twenty in breadth, - and thirty cubits in height.
Now, the house which King Solomon built unto Yahweh, was sixty cubits in length, and twenty in breadth, - and thirty cubits in height.
The entrance of the lowest story, was on the right side of the house, - and, by winding stairs, went they up unto the middle story , and, out of the middle, into, the third. So he built the house, and finished it, - and ceiled the house with planks and beams of cedar;
and he built the walls of the house on the inside, with boards of cedar, from the floor of the house, unto the cross-beams of the ceiling, he overlaid it with wood, on the inside, - and he overlaid the floor of the house with boards of fir.
and he built the walls of the house on the inside, with boards of cedar, from the floor of the house, unto the cross-beams of the ceiling, he overlaid it with wood, on the inside, - and he overlaid the floor of the house with boards of fir.
and he built the walls of the house on the inside, with boards of cedar, from the floor of the house, unto the cross-beams of the ceiling, he overlaid it with wood, on the inside, - and he overlaid the floor of the house with boards of fir.
And, the cedar for the house within, was carved with colocynths, and with festoons of flowers, - the whole, was cedar, there was no stone to be seen.
And, the two doors, were of fir wood, - the two leaves of the one door, were folding, and, the two leaves of the other door, were folding.
And, all the openings and the posts, were square in their frame, - and light was over against light, three times.
And, a porch for the throne, where he should judge, even the porch of judgment, made he, and it was wainscotted with cedar, from floor to ceiling.
All these, were of costly stones, after the dimensions of hewn stones, sawn with saws, within and without, - even from the foundation, unto the coping, and without as far as the great court.
and the pans, and the shovels, and the tossing bowls, and, all these vessels which Hiram made King Solomon, for the house of Yahweh, were of burnished bronze.
and the bowls, and the snuffers, and the tossing bowls, and the spoons, and the censers, of pure gold, - and the hinge-holes, for the doors of the inner house, the holy of holies, and for the doors of the house itself, the temple, of, gold.
Then, did Solomon call together the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, chiefs of the fathers of the sons of Israel, unto King Solomon in Jerusalem, - that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, out of the city of David, the same is Zion.
And so it was, when the priests came forth out of the holy place, that, a cloud, filled the house of Yahweh;
And, all the drinking vessels of King Solomon, were of gold, and, all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon, were of pure gold, - none was of silver, it was accounted in the days of Solomon, as nothing.
So King Rehoboam made, in their stead, bucklers of bronze, - and committed them unto the hand of the captains of the runners, who kept guard at the entrance of the house of the king.
In his days, did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho, - At the price of Abiram his firstborn, he laid its foundation, and, at the price of Segub his youngest, he set up its doors, according to the word of Yahweh which he spake through Joshua son of Nun.
In his days, did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho, - At the price of Abiram his firstborn, he laid its foundation, and, at the price of Segub his youngest, he set up its doors, according to the word of Yahweh which he spake through Joshua son of Nun.
And she said - By the life of Yahweh, thy God, verily I have not a cake, only a handful of meal in the jar, and a little oil in the cruse, - and lo! I have been gathering a couple of sticks, so I shall go in and make it ready for me and for my son, that we may eat it - and die!
And he said unto her - Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him unto the upper room, where, he, was staying, and laid him upon his own bed.
and he put in order the wood, - and cut in pieces the bullock, and laid upon the wood. Then said he - Fill four pitchers with water, and pour out upon the ascending-sacrifice, and upon the wood. And they did so.
So he looked about, and lo! at his head, a cake baked on hot stones, and a cruse of water, - and he did eat and drink, and then went back and lay down.
Now, the rest of the story of Ahab, and all that he did, and the house of ivory that he built, and all the cities that he built, are, they, not written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?
And Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber, which was in Samaria, and became sick, - so he sent messengers, and said unto them - Go enquire of Baalzebub, god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this sickness.
I pray thee, let us make a little upper chamber on the wall and set for him there - a bed, and a table, and a seat, and a lampstand, - so shall it be, when he cometh to us, that he can turn in thither.
