And when they could not find by what way,.... As by the door, or in at a window of the house: they might bring him in; to Jesus, in the house: because of the multitude; which was about the door, and all the fore part of the house: they went upon the housetop; by a ladder, or pair of stairs, which usually were on the outside of houses; See Gill on Mat 24:17 the houses of the Jews being flat roofed: and let him down through the tiling with his couch, into the midst before Jesus; that is, they untiled the roof, or took away the tiles which were about the trap door, or passage, into the inside of the house; and so making it wider, let down the man upon his couch, or bed, into the middle of the room and of the people, just before Jesus, where he was sitting; See Gill on Mar 2:4.