H5592b H5592b
threshold, sill — the stone or timber crosspiece at the base of a doorway, especially of a temple or palace gate
Saf (II) denotes the threshold or doorsill of a building, the stone or timber beam one crosses when entering through a doorway. Its 25 occurrences concentrate in sacred and royal architecture, giving the word a weighty, institutional connotation. In Ezekiel's temple vision, the thresholds of gates and sanctuary doors are precisely measured architectural elements (Ezek 40:6-7; 41:16; 43:8). The expression shomer hassaf ('keeper of the threshold') designates an important temple official — not a lowly doorman but a senior priestly or Levitical functionary entrusted with guarding the sanctuary entrance (2 Kgs 12:10; 22:4; 23:4; 25:18; Jer 35:4; 52:24). Isaiah's vision of YHWH enthroned features the thresholds shaking at the voice of the seraphim (Isa 6:4), and Amos sees the Lord standing beside the altar commanding to 'strike the capitals so that the thresholds shake' (Amos 9:1). The lone domestic use is the tragic scene of the Levite's concubine collapsed at the threshold in Judges 19:27. French 'seuil,' German 'Schwelle,' and Spanish 'umbral' all denote this architectural element precisely.
Senses
1. threshold of a doorway — The physical threshold or doorsill at the base of a gateway or entrance, primarily in temple and palace architecture. In Ezekiel's temple vision it is a measured structural element of the sanctuary gates (Ezek 40:6-7; 41:16; 43:8). The title shomer hassaf ('keeper of the threshold') designates senior temple officials in priestly and Levitical service (2 Kgs 12:10; 22:4; 23:4; 25:18; Jer 35:4; 52:24). Theophanically, the thresholds tremble at YHWH's voice (Isa 6:4; Amos 9:1). The domestic occurrence in Judg 19:27 underscores the threshold as a liminal boundary between safety and danger. 25×
AR["إِلَى-عتبةِ","الأَبْوَابِ","العتبَات","الْعَتَبَاتُ","الْعَتَبَاتِ","الْعَتَبَةَ","الْعَتَبَةِ","عَتَبَةَ","عَتَبَتَهُمْ","وَعَتَبَةُ","ٱلْعَتَبَةِ"]·ben["-দরজার","-দেহলির","-দেহলিসমূহ","-দোরগোড়াগুলি","-দোরগোড়ার","-দ্বাররক্ষীদের","-দ্বারের","এবং-দোরগোড়া","তাদের-দোরগোড়া","দরজার","দরজার।","দেওয়ালি","দেহলিতে-","দোরগোড়া","দ্বারগুলির","দ্বারের"]·DE["Schwelle","[הסף]","[הספים]","bei-threshold-von-","der-threshold","und-Schwelle"]·EN["and-threshold-of","at-threshold-of-","the-threshold","the-thresholds","their-threshold","threshold","threshold-of"]·FR["[הסף]","et-seuil","le-seuil","seuil","à-seuil-de-"]·heb["ב-סף","ה-סיפים","ה-סף","ה-ספים","ו-סף","סיפם","סף"]·HI["-की-देहलीज","अपनी-डेवढ़ी","और-देहली","दरवाज़े-के","दहलीज़-में-","दहलीज़ें","देहलियाँ","देहलियोंके।","देहली","देहलीज-के","देहलीज़ें","द्वार-का","द्वार-के","ह-दहलीज़-के","ह-सफ़","हस्सफ-के"]·ID["-ambang-pintu","ambang","ambang-ambang","ambang-itu","ambang-mereka","ambang-pintu","dan-ambang","di-ambang-","pintu","pintu-gerbang","pintu-pintu-gerbang"]·IT["[הסף]","a-soglia-di-","e-soglia","il-soglia","soglia"]·jav["Ambang-ambang","ambang","ambangé","bangsal","bangsal-ing","kang-","konten","kori","korining","lan-bangsal-ing","lawang","umpak-konten","wonten-ing-lawang-"]·KO["그-문설주들을","그-문지방","그-문지방들","그-문지방을","그-문턱의","그-문턴들의","그-문턴의","그것들의-문지방","그리고-문지방-","문의","문지방","문지방-","문지방의","에-문지방-"]·PT["Os-umbrais","a-porta","a-soleira","as-soleiras","e-umbral-de","na-soleira-de","o-umbral","os-umbrais","seu-umbral","umbral","umbral-de"]·RU["и-порог","на-порог-","порог","порог-их","порога","пороги","порогов"]·ES["al-umbral-de","el-umbral","la-entrada","la-puerta","los-umbrales","su-umbral","umbral","umbral-de","y-umbral-de"]·SW["Vizingiti","hasaּp","kizingiti","kizingiti-cha","kizingiti-cha-","kizingiti-chao","milango","mlango","na-kizingiti-cha","vizingiti","wa-kizingiti","wa-mlango"]·TR["esigin","eşigi","eşikler","eşikleri","eşiklerin","eşiklerini","eşiğin","eşiğin-","eşiğin-o","eşiğine-","eşiğini","ve-eşiği"]·urd["-چوکھٹیں","اور-دہلیز","اپنی-دہلیز","دروازے","دروازے-کے","دہلیز","دہلیز-کے","دہلیزوں","دہلیزوں-کے","دہلیزیں","چوکھٹ-پر"]
Judg 19:27, 1 Kgs 14:17, 2 Kgs 12:9, 2 Kgs 22:4, 2 Kgs 23:4, 2 Kgs 25:18, 1 Chr 9:19, 1 Chr 9:22, 2 Chr 3:7, 2 Chr 23:4, 2 Chr 34:9, Esth 2:21 (+13 more)
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
† II. סַף24 n.m. Am 9:1 threshold, sill (NH id.; Ph. v. Lzb i. סַף; Aramaic סִפָּא, ܣܶܦܳܐ, (sepo,) Arabic sippu Dl 509, all id.);—abs. ס׳ 2 K 12:10 +, also הַסָּ֑ף Ju 19:27 + 3 times (Baer Ginsb), הַסָּ֑ף 2 K 25:8; sf. סִפִּי Ez 43:8, סִפָּם v 8; pl. סִפִּים Am 9:1; Is 6:4 + 6 times Ez Ch;—threshold, sill Ju 19:27; Am 9:1; Is 6:4 Ez 41:16(×2); 43:8(×2); 2 Ch 3:7, ס׳הַבַּיִת 1 K 14:17, ס׳…