Lexical Summary ritspah: Hot stone, pavement, glowing coal Original Word: רִצְפָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance live coal, pavement Feminine of retseph; a hot stone; also a tessellated pavement -- live coal, pavement. see HEBREW retseph Brown-Driver-Briggs ִרצְפָה noun feminine pavement; — absolute ׳ר Ezekiel 40:17 (twice in verse) +, construct ִרצְפַת Esther 1:6 (van d. H. רִעצמָּה, מַּת-); — pavement, in Ezekiel's temple, Ezekiel 40:17 (twice in verse); Ezekiel 40:18 (twice in verse); Ezekiel 42:3; Solomon's temple 2Chronicles 7:3; in a palace Esther 1:6. I. רִצְמָּה noun feminine glowing stone (or coal) (WeIsrael u. Jüd. Geschichte. (3) 83); — ׳ר absolute Isaiah 6:6; plural עֻגַת רְצָפִים 1 Kings 19:6 (compare Syriac above). Topical Lexicon Range of Meaning and Physical Setting רִצְפָה describes both the stone pavement of royal and temple courts and, in Isaiah’s vision, a glowing coal taken from the altar. Whether cool stone beneath worshipers’ feet or a live ember from the heavenly altar, the word always speaks of a surface that mediates between God’s holiness and human approach. Occurrences in the Old Testament Canon • 2 Chronicles 7:3 – When the fire of the LORD fell at the temple’s dedication, “all the sons of Israel … bowed facedown on the pavement”. The courtyard flooring becomes the place of national worship and covenant commitment. Theological Threads Purity and Atonement Isaiah 6:6-7 links רִצְפָה to atonement. The coal’s cleansing power foreshadows the ultimate purification provided by Christ’s sacrifice (Hebrews 9:14). Ministry application: preaching on sanctification can use this imagery to show that true cleansing is initiated by God and applied directly to the sinner. Worship and Revelation At the temple dedication (2 Chronicles 7) and in Ezekiel’s future temple, the pavement is the meeting place between divine glory and human worship. Its flat, wide expanse pictures openness: God invites His people to draw near on solid ground provided by Him alone. Judgment and Glory In Esther, רִצְפָה supports a banquet that ends with Vashti’s downfall and the setup for Israel’s later deliverance. The same surface that displays earthly pomp becomes the stage upon which God’s providence overturns human pride. Historical and Architectural Perspective Ancient Near Eastern palaces and temples commonly employed dressed stone or inlaid mosaics for courtyards. Solomon’s temple complex likely featured limestone or alabaster slabs. Persian builders used colored stone and mother-of-pearl, as Esther records. Ezekiel’s visionary temple echoes the first temple yet surpasses it in scale, representing the perfected worship environment of the Messianic age. Symbolic Contrasts Cold Stone vs. Burning Coal The pavement is cool and lifeless; the coal is hot and alive. Together they convey the full range of God’s interaction with humanity: His steadfastness (stone) and His refining fire (coal). Earthly Courts vs. Heavenly Altar Chronicles and Ezekiel place רִצְפָה at ground level, while Isaiah places it on the altar in heaven. The word thus spans the vertical axis from earth to heaven, reinforcing the unity of God’s redemptive plan. Ministry Implications 1. Call to Reverent Worship: Congregations should approach worship recognizing they stand on “holy ground” provided by God’s mercy (compare 2 Chronicles 7:3). Key Cross-References for Study 2 Chronicles 7:3; Esther 1:6; Isaiah 6:6-7; Ezekiel 40:17-18; Ezekiel 42:3; Hebrews 9:14; Revelation 21:22-27. Summary רִצְפָה binds together scenes of dedication, judgment, purification, and prophetic hope. Underfoot or glowing on the altar, it reminds readers that the holy God both grounds and refines His people, preparing them for unbroken fellowship in His everlasting court. Forms and Transliterations הָרִֽצְפָ֖ה הָרִֽצְפָֽה׃ הָרִֽצְפָה֙ הרצפה הרצפה׃ וְהָרִֽצְפָה֙ וְרִֽצְפָ֔ה והרצפה ורצפה רִֽצְפַ֥ת רִֽצְפָ֔ה רִצְפָּ֑ה רצפה רצפת hā·riṣ·p̄āh hāriṣp̄āh haritzFah riṣ·pāh riṣ·p̄āh riṣ·p̄aṯ riṣpāh riṣp̄āh riṣp̄aṯ ritzFah ritzFat ritzPah veharitzFah veritzFah wə·hā·riṣ·p̄āh wə·riṣ·p̄āh wəhāriṣp̄āh wəriṣp̄āhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 2 Chronicles 7:3 HEB: אַ֤רְצָה עַל־ הָרִֽצְפָה֙ וַיִּֽשְׁתַּֽחֲו֔וּ וְהוֹד֤וֹת NAS: bowed down on the pavement with their faces KJV: to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, INT: to the ground on the pavement worshiped and gave Esther 1:6 Isaiah 6:6 Ezekiel 40:17 Ezekiel 40:17 Ezekiel 40:18 Ezekiel 40:18 Ezekiel 42:3 8 Occurrences |
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