H4670 H4670
Threshold, doorsill — the stone or timber at the base of a doorway, especially of a temple or sacred entrance
A masculine noun for the threshold or doorsill of a building, the horizontal beam or stone slab at the bottom of a doorway over which one steps. Nearly all its occurrences carry sacral weight. In the Dagon narrative, the idol's broken pieces lie on the threshold of Dagon's temple, making the priests avoid treading on it ever after (1 Sam 5:4-5). Ezekiel's visionary temple features the threshold prominently: the glory of YHWH moves to the threshold (Ezek 9:3; 10:4, 18), and healing waters flow from beneath it (Ezek 47:1). Zephaniah condemns those who leap over the threshold in a pagan ritual (Zeph 1:9).
Senses
1. threshold, sill — The threshold or doorsill of a building, particularly of a temple or sacred structure. The word carries a strong association with sacred space throughout its eight occurrences. In 1 Samuel 5:4-5, the threshold of Dagon's temple becomes ritually charged after the idol falls upon it. Ezekiel repeatedly positions YHWH's glory at the threshold of the visionary temple (Ezek 9:3; 10:4, 18; 46:2; 47:1). Zephaniah 1:9 references the superstitious practice of leaping over the threshold. Spanish 'umbral,' French 'seuil,' and German 'Schwelle' all consistently render the concrete architectural sense of a doorsill. 8×
AR["العَتَبَةِ", "الـ-عتَبَةِ", "عتَبَةِ", "عَتَبَةِ"]·ben["দেওয়ালি", "দেহলি", "দেহলিজের", "দেহলিতে", "দেহলির", "দেহলির-"]·DE["Schwelle", "der-Schwelle", "der-threshold", "threshold-von"]·EN["the-threshold", "threshold-of"]·FR["le-seuil", "seuil", "seuil-de"]·heb["ה-מפתן", "מפתן"]·HI["दहलीज", "दहलीज़", "देहली"]·ID["ambang", "ambang-pintu"]·IT["il-soglia", "la-soglia", "soglia", "soglia-di"]·jav["ambang", "bangbang", "bangsal", "cendhèla"]·KO["그-문지방", "문지방-을", "문지방에", "문지방을", "문지방의"]·PT["a-soleira", "o-umbral", "umbral-de"]·RU["порог", "порога", "пороге", "порогу"]·ES["el-umbral", "el-umbral-de", "umbral-de"]·SW["kizingiti", "kizingiti-cha", "ya-kizingiti"]·TR["-eşikte", "eşiği", "eşiğin", "eşiğinde", "eşiğine", "eşiğinin"]·urd["دہلیز", "چوکھٹ-کے"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† מִפְתָּן n.[m.] threshold (cf. NH פָּתִין cross-beam;? Arabic فَيْتَنٌ carpenter);—abs. מ׳ 1 S 5:4; Zp 1:9; cstr. מִפְתַּן דָּגוֹן 1 S 5:5, מ׳ הַבַּיִת Ez 9:3; 10:4, 18; 47:1, מ׳ הַשַּׁעַר 46:2.