מִפְתָּן
a stretcher, i.e. a sill
Definition
The Hebrew word מִפְתָּן (miphtân) refers to the threshold of a doorway, specifically the stone or wooden beam forming the bottom part of a door frame. In its biblical usage, it often denotes the entrance point to a building, temple, or palace, serving as both a physical boundary and a symbolic location. In the narrative of 1 Samuel 5:4-5, the threshold of the temple of Dagon in Ashdod is where the fallen idol's head and hands are found, marking a site of divine judgment. In Ezekiel's visions (Ezekiel 9:3, 10:4, 10:18), the threshold of the temple is where the glory of the Lord pauses, emphasizing it as a point of transition between the holy and the profane.
Biblical Usage
מִפְתָּן is used exclusively in narrative and prophetic contexts, appearing eight times in the Old Testament. It is found in the historical account of 1 Samuel 5 (verses 4 and 5), describing the Philistine temple threshold. The majority of its occurrences are in the prophetic book of Ezekiel (9:3; 10:4, 18; 46:2; 47:1), where it is a key architectural feature in visions of the temple, often associated with the movement of divine glory. A final usage appears in Zephaniah 1:9, where judgment is pronounced on those who leap over the threshold, possibly referencing a pagan ritual.
Etymology
The noun מִפְתָּן is derived from the root פתן (p-t-n), which is also seen in the word פֶּתֶן (pethen, H6620) meaning 'serpent' or 'adder'. The connection is likely through the idea of something that is 'twisted' or 'coiled', possibly relating to the shape of a threshold beam or, more abstractly, to a place of lurking danger or transition. Cognates in other Semitic languages, like Ugaritic, also use similar forms for 'threshold'.
Semantic Range
The threshold holds significant theological weight as a liminal space—a boundary between realms. In Ezekiel's temple visions, it is the point from which God's glory departs (Ezekiel 10:4, 18) and later returns (Ezekiel 43:4-5, though a different word is used there), marking divine presence and judgment. Its association with pagan practice in Zephaniah 1:9 contrasts with its holy function in the Israelite temple, highlighting the conflict between true and false worship. Understanding it as more than just a door sill enriches readings about God's holiness, human access to the sacred, and the consequences of transgressing holy boundaries.
In ancient Near Eastern culture, the threshold of a temple or important building was often considered sacred. Stepping over it could involve ritual acts, as hinted in Zephaniah 1:9, which may condemn a Philistine custom (known from 1 Samuel 5:5) of not stepping on a sacred threshold. It was a point of entry and transition, sometimes seen as guarded by protective deities or spirits. For Israelites, the temple threshold marked the transition from the common to the holy space, a concept deeply embedded in their architecture and ritual law.
סַף (saph, H5592) — A more general term for 'threshold' or 'basin', often used interchangeably but sometimes with a broader sense (e.g., the ledge of a window in 2 Kings 9:32).
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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