In biblical times, the housetop, or rooftop, played a significant role in the daily life and culture of the people in the ancient Near East. The architecture of homes in this region typically featured flat roofs, which were utilized for various practical and social purposes. The housetop is mentioned in several passages throughout the Bible, serving as a setting for both mundane activities and significant events.

Cultural and Practical Uses

The flat roofs of ancient Israelite homes were often used as additional living space. In the hot climate, the housetop provided a cooler area for relaxation and social gatherings, especially in the evening. It was common for people to sleep on the roof during the warmer months. The roof was also a place for drying produce, such as figs and grapes, and for other household tasks.

Biblical References

1. Place of Proclamation and Prayer: The housetop was sometimes used as a place for prayer and proclamation. In Acts 10:9, Peter goes up to the housetop to pray: "The next day at about the sixth hour, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray."

2. Symbol of Urgency: In times of urgency or distress, the housetop is depicted as a place from which people might flee or make announcements. In Matthew 24:17, Jesus warns, "Let no one on the housetop come down to retrieve anything from his house." This passage emphasizes the immediacy and urgency of the situation during the end times.

3. Public Mourning and Lamentation: The housetop could also be a place of public mourning. Isaiah 15:3 describes a scene of lamentation: "In their streets they wear sackcloth; on their rooftops and in their public squares, they all wail, falling down weeping."

4. Place of Secrecy and Concealment: The account of Rahab in Joshua 2:6 illustrates the use of the housetop for concealment. Rahab hides the Israelite spies under stalks of flax laid out on her roof: "But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax she had laid out on the roof."

5. Symbol of Proclamation: The housetop is also used metaphorically to signify the public proclamation of truth. In Luke 12:3, Jesus says, "What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the rooftops."

Legal and Safety Considerations

The Mosaic Law included specific instructions regarding the construction of rooftops to ensure safety. Deuteronomy 22:8 commands, "When you build a new house, you are to construct a parapet around your roof, so that you do not bring the guilt of bloodshed on your house if someone falls from it." This law reflects the importance of community responsibility and the value placed on human life.

Symbolic and Prophetic Imagery

The housetop is often used symbolically in prophetic literature to convey messages of judgment or deliverance. In Zephaniah 1:5, the prophet condemns those who worship false gods on their rooftops: "Those who bow on the rooftops to worship the host of heaven, those who bow and swear by both the LORD and by Milcom."

Overall, the housetop in biblical times was a versatile space integral to the daily life and spiritual practices of the people. Its mention in various biblical contexts highlights its significance as a place of prayer, urgency, mourning, concealment, and proclamation.HOUSETOP

hous'-top.

See HOUSE.

1430. doma -- a house, a housetop
... a house, a housetop. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: doma Phonetic
Spelling: (do'-mah) Short Definition: the top of the house Definition: the roof ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1430.htm - 6k1406. gag -- a roof, a top
... Word Origin of uncertain derivation Definition a roof, a top NASB Word Usage housetop
(1), housetops (7), roof (18), roofs (1), rooftops (1), top (2). ...
/hebrew/1406.htm - 6k

Psalm LXXXIV.
... For it is the very complaining sparrow of whom in another Psalm he saith, "Like
a sparrow alone on the housetop." [3884] From the housetop he flies home. ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm lxxxiv.htm

Rachel's Refuge
... Masanath recovered with reluctance. This was the Egyptian's first day
on the housetop, and she was not happy. The great pots of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter xxxii rachels refuge.htm

Matt. xxiv. 16-18.
... XXIV.16-18. "Then let them which be in Jud??a flee into the mountains. And let him
that is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house. ...
/.../homilies on the gospel of saint matthew/homily lxxvi matt xxiv 16-18.htm

What God Hath Cleansed
... things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.9. On the morrow, as they went on their
journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/what god hath cleansed.htm

A Seeker for Truth
... At the time, Peter was praying upon the housetop of his lodging, and we read that
he "became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 14 a seeker for.htm

The Impending Judgment
... where he ought not (let him that readeth understand), then let them that are in
Judea flee unto the mountains: and let him that is on the housetop not go down ...
/.../chadwick/the gospel of st mark/chapter 13 8-16 the impending judgment.htm

Peter's Apologia
... The first is his vision on the housetop. He tells that he was praying when it came,
and what God shows to a praying spirit is not likely to mislead. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/peters apologia.htm

C. The Last Stages. Chs. 17:11 to 19:28
... destroyed them all: 30 after the same manner shall it be in the day that the Son
of man is revealed.31 In that day, he that shall be on the housetop, and his ...
/.../erdman/the gospel of luke an exposition/c the last stages chs.htm

Acts x. 4-Jan
... the Spirit connects the times: no sooner than this, and no later, He Causes this
to take place""Peter about the sixth hour went up upon the housetop to pray ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily xxii acts x 4-jan.htm

Carried by Four
... And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the
multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/carried by four.htm

Sparrow (4 Occurrences)
... For example see Psalm 102:7: "I watch, and am become like a sparrow That is alone
upon the housetop." The feeling that this is not characteristic of the ...
/s/sparrow.htm - 13k

Brawling (3 Occurrences)
... (See NIV). Proverbs 21:9 It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop,
than with a brawling woman in a wide house. (KJV WBS). ...
/b/brawling.htm - 7k

Contentious (13 Occurrences)
... (See JPS). Proverbs 21:9 It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than
to share a house with a contentious woman. (WEB JPS ASV DBY NAS RSV). ...
/c/contentious.htm - 10k

Housetop (10 Occurrences)
...HOUSETOP. hous'-top. See HOUSE. ...Housetop (10 Occurrences). Matthew 24:17 Let him
who is on the housetop not go down to take out things that are in his house. ...
/h/housetop.htm - 9k

Corner (60 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). Proverbs 21:9 It is better to dwell in
the corner of the housetop, than to share a house with a contentious woman. ...
/c/corner.htm - 33k

Noon (30 Occurrences)
... (WEY). Acts 10:9 Now on the next day as they were on their journey, and got close
to the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray at about noon. ...
/n/noon.htm - 16k

Lowered (14 Occurrences)
... Luke 5:19 Not finding a way to bring him in because of the multitude, they went
up to the housetop, and let him down through the tiles with his cot into the ...
/l/lowered.htm - 10k

Lonely (14 Occurrences)
... land. (WEB YLT NAS NIV). Psalms 102:7 I watch, and am become like a sparrow
that is alone upon the housetop. (See NAS RSV). Lamentations ...
/l/lonely.htm - 10k

Inside (185 Occurrences)
... (BBE). Luke 17:31 In that day, he who will be on the housetop, and his
goods in the house, let him not go down to take them away. ...
/i/inside.htm - 36k

Finding (57 Occurrences)
... Luke 5:19 Not finding a way to bring him in because of the multitude, they went
up to the housetop, and let him down through the tiles with his cot into the ...
/f/finding.htm - 23k

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