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[Easton] Till their sojourn in Egypt the Hebrews dwelt in tents. They then for the first time inhabited cities (Gen. 47:3; Ex. 12:7; Heb. 11:9). From the earliest times the Assyrians and the Canaanites were builders of cities. The Hebrews after the Conquest took possession of the captured cities, and seem to have followed the methods of building that had been pursued by the Canaanites. Reference is made to the stone (1 Kings 7:9; Isa. 9:10) and marble (1 Chr. 29:2) used in building, and to the internal wood-work of the houses (1 Kings 6:15; 7:2; 10:11, 12; 2 Chr. 3:5; Jer. 22:14). “Ceiled houses” were such as had beams inlaid in the walls to which wainscotting was fastened (Ezra 6:4; Jer. 22:14; Hag. 1:4). “Ivory houses” had the upper parts of the walls adorned with figures in stucco with gold and ivory (1 Kings 22:39; 2 Chr. 3:6; Ps. 45:8). The roofs of the dwelling-houses were flat, and are often alluded to in Scripture (2 Sam. 11:2; Isa. 22:1; Matt. 24:17). Sometimes tents or booths were erected on them (2 Sam. 16:22). They were protected by parapets or low walls (Deut. 22:8). On the house-tops grass sometimes grew (Prov. 19:13; 27:15; Ps. 129:6, 7). They were used, not only as places of recreation in the evening, but also sometimes as sleeping-places at night (1 Sam. 9:25, 26; 2 Sam. 11:2; 16:22; Dan. 4:29; Job 27:18; Prov. 21:9), and as places of devotion (Jer. 32:29; 19:13). [Smith] The houses of the rural poor in Egypt, as well as in most parts of Syria, Arabia and Persia, are generally mere huts of mud or sunburnt bricks. In some parts of Palestine and Arabia stone is used, and in certain districts caves in the rocks are used as dwellings. (Amos 5:11) The houses are usually of one story only, viz., the ground floor, and often contain only one apartment. Sometimes a small court for the cattle is attached; and in some cases the cattle are housed in the same building, or the live in a raised platform, and, the cattle round them on the ground. (1 Samuel 28:24) The windows are small apertures high up in the walls, sometimes grated with wood. The roofs are commonly but not always flat, and are usually formed of plaster of mud and straw laid upon boughs or rafters; and upon the flat roofs, tents or “booths” of boughs or rushes are often raised to be used as sleeping-places in summer. The difference between the poorest houses and those of the class next above them is greater than between these and the houses of the first rank. The prevailing plan of eastern houses of this class presents, as was the case in ancient Egypt, a front of wall, whose blank and mean appearance is usually relieved only by the door and a few latticed and projecting windows. Within this is a court or courts with apartments opening into them. Over the door is a projecting window with a lattice more or less elaborately wrought, which, except in times of public celebrations is usually closed. (2 Kings 9:30) An awning is sometimes drawn over the court, and the floor is strewed with carpets on festive occasions. The stairs to the upper apartments are in Syria usually in a corner of the court. Around part, if not the whole, of the court is a veranda, often nine or ten feet deep, over which, when there is more than one floor, runs a second gallery of like depth, with a balustrade. When there is no second floor, but more than one court, the women’s apartments—hareems, harem or haram—are usually in the second court; otherwise they form a separate building within the general enclosure, or are above on the first floor. When there is an upper story, the ka’ah forms the most important apartment, and thus probably answers to the “upper room,” which was often the guest-chamber. (Luke 22:12; Acts 1:13; 9:37; 20:8) The windows of the upper rooms often project one or two feet, and form a kiosk or latticed chamber. Such may have been “the chamber in the wall.” (2 