Lexical Summary allith or illi: Upper room, upper chamber, roof chamber Original Word: עַלִּית Strong's Exhaustive Concordance chamber From alah; a second-story room -- chamber. Compare aliyah. see HEBREW alah see HEBREW aliyah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) from a root corresponding to alah Definition a roof chamber NASB Translation roof chamber (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [עֲלִי] noun feminine roof-chamber (compare Dr; Biblical Hebrew עֲלִיָּה); — suffix עֲלִיתֵהּ Daniel 6:11. Topical Lexicon Word and Concept Overview עַלִּית (Strong’s 5952) designates an elevated, enclosed space built atop or alongside a flat-roofed house—an “upper room” or “attic.” Though the term itself occurs only once, Scripture’s broader witness to upper chambers illuminates its meaning and importance. Architectural Background in the Ancient Near East • Houses from the Iron Age through the Persian period commonly featured exterior stairways leading to a second-story room added for ventilation, privacy, and security. Old Testament Context: Daniel’s Upper Room Daniel 6:10: “Now when Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went into his house where the windows of his upper room opened toward Jerusalem, and three times a day he got down on his knees, prayed, and gave thanks before his God, just as he had done before.” Parallel Terminology and Usage in the Hebrew Bible Other Hebrew words translate “upper room” (especially עֲלִיָּה, Strong’s 5944), yet the functions overlap: These passages confirm that Daniel’s choice of locale fits an established biblical pattern of seeking God in elevated solitude. New Testament Continuity The Greek ὑπερῷον (hyperōon) carries the tradition forward: The spiritual activities that dominated these upper rooms—prayer, instruction, communion, and revival—mirror Daniel’s solitary petition. Theological and Ministry Significance 1. Separation unto God: The physical elevation symbolizes the believer’s call to rise above worldly pressures, echoing Colossians 3:1-2. Practical Applications for the Church Today • Believers should designate uninterrupted times and, where possible, physical spaces for focused prayer and study. Summary Though עַלִּית appears but once, its single mention in Daniel 6:10 concentrates a theology of elevated devotion that echoes throughout Scripture. The upper room stands as a timeless witness to the power of private prayer, the necessity of spiritual discipline, and the triumph of faith amid opposition. Forms and Transliterations בְּעִלִּיתֵ֔הּ בעליתה bə‘illîṯêh bə·‘il·lî·ṯêh beilliTehLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Daniel 6:10 HEB: פְּתִיחָ֥ן לֵהּ֙ בְּעִלִּיתֵ֔הּ נֶ֖גֶד יְרוּשְׁלֶ֑ם NAS: his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows KJV: being open in his chamber toward INT: had windows open his roof toward Jerusalem 1 Occurrence |