In biblical architecture, a lintel is a horizontal structural element that spans an opening, such as a door or window, and supports the weight of the structure above it. Lintels are mentioned in several passages of the Bible, often in the context of significant religious and historical events.

Passover and the Lintel:

One of the most notable references to lintels in the Bible is found in the account of the Passover in the Book of Exodus. As part of the instructions given to the Israelites for the first Passover, God commanded them to mark their doorposts and lintels with the blood of a lamb. This act was a sign for the Lord to "pass over" their homes during the final plague on Egypt, the death of the firstborn. The specific instruction is recorded in Exodus 12:22-23 : "Take a cluster of hyssop, dip it in the blood in the basin, and brush the top and sides of the doorframe with some of the blood. None of you shall go out the door of his house until morning. When the LORD passes through to strike down the Egyptians, He will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and pass over that doorway; so He will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down."

This event is foundational in Jewish history and is commemorated annually in the Passover festival. The blood on the lintel symbolized divine protection and deliverance, prefiguring the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, in Christian theology.

Symbolism and Judgment:

Lintels also appear in prophetic literature, symbolizing judgment and destruction. In Amos 9:1 , the prophet Amos describes a vision of God's judgment: "I saw the Lord standing beside the altar, and He said: 'Strike the tops of the pillars so that the thresholds shake. Cut them off on the heads of all the people; those who are left I will kill with the sword. Not one will get away; none will escape.'" Here, the lintel and thresholds are associated with the collapse of structures, symbolizing the impending judgment on Israel for their sins.

Construction and Design:

In ancient Near Eastern architecture, lintels were typically made of stone or wood, materials readily available in the region. The use of lintels was crucial in the construction of buildings, providing stability and support. The design and craftsmanship of lintels could vary, with some being plain and functional, while others were ornately carved and decorated, reflecting the wealth and status of the building's owner.

Cultural and Religious Significance:

The lintel's role in the Passover narrative highlights its cultural and religious significance in the biblical context. It served as a physical marker of faith and obedience to God's commands. The act of marking the lintel with blood was an outward expression of trust in God's promise of salvation and protection.

In summary, lintels in the Bible are more than mere architectural elements; they carry deep symbolic meaning, representing divine protection, judgment, and the intersection of faith and obedience. Their mention in key biblical events underscores their importance in the religious and cultural life of the Israelites.

The Passover: an Expiation and a Feast, a Memorial and a Prophecy
... The Passover ritual, as appointed here, divides itself into two main parts"the
sprinkling of the sacrificial blood on the door-posts and lintels, and the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the passover an expiation and.htm

Christ Our Passover
... Two things it said, the blood that was sprinkled on the lintels and on the
door-posts was the token to the destroying Angel, as with his broad, silent pinions ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture st john chaps xv to xxi/christ our passover.htm

The Temples and the Gods of Chaldaea
... it was necessary to bring it from a great distance and at considerable expense,
they used it very sparingly, and then merely for lintels, uprights, thresholds ...
/.../chapter iithe temples and the.htm

Lessons.
... Will Omnipotence not have set its mark, as of old, on the door-posts and lintels
of that consecrated dwelling, so that the destroyer, in going his rounds ...
//christianbookshelf.org/macduff/memories of bethany/iii lessons.htm

The Lord's Supper
... On the evening of that day, they were to kill the lamb. The blood of the lamb was
to be sprinkled on the two side-posts and upper lintels of every door. ...
/.../newton/the life of jesus christ for the young/the lords supper.htm

The God who Dwells with Men
... even lift them up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall come in.' Their
lofty lintels are too low for His head to pass beneath; so they have to be ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/the god who dwells with.htm

Chel. The Court of the Women.
... 2. In Josephus, the 'Corinthian' gate: saith he; "Of the gates, nine of them were
every where overlaid with gold and silver, likewise the posts, and the lintels ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 29 chel the court.htm

Letter iv. --For 332. Easter-Day vii Pharmuthi , iv Non. Apr. ...
... But now we, eating of the Word of the Father, and having the lintels of our hearts
sealed with the blood of the New Testament [4035] , acknowledge the grace ...
/.../select works and letters or athanasius/letter iv for 332 easter-day vii.htm

Concerning the Likeness and Agreement of the Fabulous and Civil ...
... Why are Forculus, who presides over doors, and Limentinus, who presides over thresholds
and lintels, male gods, and Cardea between them feminine, who presides ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 7 concerning the likeness and.htm

The Morning Breaketh
... bruise the serpent's head"; while in the flood behold the Ark; and in the Passover
night we see the blood of the Paschal lamb sprinkled upon the lintels of the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/chapman/and judas iscariot/the morning breaketh.htm

Lintels (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Lintels (1 Occurrence). Zephaniah 2:14 And flocks
shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of ...
/l/lintels.htm - 6k

Bittern (4 Occurrences)
... a mile. Also it was to "sing" and to "lodge" on the "upper lintels" which
were the top timbers of the doors and windows. These formed ...
/b/bittern.htm - 14k

Linus (1 Occurrence)

/l/linus.htm - 9k

Lintel (4 Occurrences)

/l/lintel.htm - 8k

Threshholds (3 Occurrences)
... 2:14 And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations:
both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper lintels of it ...
/t/threshholds.htm - 7k

Exodus (2 Occurrences)
... The blood of the paschal lamb was duly sprinkled on the door-posts and lintels of
all their houses, and they were all within, waiting the next movement in the ...
/e/exodus.htm - 82k

Blood (435 Occurrences)
... blood of sacrifices was caught by the priest in a basin, and then sprinkled seven
times on the altar; that of the passover on the doorposts and lintels of the ...
/b/blood.htm - 54k

Cormorant (4 Occurrences)
... 2:14 And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations:
both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper lintels of it ...
/c/cormorant.htm - 10k

Passover (81 Occurrences)
... for each household on the 10th of the month; (2) the killing of the lamb on the
14th at even; (3) the sprinkling of the blood on doorposts and lintels of the ...
/p/passover.htm - 58k

Uncover (35 Occurrences)
... 2:14 And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations:
both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper lintels of it ...
/u/uncover.htm - 18k

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