Matthew 24:17

“Let him which is on the housetop, etc.] Who should be there either for his devotion or recreation; for the houses of the Jews were built with flat roofs and battlements about them, which they made use of both for diversion and pleasure, and for private meditation and prayer, for social conversation, and sometimes for public preaching; (see <401027>Matthew 10:27, <441009> Acts 10:9) not come down to take anything out of his house: that is, let him not come down in the inner way, but by the stairs, or ladder, on the outside of the house, which was usual. They had two ways of going out of, and into their houses; the one they call f1382, µyjtp Ærd, “the way of the doors”; the other, ˆygg Ærd,…”

“Him which is on the house-top - The roofs of the houses in Eastern countries were made flat, so that they were favorable places for walking and retirement. See the notes at Matthew 9:1-8. The meaning here is, that He who should be on the house-top when this calamity came upon the city “should flee without delay;” He should not even take time to secure any article of apparel from his house. So sudden would be the calamity, that by attempting to do this He would endanger his life. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Let not him that is on the house top come down to take any thing out of his house - It may be remembered that their stairs used to be on the outside of their houses. Matthew 24:19”

“which: Mat 6:25; Job 2:4; Pro 6:4, Pro 6:5; Mar 13:15, Mar 13:16; Luk 17:31-33 the housetop: Mat 10:27; Deu 22:8 Matthew 24:19”