Topical Encyclopedia
In biblical times, floors were an essential part of both domestic and religious architecture, serving practical, symbolic, and ceremonial purposes. The construction and materials of floors varied depending on the location, purpose, and wealth of the inhabitants.
Construction and MaterialsFloors in ancient Israelite homes were typically made from compacted earth, which was sometimes covered with a layer of plaster or lime to create a smoother surface. In wealthier homes and palaces, floors might be constructed from stone or covered with tiles. The use of stone and tiles not only provided durability but also added an element of luxury and status.
In the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem, floors were made of more precious materials.
1 Kings 6:15 describes the interior of Solomon's Temple: "He lined the interior walls with cedar boards from floor to ceiling, and he covered the floor of the temple with planks of juniper." This indicates the use of high-quality wood, which was both aesthetically pleasing and symbolically significant.
Symbolic and Ceremonial SignificanceFloors in the Bible often carry symbolic meanings. For instance, the threshing floor is a significant motif, representing a place of separation and judgment. In the process of threshing, grain is separated from chaff, symbolizing the separation of the righteous from the wicked. This imagery is used in several biblical passages, such as in the account of Ruth and Boaz, where the threshing floor becomes a place of redemption and covenant (
Ruth 3:6-9).
The floor of the Temple also held ceremonial importance. It was the foundation upon which the sacred rituals were performed, and thus it was considered holy. In Ezekiel's vision of the new Temple, the floor is part of the detailed description of the sacred space, emphasizing its role in the worship and presence of God (
Ezekiel 41:20).
Cultural and Historical ContextIn the cultural context of the Bible, floors were not only functional but also reflected the social and economic status of individuals. The quality and material of a floor could indicate the wealth and importance of a household. For example, the luxurious floors of palaces and temples contrasted with the simple earthen floors of common homes.
The Bible also references floors in the context of judgment and divine intervention. In
2 Samuel 24:16, the angel of the Lord stands by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, where David builds an altar to stop the plague on Israel. This event underscores the threshing floor as a place of divine encounter and mercy.
ConclusionFloors in the Bible, whether in homes, palaces, or temples, serve as more than just physical structures. They are imbued with cultural, symbolic, and religious significance, reflecting the values and beliefs of the biblical world. Through their construction and use, floors provide insight into the daily lives and spiritual practices of ancient peoples, as well as the theological themes that run throughout Scripture.
Strong's Hebrew
147. iddar -- a threshing floor... 146, 147. iddar. 148 . a threshing floor. Transliteration: iddar Phonetic
Spelling: (id-dar') Short Definition:
floors. Word Origin
...1637. goren -- threshing floor
... Word Origin from an unused word Definition threshing floor NASB Word Usage
threshing floor (34), threshingfloors (2). barn, void place....
Library
First Impressions
... Thefloors were of lustrous and many-coloured marbles, with which also the walls
were tessellated; the domes and architraves were inlaid with mosaic on a gold...
Wesley visits Holland
... story is far loftier.2) The streets, the outside and inside of their houses in every
part, doors, windows, well-staircases, furniture, evenfloors, are kept so...
However, as we have Already Remarked, it Cannot but Distress us...
... sepulture for our dead, and the cry arose, "No are??"no burial-grounds for the
Christians," it came that their own are??, [449] their threshing-floors, were a...
The Right to what I Consider a Normal Standard of Living
... Rugs, to them, belonged on beds, not onfloors, and they would no more think
of walking on my rug than you would on my best blanket!...
The Shepherd among his Flock
... everything. No task, even scrubbingfloors, was too menial or too hard to
be beneath the position of him who is God's servant. When...
The Youth of Count Zinzendorf, 1700-1722.
... The grey old walls are streaked with slime. The woodenfloors are rotten, shaky
and unsafe. The rafters are worm-eaten. The windows are broken....
Useless Sacrifice
... The furniture is of the very richest, and kept with the most fastidious cleanliness.
Thefloors of precious wood are polished like mirrors....
No Man Hath Seen God at any Time; the Only Son...
... not worthy to loosen; he will baptize you with the [26] Holy Spirit and fire: [338]
who taketh the fan in his hand to cleanse his threshing-floors, [Arabic, p...
It is a Ground for Thanksgiving that During the Last Three or Four...
... they shall have fulfilled that purpose, they shall themselves be set aside and be
made, because of their own evil, like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors...
Conflagration
... melting the iron of the roofs and the chains of the great lamps, which fell with
crash after crash and shattered themselves to pieces on the tessellatedfloors...
Thesaurus
Floors (12 Occurrences)... Multi-Version Concordance
Floors (12 Occurrences). Genesis 6:16 You are
to put a window in the ark, a cubit from the roof, and a
...Threshing-floors (2 Occurrences)
Threshing-floors. Threshingfloors, Threshing-floors. Threshing-instruments .
Multi-Version Concordance Threshing-floors (2 Occurrences)....
Grain-floors (1 Occurrence)
Grain-floors. Grain-floor, Grain-floors. Grain-money . Multi-Version
Concordance Grain-floors (1 Occurrence). 1 Samuel...
Threshingfloor (18 Occurrences)
... thresh'-ing-flor (goren; halon; 'iddar, occurs in Daniel 2:35): The location and
method of making threshing-floors have already been described under AGRICULTURE...
Threshing-floor (36 Occurrences)
... thresh'-ing-flor (goren; halon; 'iddar, occurs in Daniel 2:35): The location and
method of making threshing-floors have already been described under AGRICULTURE...
Keilah (16 Occurrences)
... It was a city with gates and bars (1 Samuel 23:7). The Philistines came against
it and commenced robbing the threshing-floors. David...
Narrower (3 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 42:6 For they were on threefloors, and they had no pillars like the pillars
of the outer square; so the highest was narrower than the lowest and...
Sheaves (13 Occurrences)
... The sheaves are piled about the threshing-floors until threshing time, which
may be several weeks after harvest. It is an impressive...
Sheaf (11 Occurrences)
... The sheaves are piled about the threshing-floors until threshing time, which
may be several weeks after harvest. It is an impressive...
Floor (69 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 42:6 For they were on threefloors, and they had no pillars like the pillars
of the outer square; so the highest was narrower than the lowest and...
Resources
What is the meaning of chaff in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does the Bible say about halos? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the Diwali festival in Hinduism? | GotQuestions.orgBible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
Bible Encyclopedia •
Topical Bible •
Bible Thesuarus