I pray thee, let us make a little upper chamber on the wall and set for him there - a bed, and a table, and a seat, and a lampstand, - so shall it be, when he cometh to us, that he can turn in thither.
Now, Elisha, returned to Gilgal, and there was, a famine, in the land, and, the sons of the prophets, being seated before him, he said to his young man - Put on the large pot, and boil a mess of food, for the sons of the prophets.
Now, when Jehu entered Jezreel and, Jezebel, heard of it, she set her eyes in stibium, and ornamented her head, and looked forth through the lattice.
And he said - Hurl her down. And they hurled her down, - and there was sprinkled of her blood - upon the wall, and upon the horses, and they trode upon her.
and said - Open the lattice eastward. And he opened it. Then said Elisha - Shoot! And he shot. Then he said, - The arrow of victory by Yahweh, yea the arrow of victory over Syria, therefore shalt thou smite Syria in Aphek, till it be consumed.
And, over the vineyards, was Shimei, the Ramathite. And, over that which was in the vineyards, for the treasuries of wine, was Zabdi, the Shiphmite. And, over the olive-trees and the sycamore-trees that were in the lowland, was Baal-hanan the Gederite. And, over the treasuries of oil, was Joash.
And, the greater house, covered he with cypress wood, and overlaid it with fine gold, - and raised thereon palms, and wreathed garlands.
So all the work of Solomon was prepared, from the day of founding the house of Yahweh, even as far as the finishing thereof, - complete was the house of Yahweh.
and there were six steps to the throne, and a footstool in gold, unto the throne, made fast, and supports, on this side and on that, unto the seat, - and, two lions, standing by the supports;
And, when they made responses in offering praise and in giving thanks unto Yahweh - For he is good, for, age-abiding, is his lovingkindness, upon Israel, then, all the people, shouted with a great shout, in offering praise unto Yahweh, over the laying of the foundation of the house of Yahweh.
Then did the sons of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the Sons of the Exile, keep the dedication of this house of God, with joy;
Then arose Eliashib the high priest and his brethren the priests, and built the sheep-gate, they, hallowed it, and set up the doors thereof, - even unto the tower of Hammeah, hallowed they it, unto the tower of Hananel;
And, the fish-gate, did the sons of Hassenaah build, - they, laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof;
So the people went forth, and brought in, and made themselves booths, every one upon his roof, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the broad place of the water-gate, and in the broad place of the gate of Ephraim.
Now, these, are the priests and the Levites, who came up with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua, - Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra;
And, at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, they sought the Levites, out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, - to keep the dedication and the rejoicing, both with thanksgiving and with music, cymbals, harps, and with lyres.
white stuff, cotton and blue, being held fast with cords of fine linen and purple, upon rods of silver, and pillars of white marble, - the couches being of gold and silver, upon a pavement of alabaster and white marble, and pearl and black marble. And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, vessels, from vessels, being diverse, - even the wine of the kingdom in abundance, by the bounty of the king.
In those days, when, Mordecai, was sitting in the gate of the king, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the eunuchs of the king who guarded the threshold, were wroth, and sought to thrust a hand upon King Ahasuerus;
All the servants of the king, and the people of the provinces of the king, do know, that, whatsoever man or woman shall go in unto the king - into the inter court - who hath not been called, one, is his law, to put him to death, saving any to whom the king may hold out the golden sceptre, who then shall live, - but, I, have not been called to go in unto the king, these thirty days.
And it was found written, how that Mordecai had told concerning Bigthana and Teresh, the two eunuchs of the king guarding the threshold, - who had sought to thrust forth a hand upon King Ahasuerus.
When, the king, returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine, Haman, was lying prostrate upon the couch whereon Esther was. Then said the king, Will he, even dare to force the queen, while I am in the house? No sooner had the word gone forth out of the mouth of the king, than, the face of Haman, they had covered.
