Answers about…
DDoors in the Bible
Various types of doors are mentioned in Scripture.
-
Doors of walled city gates
Gates had doors. At the time of the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls and gates as recorded by Nehemiah,
Then Eliashib the high priest arose with his brothers the priests and built the Sheep Gate; they consecrated it and hung its doors. …Now the sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate; they laid its beams and hung its doors with its bolts and bars. …Joiada the son of Paseah and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah repaired athe Old Gate; they laid its beams and hung its doors with its bolts and its bars. —Nehemiah 3:1-6 NASB excerpt
Door hinges
Doors were hung on hinges (pivots of wood or other material fastened in sockets above and below).
As the door turns on its hinges,
So does the sluggard on his bed. —Proverbs 26:14 LSBSee: hinges
Door locks, bars and bolts
Doors were normally fastened shut with a bar, bolt or lock. Some had keyed locks.
Then Ehud went out into the vestibule and shut the doors of the roof chamber behind him, and locked them. …his servants came and looked, and behold, the doors of the roof chamber were locked; …They waited until they became anxious; but behold, he did not open the doors of the roof chamber. Therefore they took the key and opened them, and behold, their master had fallen to the floor dead. —Judges 3:23-25 NASB excerpt
Now Samson lay until midnight, and at midnight he arose and took hold of the doors of the city gate and the two posts and pulled them up along with the bars; … —Judges 16:3 NASB excerpt
…On the handles of the bolt. —Song of Songs 5:5 NASB excerpt
…set a bolt and doors… —Job 38:10 NASB excerpt
More information
-
Curtains, as substitutes
In the interior of Middle Eastern houses, curtains were often used instead of doors.
The entrances of the Holy Tabernacle had curtains that served as for the portable structure (Exodus 26:31-33; 26:36).
See: curtains
Figurative doors
Our Jesus Christ said of Himself, “I am the door” (John 10:9).
Paul speaks of a “door opened” for the spread of the Gospel (1 Corinthians 16:9; 2 Corinthians 2:12; Col. 4:3).
John speaks of a “door opened in heaven” (Rev. 4:1).
The “valley of Achor” is called a “door of hope,” because immediately after the execution of Achan the Lord said to Joshua, “Fear not,” and from that time Joshua went forward in a career of uninterrupted conquest.
Door posts
See: door-posts
-
Angels can open doors and gates
And they laid hands on the apostles and put them in a public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison, and taking them out, he said,
“Go, stand and speak to the people in the temple the whole message of this Life.” —Acts 5:18-20 LSB
-
Prison doors
See: Prisons
-
Sealant for doors
The practice of sealing doors with clay is still common in the East.
What are fenced cities in the Bible?
What does the Bible say about Angels?More Information
Answers about doorkeepers in the Bible- Knocking at doors
- Answers about gates in the Bible
- Answers about walls in the Bible
- houses
- What are The Temples mentioned in the Bible?