### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **gâg**, represented by `{{H1406}}`, refers to a **roof** or, by analogy, the **top of an altar**. It appears **30 times** across **27 unique verses** in the Bible. This term signifies the uppermost, exposed surface of a structure, primarily a house or an altar, and was a place of significant activity in biblical life.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In biblical narratives, `{{H1406}}` serves as a setting for pivotal moments and everyday life. It was a place of private contemplation, as when David{H1732} walked upon the **roof** of the king's{H4428} house{H1004} and saw Bathsheba [[2 Samuel 11:2]]. It was also a place of public display and political statements, such as when Absalom{H53} spread a tent{H168} upon the **top of the house** to be with his father's concubines{H6370} in the sight{H5869} of all Israel{H3478} [[2 Samuel 16:22]]. Roofs were used for illicit worship, where people offered incense{H6999} to Baal{H1168} [[Jeremiah 32:29]] and worshipped{H7812} the host{H6635} of heaven{H8064} [[Zephaniah 1:5]]. Conversely, they were used for refuge, as when Rahab hid the spies with stalks{H6086} of flax{H6593} upon the **roof** [[Joshua 2:6]], and for important communion, where Samuel{H8050} spoke with Saul{H7586} [[1 Samuel 9:25]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help clarify the function and context of the roof:
* `{{H1004}}` **bayith** (house): This is the structure that `{{H1406}}` typically covers. The phrase "roof of his house" appears multiple times, linking the two concepts directly [[Nehemiah 8:16]].
* `{{H4624}}` **maʻăqeh** (battlement): A key safety feature for a roof. Scripture commands that when one builds{H1129} a new{H2319} house{H1004}, a **battlement** must be made for the **roof** to prevent falls and bloodguilt{H1818} [[Deuteronomy 22:8]].
* `{{H1129}}` **bânâh** (to build): The act of constructing a house, which culminates in its roof. This verb is used in the command to add a battlement when you **buildest** a new house [[Deuteronomy 22:8]].
* `{{H5944}}` **ʻălîyâh** (upper chamber): A room on the second story or roof. King Ahaz{H271} had made{H6213} altars{H4196} on the **top** of the **upper chamber**, which King Josiah later destroyed [[2 Kings 23:12]].
* `{{H4196}}` **mizbêach** (altar): The word `{{H1406}}` is also used for the **top** of the altar of incense, which was to be overlaid{H6823} with pure{H2889} gold{H2091} ([[Exodus 30:3]], [[Exodus 37:26]]).
### Theological Significance
The use of `{{H1406}}` carries significant practical and metaphorical weight.
* **A Place of Worship and Judgment:** Housetops became unauthorized "high places" for burning incense{H6999} to false gods{H430}, an act that provoked{H3707} the LORD{H3068} and led to judgment upon Jerusalem{H3389} and Judah{H3063} ([[Jeremiah 19:13]], [[Jeremiah 32:29]]).
* **A Symbol of Vulnerability:** The fleeting nature of life is compared to **grass** on the **housetops**, which withers{H3001} quickly because it has no deep roots ([[Psalms 129:6]], [[2 Kings 19:26]], [[Isaiah 37:27]]).
* **A Stage for Public Proclamation:** The open and visible nature of the roof made it a place for public acts, whether for mourning and howling{H3213} in Moab{H4124} ([[Isaiah 15:3]], [[Jeremiah 48:38]]) or for making a defiant political statement as Absalom{H53} did [[2 Samuel 16:22]].
* **A Space for Sacred Responsibility:** The law mandating a battlement{H4624} for the **roof** underscores the biblical principle of protecting life and preventing accidental death [[Deuteronomy 22:8]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H1406}}` denotes far more than just the covering of a building. It represents a versatile and vital space in the ancient world, functioning as an area for living, hiding, worship, and public display. From the private sins of a king to the public defiance of a rebellious son, and from illicit worship to the cries of a nation in mourning, the **roof** serves as a powerful backdrop for some of Scripture's most profound human and divine dramas.
TRV