How much more the dwellers in houses of clay, which, in the dust, have their foundation, which are crushed sooner than a moth:
Didst thou spread out, with him, the skies, strong as a molten mirror?
Whereon were the pedestals thereof sunk? Or who laid the corner stone thereof; -
A stone the builders refused, hath become the head of the corner:
A stone the builders refused, hath become the head of the corner:
For, in the window of my house, through my lattice, I looked out;
Coverlets, have I spread on my couch of pleasure, dark-hued stuffs, of the yarn of Egypt;
As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so, is the sluggard, to them who send him.
A sluggard burieth his hand in the dish, even unto his own mouth, will he not bring it back.
The door, turneth on its hinges, and, the sluggard, upon his bed.
A continuous dripping on a day of downpour, and a contentious wife, are alike:
By two lazy arms, the framework sinketh in, - and, by the hanging down of the hands, the house may leak.
The beams of our house, are cedars, Our fretted ceiling, is cypress-trees.
The beams of our house, are cedars, Our fretted ceiling, is cypress-trees.
My beloved, thrust in his hand, at the window, and, my feelings, were deeply moved for him: I myself, arose, to open to my beloved, - and, my hands, dripped with myrrh, and, my fingers, with myrrh distilling, upon the handles of the bolt.
Bricks, have fallen down But with hewn stone, will we build, - Sycomores, have been felled, But with cedars, will we replace them.
Bricks, have fallen down But with hewn stone, will we build, - Sycomores, have been felled, But with cedars, will we replace them.
Bricks, have fallen down But with hewn stone, will we build, - Sycomores, have been felled, But with cedars, will we replace them.
In their streets, have they girded them with sackcloth, - On their housetops, and in their broadways, every one is howling - melting in tears;
Therefore, Thus, saith My Lord, Yahweh, Behold me! founding in Zion a stone, A stone of testing, The costly corner of a well-laid foundation, he that trusteth, shall not make haste!
Yea he will break it - as the breaking of the pitcher of a potter, crushed, he will not spare; So that there shall not be found when it is smashed, A sherd wherewith to snatch fire from a hearth, Or to skim off water out of a cistern.
Lo! nations, Are us a drop on a bucket, And as fine dust on a balance, are accounted, - Lo! islands, like an atom, can he hoist;
Who are these that, As a cloud, do fly? and, As doves to their cotes?
And the word of Yahweh came unto me a second time saying, What canst thou see? And I said, A boiling caldron, Can I see, with, the front thereof lion the North.
Yea, the houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah, shall like the place of Topheth, be places defiled, - even all the houses upon whose roofs they burned incense to all the host of the heavens, and poured out drink-offerings to other gods.
Who saith - I will build me a roomy house, with spacious roof-chambers, - So he cutteth him open its windows, And it is covered in with cedar, And he painteth it with vermilion.
and, then, the forces of the king of Babylon were besieging Jerusalem, - and, Jeremiah the prophet, had been shut up in the guard-court, which was in the house of the king of Judah;
Now, the king, was sitting in the winter house in the ninth month, - with the fire-stove before him burning.
Upon all the housetops of Moab And in her broadways, it is all lamentation, - For I have broken Moab - Like a vessel wherein is no pleasure Declareth Yahweh.
Thou, therefore take time a pan of iron, and set it for a wall of iron, between thee and the city, - then shalt thou direct thy face against it and it shall come into siege and thou shalt lay siege to it, a sign, shall it be to the house of Israel.
So then he said unto me, See I have granted thee cows dung for mans dung, - and thou shalt prepare thy bread thereupon.
Before their eyes, break thou forth by thyself through the wall, - and carry forth through it.
Say thou unto them who are coating with whitewash It shall fall,- There hath come an Overflowing rain And I will make ha-stones fall, And a tempestuous wind shall break it down.
And her prophets have coated it for them with whitewash, Seeing visions of falsehood And divining for them lies, Saying, Thus saith My Lord Yahweh, when Yahweh, hath not spoken.
Then satest thou upon a glorious couch With a table prepared before it, - And mine incense and mine oil, didst thou set thereon.
