Houses: The Flat Roofs of Often Covered With Week Grass
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In the ancient Near East, including the regions described in the Bible, houses were typically constructed with flat roofs. These roofs were an integral part of daily life and held both practical and symbolic significance. The flat roofs were often covered with a layer of weak grass, which would grow temporarily during the rainy season but wither quickly under the scorching sun.

Construction and Use of Flat Roofs

The construction of flat roofs involved laying beams across the walls of the house, which were then covered with a mixture of clay, straw, and other materials to create a solid surface. This surface was often used for various domestic activities, including drying produce, storing goods, and even sleeping during hot nights. The flat roof also served as a place for social gatherings and private reflection.

In the Bible, the flat roof is mentioned in several contexts. For instance, in Deuteronomy 22:8 , the Israelites were commanded to build a parapet around their roofs to prevent anyone from falling off, indicating the roof's frequent use as a living space: "When you build a new house, you are to construct a parapet around your roof, so that you do not bring bloodguilt on your house if someone falls from it."

Symbolism and Imagery

The weak grass that often grew on these roofs is used metaphorically in Scripture to illustrate the fleeting nature of life and the futility of human endeavors without God. In Psalm 129:6 , the psalmist writes, "May they be like grass on the rooftops, which withers before it can grow." This imagery underscores the transience of those who oppose God's people, likening them to grass that sprouts quickly but lacks the depth and nourishment to thrive.

Cultural and Religious Practices

Flat roofs also played a role in religious practices. In 2 Kings 23:12 , King Josiah is noted for removing the altars that previous kings of Judah had erected on the roofs, as part of his reforms to restore true worship: "He pulled down the altars that the kings of Judah had erected on the roof near the upper chamber of Ahaz." This highlights the use of rooftops as places of worship, albeit sometimes for idolatrous practices.

Historical Context

The use of flat roofs was not unique to Israel but was common throughout the ancient Near East. The climate and available building materials made flat roofs a practical choice. The weak grass that grew on these roofs was a natural occurrence, as seeds carried by the wind would take root in the soil and clay mixture. However, the grass's inability to sustain itself without consistent moisture served as a vivid reminder of the region's arid conditions and the dependence on seasonal rains.

In summary, the flat roofs of ancient houses, often covered with weak grass, were a significant feature of daily life in biblical times. They provided a functional space for various activities and carried rich symbolic meaning within the biblical narrative.
Torrey's Topical Textbook
Psalm 129:6,7
Let them be as the grass on the housetops, which wither before it grows up:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

A Letter from a West Indian Cottage Ornee
... must remember, here as steep as house-roofs, the last ... when whole cane-fields, mills,
dwelling-houses, went up as ... to the extreme right, between the flat tops of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter v a letter from.htm

Naparima and Montserrat
... Over the roofs of the outhouses rose scarlet Bois immortelles, and tall ... The best
houses were those of the Chinese. ... up and down, and at last over a flat of rich ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter x naparima and montserrat.htm

Down the Islands
... signified, to us at least, by the flat triangular head and ... amid the ruins of churches
and houses, nearly 10,000 ... up the hillside, with its red roofs and church ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter ii down the islands.htm

Outward Bound
... well-beloved old shores and woods and houses sliding by ... a little narrow harbour,
the scarlet and purple roofs of St ... some fifteen feet high, with a flat crown of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter i outward bound.htm

The Northern Mountains
... the face of a hill as steep as the roofs of the ... sensation of being in a ditch, which
makes houses in most ... and hammering, with a round stone on a flat one, the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter xi the northern mountains.htm

Syria at the Beginning of the Egyptian Conquest
... houses, rectangular in shape, and having roofs which jut ... Its houses were built closely
together on a spit of ... or Canaanite"that thick-lipped, flat-nosed slave ...
/.../chapter iisyria at the beginning.htm

Resources
Summary of the Book of Exodus - Bible Survey | GotQuestions.org

What is the doctrine of substitution? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible say about self-gratification / self-pleasure? | GotQuestions.org

Houses: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Subtopics

Houses

Houses for Summer Residence

Houses in Cities, Built in Streets

Houses of Brick or Clay: Easily Broken Through

Houses of Brick or Clay: Often Swept Away by Torrents

Houses of Brick or Clay: Plastered

Houses of Criminals, Desolated

Houses of Saints' Inheritance

Houses of the Body

Houses of the Church

Houses of the Grave

Houses of the Rich: Goodly

Houses of the Rich: Great

Houses of the Rich: Pleasant

Houses were Hired

Houses were Mortgaged

Houses were Sold

Houses: (Building of) of Great Prosperity

Houses: (Built and not Inhabited) of Calamity

Houses: (Insecurity of) of Earthly Trust

Houses: (On a Rock) the Hope of Saints

Houses: (On Sand) the Delusive Hope of Hypocrites

Houses: (To Inhabit Those, Built by Others) Abundant Feelings

Houses: Accessible from the Outside

Houses: Admission To, Gained by Knocking at the Door

Houses: Antiquity of

Houses: Apartments of, Were often: Ceiled and Painted

Houses: Apartments of, Were often: Hung With Rich Tapestries

Houses: Apartments of, Were often: Inlaid With Ivory

Houses: Apartments of, Were often: Large and Airy

Houses: Apartments of, Were often: Warmed With Fires

Houses: Built of Bricks

Houses: Built of Clay

Houses: Built of Hewn or Cut Stone

Houses: Built of Stone and Wood

Houses: Custom of Fastening Nails, in Walls of, Alluded To

Houses: Deep and Solid Foundations Required For

Houses: Desolation of, Threatened As a Punishment

Houses: Divided Into Apartments

Houses: Doors of, How Fastened

Houses: Doors of, Low and Small for Safety

Houses: Entered by a Gate or Door

Houses: had often Detached Apartments for Secrecy and for Strangers

Houses: had often Several Stories

Houses: Law Respecting the Sale of

Houses: Liable to Leprosy

Houses: Lighted by Windows

Houses: Not to be Coveted

Houses: Often Broken Down to Repair City Walls Before Sieges

Houses: Often Built on City Walls

Houses: Serpents often Lodged in Walls of

Houses: Sometimes Built Without Foundation

Houses: Street Windows of, High and Dangerous

Houses: The Courts of, Large and Used As Apartments

Houses: The Flat Roofs of had often Booths on Them

Houses: The Flat Roofs of had often Idolatrous Altars on Them

Houses: The Flat Roofs of Often Covered With Week Grass

Houses: The Flat Roofs of Resorted to in Grief

Houses: The Flat Roofs of Surrounded With Battlements

Houses: The Flat Roofs of Used for Devotion

Houses: The Flat Roofs of Used for Drying Flax

Houses: The Flat Roofs of Used for Exercise

Houses: The Flat Roofs of Used for Making Proclamations

Houses: The Flat Roofs of Used for Secret Conference

Houses: Upper Apartments of, the Best, and Used for Entertainments

Houses: Walls of, Plastered

Houses: when Finished Were Usually Dedicated

Renting: Houses

Related Terms

Timber (32 Occurrences)

Mortar (16 Occurrences)

Tear (97 Occurrences)

House-servant (2 Occurrences)

Break (257 Occurrences)

Carry (246 Occurrences)

Houses (308 Occurrences)

Stones (244 Occurrences)

Houses: The Flat Roofs of had often Idolatrous Altars on Them
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