Summer-House
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Topical Encyclopedia
A summer-house, in the context of biblical times, refers to a structure or dwelling used primarily during the warmer months. These structures were often designed to provide relief from the intense heat of the summer sun, offering a place of rest and refreshment. The concept of a summer-house is mentioned in the Bible, providing insight into the lifestyle and architectural practices of ancient cultures.

Biblical References:

1. Judges 3:20 · "Ehud then approached him while he was sitting alone in the cool of his upper room, and said, 'I have a message from God for you.' As the king rose from his seat..." . In this passage, the "cool of his upper room" can be understood as a type of summer-house, a place where King Eglon of Moab sought respite from the heat. This upper room was likely designed to catch the breeze, providing a cooler environment.

2. Amos 3:15 · "I will tear down the winter house along with the summer house; the houses adorned with ivory will be destroyed, and the great houses will come to an end," declares the LORD. . Here, the prophet Amos speaks of both winter and summer houses, indicating that wealthier individuals had separate residences for different seasons. The summer-house would have been constructed to maximize comfort during the hot season, possibly featuring open designs and shaded areas.

Cultural and Historical Context:

In ancient Israel and surrounding regions, the climate necessitated adaptations in living arrangements. The summer-house was an architectural response to the seasonal changes, providing a space that was cooler and more comfortable during the hot months. These structures were often built with materials and designs that facilitated airflow and reduced heat, such as high ceilings, open windows, and shaded courtyards.

The existence of both summer and winter houses, as mentioned in Amos, suggests a level of affluence and the ability to construct multiple dwellings. This practice was likely limited to the wealthier classes, as ordinary people would not have had the resources to maintain separate homes for different seasons.

Symbolic and Theological Implications:

The mention of summer-houses in the Bible can also carry symbolic weight. In Amos 3:15, the destruction of both summer and winter houses serves as a metaphor for the impending judgment and the futility of relying on material wealth for security. The opulence of such homes, adorned with ivory, is contrasted with the transient nature of human achievements in the face of divine judgment.

From a theological perspective, the summer-house can be seen as a reminder of the temporary nature of earthly comforts and the importance of seeking refuge in God rather than in material possessions. The biblical narrative often emphasizes the need for humility and reliance on divine providence, rather than on the trappings of wealth and luxury.

In summary, the concept of a summer-house in the Bible provides a glimpse into the daily life and societal structures of ancient times, while also offering deeper spiritual lessons about the nature of true security and the impermanence of worldly riches.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
SUMMER-HOUSE

(beth ha-qayits): Amos 3:15 notes it as part of the judgment on Israel that Yahweh would smite "the winter-house with the summer-house." It belonged to the luxury of the period that kings and wealthy persons had separate residences for the cold and hot seasons. This is the only mention of "the summer-house," but Eglon's "cool upper room" (Judges 3:20, the King James Version and the English Revised Version "summer parlour," not in this case a separate building) may be compared.

See WINTER-HOUSE.

Library

For a Garden-Seat, or Summer-House.
... IV. CREATION. Hymn 96 For a garden-seat, or summer-house. John Newton 8,6,8,6. For
a garden-seat, or summer-house. A Shelter from the rain or wind, Isa 32:2. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/newton/olney hymns/hymn 96 for a garden-seat.htm

Diamond Said Nothing to his Mother About his Adventures. ...
... One hot evening, he had been sitting with the young mistress, as they called her,
in a little summer-house at the bottom of the lawn"-a wonderful thing for ...
/.../macdonald/at the back of the north wind/chapter 5 diamond said nothing.htm

Nanny was not Fit to be Moved for Some Time Yet...
... after. So I jumped up, and ran for a little summer-house in the corner of the
garden. ... Nanny. "Anyhow, I was safe inside the summer-house. ...
/.../macdonald/at the back of the north wind/chapter 30 nanny was not.htm

The visitation
... A shady alley leads through the middle of it. At the end of the garden there
is a little hidden summer-house with a door at the side. ...
/.../emmerich/the life of the blessed virgin mary/ix the visitation.htm

Heinrich Albert
... the people; and the little band of friends often assembled in a garden he had purchased
outside K??nigsberg to hear some new poem or melody in the summer-house ...
/.../winkworth/christian singers of germany/heinrich albert.htm

Ordinances.
... 89 The lodestone 90 Spider and bee 91 Bee saved from the spider 92 The tamed lion
93 Sheep 94 The garden 95 For a garden-seat, or summer-house 96 Creatures in ...
//christianbookshelf.org/newton/olney hymns/ii ordinances.htm