As for the wall of the temple, the door-posts were square, - and as for the face of the holy place, the appearance was like the appearance of the temple .
Immediately, came forth the fingers of the hand of a man, and wrote,, over against the chandelier, upon the plaster of the wall of the palace of the king, - and, the king, saw the part of the hand which was writing,
Therefore, shall they become like the morning cloud, and like the dew early departing, - like chaff storm-driven out of the threshing-floor, and like smoke out of a chimney.
Upon the city, shall they leap, on the wall, shall they run, up the houses, shall they climb, - through the windows, shall they enter, like a thief,
Thus, saith Yahweh, Just as a shepherd rescueth, out of the mouth of the lion, a couple of shankbones, or the tip of an ear, so, shall be rescued the sons of Israel, who are tarrying in Samaria, in the corner of the divan, and on the damask of the luxurious couch.
Thus, saith Yahweh, Just as a shepherd rescueth, out of the mouth of the lion, a couple of shankbones, or the tip of an ear, so, shall be rescued the sons of Israel, who are tarrying in Samaria, in the corner of the divan, and on the damask of the luxurious couch.
Thus, saith Yahweh, Just as a shepherd rescueth, out of the mouth of the lion, a couple of shankbones, or the tip of an ear, so, shall be rescued the sons of Israel, who are tarrying in Samaria, in the corner of the divan, and on the damask of the luxurious couch.
And I will smite the winter house along with the summer house, - and the houses of ivory, shall be destroyed! and the great houses, shall disappear, Declareth Yahweh.
Therefore - because ye have trampled on the poor, and, the gift of corn, ye would take away from him, though, houses of hewn stone, ye have built, Yet shall ye not dwell in them, - Though, delightful vineyards, ye have planted, Yet shall ye not drink the wine of them.
Who are lying on beds of ivory, and sprawling on their couch of pleasure, - and eating the well-fed of the flock, and the fatted calves out of the midst of the stalls:
And them who bow down upon the housetops to the host of the heavens, - and them who bow down - who swear to Yahweh, and swear by Milcom;
Is it a time that, ye yourselves, should be dwelling in your own paneled houses? and, this house, be in ruins?
In that day, will I make the chiefs of Judah like a pan of fire among sticks, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf, so shall they devour, on the right hand and on the left, all the peoples round about; so shall Jerusalem yet, be inhabited, in her own place, as Jerusalem.
Be not laying up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where, moth and rust, do tarnish, and where, thieves, dig through and steal;
Now, if the grass of the field - which to-day, is, and, to-morrow, into an oven, is cast - God thus adorneth, not much rather, you, little of faith?
Every one, therefore, who heareth thesemy words, and doeth them, shall be likened to a prudent man, who built his house upon the rock;
Neither pour they new wine into old skins: otherwise at least, the skins are burst, and, the wine, runneth out, and, the skins, are spoiled, - but they pour new wine into unused skins, and, both, are together preserved.
Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because ye make yourselves like sepulchres whitewashed, which, outside, indeed, appear, beautiful, but, within, are full, of dead men's bones and all uncleanness, -
and, not being able to get near him by reason of the multitude, they uncovered the roof where he was, and, having broken it up, they began letting down the couch whereon the paralytic was lying;
And he was in the stern, on the cushion, sleeping. And they arouse him, and say unto him, Teacher! carest thou not that we perish?
As a man from home - having left his house, and given his servants the authority, to each one, his work, - and, unto the porter, hath given command, that he should watch: -
And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them - Go your way into the city, and there will meet you a man, a jar of water, bearing, - follow him;
And, he, unto you, will shew, a large upper-room, spread ready, and, there, make ye ready for us.
And, not finding by what means they might bring him in, because of the multitude, going up on the house-top, through the tiling, let they him down, with the little-couch, into the midst before Jesus.
No one, having lighted, a lamp, into a covered place, a putteth it, nor, under the measure; but upon the lampstand, that they who enter may see, the light.
