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In biblical architecture, a lintel is a horizontal structural element that spans an opening, such as a door or window, and supports the weight of the structure above it. Lintels are mentioned in several passages of the Bible, often in the context of significant religious and historical events.

Passover and the Lintel:

One of the most notable references to lintels in the Bible is found in the account of the Passover in the Book of Exodus. As part of the instructions given to the Israelites for the first Passover, God commanded them to mark their doorposts and lintels with the blood of a lamb. This act was a sign for the Lord to "pass over" their homes during the final plague on Egypt, the death of the firstborn. The specific instruction is recorded inExodus 12:22-23 : "Take a cluster of hyssop, dip it in the blood in the basin, and brush the top and sides of the doorframe with some of the blood. None of you shall go out the door of his house until morning. When the LORD passes through to strike down the Egyptians, He will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and pass over that doorway; so He will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down."

This event is foundational in Jewish history and is commemorated annually in the Passover festival. The blood on the lintel symbolized divine protection and deliverance, prefiguring the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, in Christian theology.

Symbolism and Judgment:

Lintels also appear in prophetic literature, symbolizing judgment and destruction. InAmos 9:1 , the prophet Amos describes a vision of God's judgment: "I saw the Lord standing beside the altar, and He said: 'Strike the tops of the pillars so that the thresholds shake. Cut them off on the heads of all the people; those who are left I will kill with the sword. Not one will get away; none will escape.'" Here, the lintel and thresholds are associated with the collapse of structures, symbolizing the impending judgment on Israel for their sins.

Construction and Design:

In ancient Near Eastern architecture, lintels were typically made of stone or wood, materials readily available in the region. The use of lintels was crucial in the construction of buildings, providing stability and support. The design and craftsmanship of lintels could vary, with some being plain and functional, while others were ornately carved and decorated, reflecting the wealth and status of the building's owner.

Cultural and Religious Significance:

The lintel's role in the Passover narrative highlights its cultural and religious significance in the biblical context. It served as a physical marker of faith and obedience to God's commands. The act of marking the lintel with blood was an outward expression of trust in God's promise of salvation and protection.

In summary, lintels in the Bible are more than mere architectural elements; they carry deep symbolic meaning, representing divine protection, judgment, and the intersection of faith and obedience. Their mention in key biblical events underscores their importance in the religious and cultural life of the Israelites.

The Passover: an Expiation and a Feast, a Memorial and a Prophecy
... The Passover ritual, as appointed here, divides itself into two main parts"the
sprinkling of the sacrificial blood on the door-posts andlintels, and the...

Christ Our Passover
... Two things it said, the blood that was sprinkled on thelintels and on the
door-posts was the token to the destroying Angel, as with his broad, silent pinions...

The Temples and the Gods of Chaldaea
... it was necessary to bring it from a great distance and at considerable expense,
they used it very sparingly, and then merely forlintels, uprights, thresholds...

Lessons.
... Will Omnipotence not have set its mark, as of old, on the door-posts andlintels
of that consecrated dwelling, so that the destroyer, in going his rounds...

The Lord's Supper
... On the evening of that day, they were to kill the lamb. The blood of the lamb was
to be sprinkled on the two side-posts and upperlintels of every door....

The God who Dwells with Men
... even lift them up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall come in.' Their
loftylintels are too low for His head to pass beneath; so they have to be...

Chel. The Court of the Women.
... 2. In Josephus, the 'Corinthian' gate: saith he; "Of the gates, nine of them were
every where overlaid with gold and silver, likewise the posts, and thelintels...

Letter iv. --For 332. Easter-Day vii Pharmuthi , iv Non. Apr....
... But now we, eating of the Word of the Father, and having thelintels of our hearts
sealed with the blood of the New Testament [4035] , acknowledge the grace...

Concerning the Likeness and Agreement of the Fabulous and Civil...
... Why are Forculus, who presides over doors, and Limentinus, who presides over thresholds
andlintels, male gods, and Cardea between them feminine, who presides...

The Morning Breaketh
... bruise the serpent's head"; while in the flood behold the Ark; and in the Passover
night we see the blood of the Paschal lamb sprinkled upon thelintels of the...

Lintels (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version ConcordanceLintels (1 Occurrence). Zephaniah 2:14 And flocks
shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of...

Bittern (4 Occurrences)
... a mile. Also it was to "sing" and to "lodge" on the "upperlintels" which
were the top timbers of the doors and windows. These formed...

Linus (1 Occurrence)

Lintel (4 Occurrences)

Threshholds (3 Occurrences)
... 2:14 And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations:
both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upperlintels of it...

Exodus (2 Occurrences)
... The blood of the paschal lamb was duly sprinkled on the door-posts andlintels of
all their houses, and they were all within, waiting the next movement in the...

Blood (435 Occurrences)
... blood of sacrifices was caught by the priest in a basin, and then sprinkled seven
times on the altar; that of the passover on the doorposts andlintels of the...

Cormorant (4 Occurrences)
... 2:14 And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations:
both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upperlintels of it...

Passover (81 Occurrences)
... for each household on the 10th of the month; (2) the killing of the lamb on the
14th at even; (3) the sprinkling of the blood on doorposts andlintels of the...

Uncover (35 Occurrences)
... 2:14 And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations:
both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upperlintels of it...

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