Bible Dictionaries
Dress

(A) The "coat" (kethoneth), of wool, cotton, or linen, was worn by both sexes. It was a closely-fitting garment, resembling in use and form our shirt (John 19:23 ). It was kept close to the body by a girdle (John 21:7 ). A person wearing this "coat" alone was described as naked (1 Samuel 19:24; Isaiah 20:2; 2 Kings 6:30; John 21:7 ); deprived of it he would be absolutely naked.

(B) A linen cloth or wrapper (sadin) of fine linen, used somewhat as a night-shirt (Mark 14:51 ). It is mentioned in Judges 14:12,13 , and rendered there "sheets."

(C) An upper tunic (meil), longer than the "coat" (1 Samuel 2:19; 24:4; 28:14 ). In 1 Samuel 28:14 it is the mantle in which Samuel was enveloped; in 1 Samuel 24:4 it is the "robe" under which Saul slept. The disciples were forbidden to wear two "coats" ( Matthew 10:10; Luke 9:3 ).

(D) The usual outer garment consisted of a piece of woollen cloth like a Scotch plaid, either wrapped round the body or thrown over the shoulders like a shawl, with the ends hanging down in front, or it might be thrown over the head so as to conceal the face (2 Samuel 15:30; Esther 6:12 ). It was confined to the waist by a girdle, and the fold formed by the overlapping of the robe served as a pocket (2 Kings 4:39; Psalm 79:12; Haggai 2:12; Proverbs 17:23; 21:14 ).

Female dress. The "coat" was common to both sexes (Song of Solomon 5:3 ). But peculiar to females were (1) the "veil" or "wimple," a kind of shawl (Ruth 3:15; rendered "mantle," RSV, Isaiah 3:22 ); (2) the "mantle," also a species of shawl (Isaiah 3:22 ); (3) a "veil," probably a light summer dress (Genesis 24:65 ); (4) a "stomacher," a holiday dress (Isaiah 3:24 ). The outer garment terminated in an ample fringe or border, which concealed the feet (Isaiah 47:2; Jeremiah 13:22 ).

The dress of the Persians is described in Daniel 3:21 .

The reference to the art of sewing are few, inasmuch as the garments generally came forth from the loom ready for being worn, and all that was required in the making of clothes devolved on the women of a family (Proverbs 31:22; Acts 9:39 ).

Extravagance in dress is referred to in Jeremiah 4:30; Ezekiel 16:10; Zephaniah 1:8 (RSV, "foreign apparel"); 1 Timothy 2:9; 1 Peter 3:3 . Rending the robes was expressive of grief (Genesis 37:29,34 ), fear (1 Kings 21:27 ), indignation (2 Kings 5:7 ), or despair (Judges 11:35; Esther 4:1 ).

Shaking the garments, or shaking the dust from off them, was a sign of renunciation (Acts 18:6 ); wrapping them round the head, of awe (1 Kings 19:13 ) or grief (2 Samuel 15:30; casting them off, of excitement (Acts 22:23 ); laying hold of them, of supplication (1 Samuel 15:27 ). In the case of travelling, the outer garments were girded up (1 Kings 18:46 ). They were thrown aside also when they would impede action (Mark 10:50; John 13:4; Acts 7:58 ).