Now there were there, six stone water-vessels, placed, according to the purification of the Jews; holding each, two or three measures.
The female servant, therefore, the portress, saith unto Peter - Art, thou also, from among the disciples of this man? He, saith - I am not!
And, when they had entered, into the upper-story went they up, where remained behind - both Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the zealot, and Judas the son of James.
Now, on the morrow, as those men were journeying, and, unto the city, drawing near, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour;
And there sat, a certain young man by name Eutychus, in the window, who was getting overpowered by a deep sleep; and, while Paul was discoursing yet further, being overpowered by his sleep, he fell, from the third story, down, and was taken up dead.
Then, Paul, unto him, said - God is about to be smiting thee, thou whited wall! Dost, thou, then sit to judge me according to the law, and, unlawfully, orderest me to be smitten?
Of whom the world, was not worthy - upon deserts, wandering, and mountains, and in caves, - and in the caverns of the earth.
Morish
There are but few things mentioned in scripture that throw light upon the construction of the houses in the East. Of modern eastern houses it may be said the backs of the houses are in the street. There is a door, with perhaps a lattice over it, and one or two lattices high up, with all the rest a blank wall. A house may be watched all day, and not a soul be seen, unless some one comes to the door, though all going on in the street may be seen from the lattices. The door opens into a porch or passage, which leads into an open court, but so arranged that no one can see into the court when the door is opened. The court is large, sometimes open to the sky, in which visitors are received and business transacted: some have two courts, or even three. Often there is a fountain and trees in the court. Around the court are entrances to more private rooms, where meals are served and to chambers where the inmates repose. The 'parlour' where Samuel entertained Saul would be one of such rooms.
Stairs in the corner of the court lead to upper private rooms; and often there are stairs outside the house that lead to the roof. These enabled the sick man to be carried to the roof in Mr 2:4, when entrance could not be obtained by the door. The roof is often made of sticks, thorn bushes, mortar and earth; which often have to be rolled to consolidate the structure after rain. A hole could easily be broken through such a roof to let down the paralytic. Other roofs were more substantial, with a parapet round them for safety. On such roofs persons retired for private conversation and for prayer, 1Sa 9:25; Ac 10:9; and in the evening for coolness. 2Sa 11:2.
The Lord speaks of the disciples publishing on the housetop what He had told them privately. Mt 10:27; Lu 12:3. This mode of proclamation may often be seen in the East when the public crier calls out from the housetop the information he has to make known.
Houses were mostly built of stone, that being plentiful and wood comparatively scarce. In Bashan there are still numbers of ancient houses, solidly built of stone, some with the ancient stone doors still on their hinges, or rather pivots, many of the houses having no inhabitant. Temporary houses and those for the poor were often built of mud, which could easily be dug through by a thief, and which left to themselves soon became a heap of rubbish. Job 4:19; 15:28; 24:16; Mt 24:43. Cattle were often kept in some part of the house, as they are to this day, for safety. 1Sa 28:24.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And, when they had come down from the high place into the city, he spread a couch for Saul upon the house-top, and he lay down.
Now, the woman, had a calf fattening, in the shed. So she hastened, and sacrificed it, - and took meal, and kneaded, and baked thereof, unleavened cakes;
And it came to pass that, at eventide, David arose from his couch, and walked to and fro on the roof of the king's house, when, from the roof, he saw a woman bathing herself, - the woman being exceeding beautiful to look upon.
How much more the dwellers in houses of clay, which, in the dust, have their foundation, which are crushed sooner than a moth:
And had inhabited demolished cities, houses, wherein men would not dwell, that were destined to become heaps.
He breaketh, in the dark, into houses, - By day, they lock themselves in, They know not the light;
What I am saying to you in the darkness, tell ye in the light, - and, what whispered into the ear ye are hearing, proclaim ye on the housetops.
