Lintel* — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

Horizontal beam placed above a doorway, supported by structures called “jambs” or simply “doorposts.”

In Exodus 12, the Israelites are instructed to prepare for the tenth plague, the plague of death, and for the first Passover. After killing a lamb, the people were to take the blood and “put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses” (Ex 12:7).

Show passage in OET: EXO 12:7

OET-RV EXO 12:7

7 Then they must take some of the blood and put it on both doorposts and on the lintel of the houses that they’ll be in when they eat it.

OET-LV EXO 12:7

7 And_they _will _take some _of the_blood and_they _will _put_it on the _two _of the_doorposts and_on the_lintels on the_houses which they _will _eat DOM_him/it in_them.

Jump to OET EXO 12:7 section.

First Kings 6:31 describes Solomon’s building of the temple. The KJB says, “He made doors of olive tree: the lintel and side posts were a fifth part of the wall.” The meaning in the Hebrew is a little difficult to determine. The nasb translates it as “the lintel and five-sided doorposts.” The neb replaces the word “lintel” with “pilasters.” It may be that the top of the doorway was slanted, formed by beams leaning toward each other (archlike) instead of one horizontal beam.

Show passage in OET: KI1 6:31

OET-RV KI1 6:31

31 He made doors and doorposts for the inner room with olive wood,

OET-LV KI1 6:31

31 And_DOM the _entrance _of the _innermost _room he _made doors _of wood(s)_of olive the_pillar doorposts _of fifth.

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In Amos 9:1 the KJB has “lintel,” whereas the rsv has “capital.” The Hebrew word here appears to mean the capital of a column. The same is true in Zephaniah 2:14, where the KJB has “lintels” and the nasb has “tops of her pillars.” See Architecture.

Show passage in OET: AMO 9:1

OET-RV AMO 9:1

9 I saw my master standing beside the altar, and he said,
⇔ “Strike the tops of the pillars so that the foundations will shake.
⇔ Break them in pieces onto all their heads,
⇔ and I will kill the last of them with the sword.
⇔ Not one of them will get away.
⇔ ≈ Not one of them will escape.

OET-LV AMO 9:1

9 I _saw DOM my_master standing on the_altar and_he/it _said strike the_capital so_ the_thresholds _that _they _may _shake and_break_them _off on_the _head _of all _of _them _of_their and_posterity _of_their by_sword I _will _kill not he _will _flee to/for_them one _who_flees and_not he _will _escape to/for_them an _escapee.

Show passage in OET: ZEP 2:14

OET-RV ZEP 2:14

14 Herds of every kind of wild animals will lie down in the middle of it,
⇔ Various kinds of owls will sit on the pillars still standing.
⇔ A call will hoot in the window.
⇔ Rubble will blocking any doorways still upright,
⇔ because the cedar planks will be exposed.

OET-LV ZEP 2:14

14 And_they _will _lie _down in_the _midst _of_of _it herds every _of animal _of_his a _nation both wilderness _owl as _well _as hedgehog on_capitals _of_its they _will _spend _the _night a _sound it _will _sing in_window desolation will_on _the _threshold if/because cedar-work he _will _lay _bare.

Jump to OET AMO 9:1 section.

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