Kings 4:10,11) The “lattice,” through which Ahasiah fell, perhaps belonged to an upper chamber of this kind, (2 Kings 1:2) as also the “third loft,” from which Eutychus fell. (Acts 20:9) comp. Jere 22:13 Paul preached in such a room on account of its superior rise and retired position. The outer circle in an audience in such a room sat upon a dais, or upon cushions elevated so as to be as high as the window-sill. From such a position Eutychus could easily fall. There are usually no special bed-rooms in eastern houses. The outer doors are closed with a wooden lock, but in some cases the apartments are divided from each other by curtains only. There are no chimneys, but fire is made when required with charcoal in a chafing-dish; or a fire of wood might be made in the open court of the house (Luke 22:65) Some houses in Cairo have an apartment open in front to the court with two or more arches and a railing, and a pillar to support the wall above. It was in a chamber of this size to be found in a palace, that our Lord was being arraigned before the high priest at the time when the denial of him by St. Peter took place. He “turned and looked” on Peter as he stood by the fire in the court, (Luke 22:56,61; John 18:24) whilst he himself was in the “hall of judgment.” In no point do Oriental domestic habits differ more from European than in the use of the roof. Its flat surface is made useful for various household purposes, as drying corn, hanging up linen, and preparing figs and raisins. The roofs are used as places of recreation in the evening, and often as sleeping-places at night. (1 Samuel 9:25,26; 2 Samuel 11:2; 16:22; Job 27:18; Proverbs 21:9; Daniel 4:29) They were also used as places for devotion and even idolatrous worship. (2 Kings 23:12; Jeremiah 19:13; 32:29; Zephaniah 1:6; Acts 10:9) At the time of the feast of tabernacles booths were erected by the Jews on the top of their houses. Protection of the roof by parapets was enjoined by the law. (22:8) Special apartments were devoted in larger houses to winter and summer uses. (Jeremiah 36:22; Amos 3:15) The ivory house of Ahab was probably a palace largely ornamented with inlaid ivory. The circumstance of Samson’s pulling down the house by means of the pillars may be explained by the fact of the company being assembled on tiers of balconies above each other, supported by central pillars on the basement; when these were pulled down the whole of the upper floors would fall also. (Judges 16:26) [Nave] –Built of .Stone Le 14:40-45 ; Isa 9:10 ; Am 5:11 .Brick Ge 11:3 ; Ex 1:11-14 ; Isa 9:10 .Wood So 1:17 ; Isa 9:10 –Built into city walls Jos 2:15 –Used for worship Ac 1:13 , 14 ; 12:12 ; Ro 16:5 ; 1Co 16:19 ; Col 4:15 ; Phm 1 :2 –“A man’s castle,” De 24:10 , 11 –ARCHITECTURE OF .Foundations of stone 1Ki 5:17 ; 7:9 ; Ezr 6:3 ; Jer 51:26 .Figurative Ps 87:1 ; Isa 28:16 ; 48:13 ; Ro 15:20 ; 1Co 3:11 ; Eph 2:20 ; 1Ti 6:19 ; Heb 6:1 ; Re 21:14 .Cornerstone Job 38:6 ; Ps 144:12 .Figurative Ps 118:22 ; Isa 28:16 ; Eph 2:20 ; 1Pe 2:6 .Porches Jud 3:23 ; 1Ki 7:6 , 7 .Courts Es 1:5 .Summer apartment Jud 3:20 ; with Am 3:15 ; 1Ki 17:19 .Inner chamber 1Ki 22:25 .Chambers Ge 43:30 ; 2Sa 18:33 ; 2Ki 1:2 ; 4:10 ; Ac 1:13 ; 9:37 ; 20:8 .Guest chamber Mr 14:14 .Pillars Pr 9:1 .With courts Ne 8:16 .Lattice Jud 5:28 .Windows Jud 5:28 ; Pr 7:6 .Ceiled and plastered Da 5:5 .Hinges Pr 26:14 .Roofs, flat Jos 2:6 ; Jud 16:27 ; 1Sa 9:25 ; 2Sa 11:2 ; 16:22 ; Isa 15:3 ; 22:1 ; Mt 24:17 ; Lu 12:3 .Battlements required in Mosaic law De 22:8 .Prayer on Ac 10:9 .Altars on 2Ki 23:12 ; Jer 19:13 ; 32:29 ; Zep 1:5 .Booths on Ne 8:16 .Used as place to sleep Jos 2:8 ; Ac 10:9 .Used as dwelling place Pr 21:9 ; 25:24 .Painted Jer 22:14 ; Eze 8:10 , 12 .Chimneys of Ho 13:3 .Texts of Scripture on doorposts of De 6:9 .Laws regarding sale of Le 25:29-33 ; Ne 5:3 .Dedicated De 20:5 ; Ps 30 –FIGURATIVE 2Sa 7:18 ; Ps 23:6 ; 36:8 ; Joh 14:2 ; 2Co 5:1 ; 1Ti 3:15 ; Heb 3:2