In biblical times, the house-top, or roof, held significant cultural and practical importance in the daily lives of the people of the ancient Near East. The construction of houses in biblical lands typically featured flat roofs, which were utilized for various purposes, both domestic and religious.

Construction and Use:

The typical house in ancient Israel was constructed with a flat roof made of beams overlaid with branches and a layer of clay or plaster. This design allowed the roof to serve as an additional living space. The house-top was often accessed by an external staircase or ladder, making it a convenient area for various activities.

Cultural and Domestic Significance:

The house-top was a place of relaxation and social interaction. In the cool of the evening, families would gather on the roof to enjoy the breeze and escape the heat of the day. It was also used for drying produce, such as figs and grapes, and for other household tasks.

Religious and Symbolic Aspects:

In the Bible, the house-top is mentioned in several contexts, often symbolizing a place of visibility and proclamation. In Isaiah 22:1, the "valley of vision" is described with people going up to the house-tops, indicating a place of observation and perhaps distress. The house-top also served as a place of prayer and meditation, as seen in Acts 10:9, where Peter goes up to the roof to pray.

Biblical References:

1. Proclamation and Warning: In Matthew 10:27, Jesus instructs His disciples, "What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops." This metaphorical use underscores the house-top as a place of public declaration and boldness in sharing the Gospel.

2. Urgency and Escape: The house-top is also associated with urgency and the need for immediate action. In Mark 13:15, during the Olivet Discourse, Jesus warns, "Let no one on the housetop go down or enter his house to retrieve anything." This passage emphasizes the urgency of fleeing during times of tribulation.

3. Privacy and Secrecy: Conversely, the house-top could also be a place of secrecy. In 1 Samuel 9:25, Samuel speaks privately with Saul on the roof, indicating a setting away from the public eye.

4. Judgment and Mourning: In Jeremiah 19:13, the house-tops are mentioned in the context of judgment, where they had been used for idolatrous practices: "The houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah will be defiled like this place, Topheth—all the houses where they burned incense on the rooftops to all the host of heaven and poured out drink offerings to other gods."

Conclusion:

The house-top in biblical times was a multifaceted space, serving practical, social, and religious functions. Its frequent mention in Scripture highlights its role as a place of both everyday life and significant spiritual symbolism.1430. doma -- a house, a housetop
... a house, a housetop. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: doma Phonetic
Spelling: (do'-mah) Short Definition: the top of the house Definition: the roof ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1430.htm - 6k1406. gag -- a roof, a top
... Definition a roof, a top NASB Word Usage housetop (1), housetops (7), roof (18),
roofs (1), rooftops (1), top (2). roof of the house, house top of the house. ...
/hebrew/1406.htm - 6k

Of the Harmony Subsisting Between the Three Evangelists in their ...
... in the first two evangelists, runs thus: "Let him which is on the house-top not
come ... they which are in the midst of it") will appear upon the housetop [or "wall ...
/.../the harmony of the gospels/chapter lxxvii of the harmony subsisting.htm

Psalm CII.
... birds and three places: the pelican, the owl, and the sparrow; [4593] and the three
places are severally, the wilderness, the ruined walls, and the house-top. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm cii.htm

Psalm LXXXIV.
... For it is the very complaining sparrow of whom in another Psalm he saith, "Like
a sparrow alone on the housetop." [3884] From the housetop he flies home. ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm lxxxiv.htm

Rachel's Refuge
... Masanath recovered with reluctance. This was the Egyptian's first day
on the housetop, and she was not happy. The great pots of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter xxxii rachels refuge.htm

Matt. xxiv. 16-18.
... XXIV.16-18. "Then let them which be in Jud??a flee into the mountains. And let him
that is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house. ...
/.../homilies on the gospel of saint matthew/homily lxxvi matt xxiv 16-18.htm

What God Hath Cleansed
... things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.9. On the morrow, as they went on their
journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/what god hath cleansed.htm

A Seeker for Truth
... At the time, Peter was praying upon the housetop of his lodging, and we read that
he "became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 14 a seeker for.htm

The Impending Judgment
... where he ought not (let him that readeth understand), then let them that are in
Judea flee unto the mountains: and let him that is on the housetop not go down ...
/.../chadwick/the gospel of st mark/chapter 13 8-16 the impending judgment.htm

Peter's Apologia
... The first is his vision on the housetop. He tells that he was praying when it came,
and what God shows to a praying spirit is not likely to mislead. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/peters apologia.htm

C. The Last Stages. Chs. 17:11 to 19:28
... destroyed them all: 30 after the same manner shall it be in the day that the Son
of man is revealed.31 In that day, he that shall be on the housetop, and his ...
/.../erdman/the gospel of luke an exposition/c the last stages chs.htm

Sparrow (4 Occurrences)
... For example see Psalm 102:7: "I watch, and am become like a sparrow That is alone
upon the housetop." The feeling that this is not characteristic of the ...
/s/sparrow.htm - 13k

Quarrelsome (9 Occurrences)
... (See NIV). Proverbs 21:9 It is better to be living in an angle of the house-top,
than with a bitter-tongued woman in a wide house. (See NIV). ...
/q/quarrelsome.htm - 8k

Bitter-tongued (4 Occurrences)
... Bitter-tongued (4 Occurrences). Proverbs 21:9 It is better to be living in an angle
of the house-top, than with a bitter-tongued woman in a wide house. (BBE). ...
/b/bitter-tongued.htm - 7k

Brawling (3 Occurrences)
... (See NIV). Proverbs 21:9 It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop,
than with a brawling woman in a wide house. (KJV WBS). ...
/b/brawling.htm - 7k

Contentious (13 Occurrences)
... (See JPS). Proverbs 21:9 It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than
to share a house with a contentious woman. (WEB JPS ASV DBY NAS RSV). ...
/c/contentious.htm - 10k

Angle (19 Occurrences)
... (YLT). Proverbs 21:9 It is better to be living in an angle of the house-top,
than with a bitter-tongued woman in a wide house. (BBE). ...
/a/angle.htm - 14k

Shared (21 Occurrences)
... (See NIV). Proverbs 21:9 It is better to be living in an angle of the house-top,
than with a bitter-tongued woman in a wide house. (See NAS RSV). ...
/s/shared.htm - 12k

Anything (462 Occurrences)
... Matthew 24:17 Let not him who is on the house-top go down to take anything out of ...
Mark 13:15 and let him who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter in, to ...
/a/anything.htm - 34k

Housetop (10 Occurrences)
...HOUSETOP. hous'-top. See HOUSE. ...Housetop (10 Occurrences). Matthew 24:17 Let him
who is on the housetop not go down to take out things that are in his house. ...
/h/housetop.htm - 9k

House-top (8 Occurrences)
House-top. Housetop, House-top. Housetops . Multi-Version Concordance
House-top (8 Occurrences). ... (BBE WBS). Housetop, House-top. Housetops . Reference
/h/house-top.htm - 8k

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