But there is, one thing, ye know - That, if the householder, had known, in what watch, the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert, and not have suffered his house to be dug through.
and, not being able to get near him by reason of the multitude, they uncovered the roof where he was, and, having broken it up, they began letting down the couch whereon the paralytic was lying;
Because, as many things as, in the darkness, ye have said, in the light, shall be heard; and, what to the ear ye spake, in the chambers, shall be proclaimed on the housetops.
Now, on the morrow, as those men were journeying, and, unto the city, drawing near, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour;
Smith
House.
The houses of the rural poor in Egypt, as well as in most parts of Syria, Arabia and Persia, are generally mere huts of mud or sunburnt bricks. In some parts of Palestine and Arabia stone is used, and in certain districts caves in the rocks are used as dwellings.
The houses are usually of one story only, viz., the ground floor, and often contain only one apartment. Sometimes a small court for the cattle is attached; and in some cases the cattle are housed in the same building, or the live in a raised platform, and, the cattle round them on the ground.
The windows are small apertures high up in the walls, sometimes grated with wood. The roofs are commonly but not always flat, and are usually formed of plaster of mud and straw laid upon boughs or rafters; and upon the flat roofs, tents or "booths" of boughs or rushes are often raised to be used as sleeping-places in summer. The difference between the poorest houses and those of the class next above them is greater than between these and the houses of the first rank. The prevailing plan of eastern houses of this class presents, as was the case in ancient Egypt, a front of wall, whose blank and mean appearance is usually relieved only by the door and a few latticed and projecting windows. Within this is a court or courts with apartments opening into them. Over the door is a projecting window with a lattice more or less elaborately wrought, which, except in times of public celebrations is usually closed.
An awning is sometimes drawn over the court, and the floor is strewed with carpets on festive occasions. The stairs to the upper apartments are in Syria usually in a corner of the court. Around part, if not the whole, of the court is a veranda, often nine or ten feet deep, over which, when there is more than one floor, runs a second gallery of like depth, with a balustrade. When there is no second floor, but more than one court, the women's apartments --hareems, harem or haram --are usually in the second court; otherwise they form a separate building within the general enclosure, or are above on the first floor. When there is an upper story, the ka'ah forms the most important apartment, and thus probably answers to the "upper room," which was often the guest-chamber.
The windows of the upper rooms often project one or two feet, and form a kiosk or latticed chamber. Such may have been "the chamber in the wall."
The "lattice," through which Ahasiah fell, perhaps belonged to an upper chamber of this kind,
as also the "third loft," from which Eutychus fell.
comp. Jere 22:13 Paul preached in such a room on account of its superior rise and retired position. The outer circle in an audience in such a room sat upon a dais, or upon cushions elevated so as to be as high as the window-sill. From such a position Eutychus could easily fall. There are usually no special bed-rooms in eastern houses. The outer doors are closed with a wooden lock, but in some cases the apartments are divided from each other by curtains only. There are no chimneys, but fire is made when required with charcoal in a chafing-dish; or a fire of wood might be made in the open court of the house
Lu 22:65
Some houses in Cairo have an apartment open in front to the court with two or more arches and a railing, and a pillar to support the wall above. It was in a chamber of this size to be found in a palace, that our Lord was being arraigned before the high priest at the time when the denial of him by St. Peter took place. He "turned and looked" on Peter as he stood by the fire in the court,
Lu 22:56,61; Joh 18:24
whilst he himself was in the "hall of judgment." In no point do Oriental domestic habits differ more from European than in the use of the roof. Its flat surface is made useful for various household purposes, as drying corn, hanging up linen, and preparing figs and raisins. The roofs are used as places of recreation in the evening, and often as sleeping-places at night.
1Sa 9:25-26; 2Sa 11:2; 16:22; Job 27:18; Pr 21:9; Da 4:29
They were also used as places for devotion and even idolatrous worship.
2Ki 23:12; Jer 19:13; 32:29; Zep 1:6; Ac 10:9
At the time of the feast of tabernacles booths were erected by the Jews on the top of their houses. Protection of the roof by parapets was enjoined by the law.
De 22:8
Special apartments were devoted in larger houses to winter and summer uses.
