The Hebrew noun petach (פֶּתַח) means an opening, door, entrance, or gateway. It appears over 160 times in the Old Testament — in architectural contexts, sacrificial settings, and profound theological moments.
Petach marks moments of encounter and decision. At the petach of the tent of meeting, Israel met with God (Exodus 29:42). The blood on the doorposts and lintels (petach) of the houses in Egypt protected Israel from the destroyer (Exodus 12:7) — the most dramatic doorway in Scripture. In Proverbs, Wisdom calls out at the petach of the city gate (Proverbs 8:3). Genesis 4:7 warns Cain: 'Sin is crouching at the door (petach)' — a vivid portrait of temptation waiting at the threshold. In the New Testament, Jesus declares 'I am the door (thura)' (John 10:9) — the singular entrance to salvation. Every biblical doorway points to the One who is the Way.