δῶμα G1430
Housetop, flat roof of a building; the accessible rooftop characteristic of ancient Near Eastern architecture.
Refers to the flat roof or housetop of a typical ancient Near Eastern dwelling, which served as a usable outdoor space for daily activities, prayer, and public proclamation. In Luke 5:19, friends lower a paralytic through the roof tiles to reach Jesus. In the eschatological warnings of Matt 24:17 and Mark 13:15, urgency is conveyed by telling someone on the housetop not to go back inside. Jesus commands his disciples to proclaim from housetops what they have heard in secret (Matt 10:27; Luke 12:3). All major translation languages use straightforward architectural terms—Spanish 'azotea/techo,' French 'toit,' German 'Dach'—confirming the concrete, physical referent.
Senses
1. housetop, flat roof of a building — The flat roof or housetop of a building, a distinctive feature of ancient Near Eastern architecture that functioned as an accessible living space. Used for public proclamation (Matt 10:27; Luke 12:3, 'what you whisper, proclaim from the housetops'), as a setting for dramatic action (Luke 5:19, lowering the paralytic through the roof; Acts 10:9, Peter praying on the housetop), and in eschatological urgency (Matt 24:17; Mark 13:15, 'let the one on the housetop not go down'). Spanish distinguishes 'azotea' (terrace roof) from 'techo' (roof covering), but all translation languages confirm a single concrete architectural referent across all seven occurrences. 7×
AR["السَّطحِ", "سَطحِ", "سَطْحِ", "سُطوحِ", "سُطُوحِ"]·ben["ছাদে", "ছাদের"]·DE["Dach"]·EN["housetop", "housetops", "roof"]·FR["toit"]·heb["גַּג", "גַּגּוֹת", "גָּג", "הַגָּג"]·HI["छत", "छतों", "छतों-पर"]·ID["atap", "atap-atap", "atap-rumah", "itu"]·IT["tetto"]·jav["pagèr", "payon", "payon,", "payoning-griya", "pèngèrèn-griya."]·KO["지붕", "지붕-에", "지붕들에서", "지붕에", "지붕에서", "지붕의"]·PT["telhados", "terraço"]·RU["кровле", "кровлях", "крышах", "крыше", "крышу", "крышу,"]·ES["azotea", "techo", "techos", "tejados", "terrado"]·SW["asishuke", "dari", "paa", "paa."]·TR["dama", "damda", "damlarda", "damüstlerinden", "damın", "çatının"]·urd["ذریعے", "چھت", "چھتوں"]
Related Senses
H1129 1. Qal: build, construct (316×)H2691a 1. court, courtyard, enclosure (142×)G4864 1. synagogue, place of Jewish assembly (56×)G5438 1. prison, place of confinement (41×)H4013 1. fortress, stronghold (37×)H0875 1. well, cistern (dug water source) (35×)H0352b 1. pillar or jamb of gateway (32×)H2474 1. window, opening in wall (32×)H1406 1. roof / rooftop (31×)H4609b 1. steps, stairs, stairway (31×)H1129 2. Nifal: be built, be established (30×)H0361 1. portico, porch (architectural structure) (27×)H1129 3. Qal participle: builder (27×)H1219 1. fortified, inaccessible (25×)H4581 1. fortress, stronghold (25×)H3805 1. capital of a pillar (24×)H4350 1. stand, base, pedestal (24×)H0759 1. palace, royal residence (21×)H4692 1. siege, besiegement (20×)G3618 1. build or construct physically (19×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
δῶμα, ατος, τό, (δέμω) house, πατρώϊον ἵκετο δ. Refs 8th c.BC+; mainly poetry, but once in Refs 5th c.BC+, but never in Attic dialect Prose: also, chief room, hall, θάλαμον καὶ δ. καὶ αὐλήν Refs 8th c.BC+: hence, plural for a single house, Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 of the gods, ἀθάνατοι Ὀλύμπια δώματ᾽ ἔχοντες Refs 8th c.BC+; frequently of Pluto, δῶμ᾽ Ἀΐδαο the nether world, Refs 8th c.BC+; of a temple,…