The ivory house of Ahab was probably a palace largely ornamented with inlaid ivory. The circumstance of Samson's pulling down the house by means of the pillars may be explained by the fact of the company being assembled on tiers of balconies above each other, supported by central pillars on the basement; when these were pulled down the whole of the upper floors would fall also.
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When thou buildest a new house, then shalt thou make a parapet to thy roof, so shalt thou not treasure up blood-guiltiness against thy house, for he that is in danger of falling might fall therefrom.
And Samson said unto the youth that held him by his hand, Place me where I may feel the pillars whereon the house resteth, that I may lean upon them.
And, when they had come down from the high place into the city, he spread a couch for Saul upon the house-top, and he lay down. And it came to pass, at the uprisings of the dawn, that Samuel called unto Saul on the house-top, saying, Arise! that I may send thee away. So Saul arose, and they two, he and Samuel, went forth abroad.
Now, the woman, had a calf fattening, in the shed. So she hastened, and sacrificed it, - and took meal, and kneaded, and baked thereof, unleavened cakes;
And Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber, which was in Samaria, and became sick, - so he sent messengers, and said unto them - Go enquire of Baalzebub, god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this sickness.
I pray thee, let us make a little upper chamber on the wall and set for him there - a bed, and a table, and a seat, and a lampstand, - so shall it be, when he cometh to us, that he can turn in thither. And it came to pass, on a day, that he came thither, - so he turned aside into the upper chamber, and slept there.
Now, when Jehu entered Jezreel and, Jezebel, heard of it, she set her eyes in stibium, and ornamented her head, and looked forth through the lattice.
and, the altars which were on the roof of the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, also the altars which Manasseh had made, in the two courts of the house of Yahweh, did the king break down, - and hurried away from thence, and cast out the powder of them into the Kidron ravine;
He hath built, like a moth, his house, - like a hut, which a watcher hath made.
Better to dwell on the corner of the roof, than a quarrelsome wife, and a house in common.
Yea, the houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah, shall like the place of Topheth, be places defiled, - even all the houses upon whose roofs they burned incense to all the host of the heavens, and poured out drink-offerings to other gods.
And the Chaldeans, who are fighting against this city, Shall enter, and Shall set this city on fire, and Shall consume it, - With the houses on whose roofs they burned incense to Baal and poured out drink-offerings to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger; For the sons of Israel and the sons of Judah have been nothing but doers of wickedness in my sight from the days of their youth, -
Now, the king, was sitting in the winter house in the ninth month, - with the fire-stove before him burning.
At the end of twelve months, over the palace of the kingdom of Babylon, was he walking:
And I will smite the winter house along with the summer house, - and the houses of ivory, shall be destroyed! and the great houses, shall disappear, Declareth Yahweh.
Therefore - because ye have trampled on the poor, and, the gift of corn, ye would take away from him, though, houses of hewn stone, ye have built, Yet shall ye not dwell in them, - Though, delightful vineyards, ye have planted, Yet shall ye not drink the wine of them.
And them who turn away from following Yahweh, - and have neither sought Yahweh, nor enquired for him.
And, he, unto you, will shew, a large upper room, spread: there, make ready.
But, a certain maid-servant, seeing him seating himself towards the light, and looking steadfastly at him, said - This one also, was, with him.
And the Lord turned, and looked at Peter; and Peter was put in mind of the declaration of the Lord, how he had said to him - Before, a cock, crow this day, thou wilt deny me thrice!
And, when they had entered, into the upper-story went they up, where remained behind - both Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the zealot, and Judas the son of James.
And it came to pass in those days, that she, sickening, died; and, bathing her, they laid her in an upper room.
Now, on the morrow, as those men were journeying, and, unto the city, drawing near, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour;
Now there were a good many torches in the upper room, where we were gathered together. And there sat, a certain young man by name Eutychus, in the window, who was getting overpowered by a deep sleep; and, while Paul was discoursing yet further, being overpowered by his sleep, he fell, from the third story, down, and was taken up dead.