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׳…