The Reverent Dutch
... The house lay between this and another garden (nothing like any of the others),
from which you looked through a beautiful summerhouse, washed by a small stream ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/wesley/the journal of john wesley/the reverent dutch.htm

Wesley Receives the Freedom of Perth
... Tuesday, 28 (Dunkeld)."We, walked through the Duke of Athol's gardens, in which
was one thing I never saw before"a summerhouse in the middle of a greenhouse ...
/.../wesley/the journal of john wesley/wesley receives the freedom of.htm

That Diamond had Fallen Fast Asleep is Very Evident from the ...
... There must have been a tremendous wind in the night, for although all was quiet
now, there lay the little summer-house crushed to the ground, and over it the ...
/.../macdonald/at the back of the north wind/chapter 8 that diamond had.htm

As they Flew, So Fast they Went that the Sea Slid Away from under ...
... which North Wind blew down that very night, as if small and great trials were to
be gathered in one heap, crushed Miss Coleman's pretty summer-house: just so ...
/.../macdonald/at the back of the north wind/chapter 12 as they flew.htm

Thesaurus
Summerhouse
... (n.) A rustic house or apartment in a garden or park, to be used as a pleasure resort
in summer. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. SUMMER-HOUSE. ...
/s/summerhouse.htm - 7k

Summer-house (4 Occurrences)
Summer-house. Summerhouse, Summer-house. Summer-parlor . Int. ... (See JPS ASV DBY
WBS YLT). Summerhouse, Summer-house. Summer-parlor . Reference Bible.
/s/summer-house.htm - 8k

Winter-house (2 Occurrences)
... Winterhouse, Winter-house. Wintering . Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia
WINTER-HOUSE. (beth ha-choreph (Jeremiah 36:22 Amos 3:15)): See under SUMMER-HOUSE. ...
/w/winter-house.htm - 7k

Private (32 Occurrences)
... Judges 3:24 Now when he had gone, the king's servants came, and saw that the doors
of the summer-house were locked; and they said, It may be that he is in his ...
/p/private.htm - 17k

King's (375 Occurrences)
... Judges 3:24 Now when he had gone, the king's servants came, and saw that the doors
of the summer-house were locked; and they said, It may be that he is in his ...
/k/king's.htm - 46k

Locking (2 Occurrences)
... Locking (2 Occurrences). Judges 3:23 Then Ehud went out into the covered way, shutting
the doors of the summer-house on him and locking them. (BBE). ...
/l/locking.htm - 7k

Winterhouse (1 Occurrence)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia WINTER-HOUSE. (beth ha-choreph (Jeremiah
36:22 Amos 3:15)): See under SUMMER-HOUSE. The "winter-house ...
/w/winterhouse.htm - 7k

Demolished (15 Occurrences)
... Amos 3:15 I will strike the winter house with the summerhouse; and the houses of
ivory will perish, and the great houses will have an end," says Yahweh. ...
/d/demolished.htm - 11k

Mansions (5 Occurrences)
... Amos 3:15 And I have smitten the winter-house with the summer-house, And perished
have houses of ivory, And consumed have been many houses, An affirmation of ...
/m/mansions.htm - 7k

Adorned (20 Occurrences)
... Amos 3:15 I will strike the winter house with the summerhouse; and the houses of
ivory will perish, and the great houses will have an end," says Yahweh. ...
/a/adorned.htm - 12k

Resources
What was the significance of the horns of the altar (Amos 3:14)? | GotQuestions.org

Who was Xerxes in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

What was the purpose of a dowry (Genesis 31:15)? | GotQuestions.org

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Concordance
Summer-house (4 Occurrences)

Judges 3:20
Then Ehud came in to him while he was seated by himself in his summer-house. And Ehud said, I have a word from God for you. And he got up from his seat.
(BBE)

Judges 3:23
Then Ehud went out into the covered way, shutting the doors of the summer-house on him and locking them.
(BBE)

Judges 3:24
Now when he had gone, the king's servants came, and saw that the doors of the summer-house were locked; and they said, It may be that he is in his summer-house for a private purpose.
(BBE)

Amos 3:15
And I will smite the winter-house with the summer-house; and the houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall have an end, saith Jehovah.
(See JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT)

Subtopics

Summer-House

Related Terms

Summer (28 Occurrences)

Summer-house (4 Occurrences)

Upper (99 Occurrences)

Room (174 Occurrences)

Parlor (5 Occurrences)

Summing (1 Occurrence)

Chamber (73 Occurrences)

Summerhouse
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