מַשְׁקוֹף
a lintel
Definition
The Hebrew noun מַשְׁקוֹף (mashqôwph) refers specifically to the lintel, the horizontal beam or stone spanning the top of a doorway or gate. In its biblical usage, it consistently denotes this architectural feature of a house's entrance. All three occurrences are found in the context of the original Passover in Exodus 12, where the Israelites are commanded to apply the blood of the sacrificial lamb to both the doorposts and the lintel (Exodus 12:7, 12:22-23). This forms a complete protective frame around the doorway, a crucial detail in the narrative.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exclusively in Exodus 12, describing the physical structure of the Israelite doorways during the first Passover. Its usage is highly specific and ceremonial, tied directly to the ritual instructions for applying the lamb's blood as a sign for the Lord to 'pass over' that house during the final plague on Egypt. The lintel, paired with the two doorposts, completes the sign on the entrance.
Etymology
מַשְׁקוֹף (mashqôwph) is derived from the root שָׁקַף (shāqaph, H8259), which carries the basic sense of 'to look out or down from a height,' 'to overlook,' or 'to project.' The noun form, therefore, denotes something that 'overhangs' or projects over an opening, perfectly describing the lintel's position above a doorway.
Semantic Range
The מַשְׁקוֹף is theologically significant as part of the physical sign of salvation during the Passover. The application of blood to the lintel and doorposts (creating a symbolic frame) marked the households of faith and obedience, securing them from judgment (Exodus 12:23). This act prefigures the protective and redeeming blood of Christ, and understanding this Hebrew term highlights the completeness of the protective sign—covering the top and sides of the entrance.
In ancient Israelite and broader Near Eastern domestic architecture, the lintel was a substantial structural component, often a single beam of wood or stone supporting the wall above a doorway. Its prominence made it a logical and visible place for a public sign or marking, such as the blood in the Passover. This differs from modern doorframes, which are often less visually distinct.
There are no direct synonyms for this specific architectural term in Biblical Hebrew. Related words for parts of a structure include: כְּתָף (kāthēph, H3802) — 'shoulder, side,' used for a doorpost or support; and סַף (saph, H5592) — 'threshold,' the base of the doorway.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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