Bible Dictionaries
Skirt

Holman Bible Dictionary

An article of clothing. Three Hebrew words are translated “skirt.” 1. Kanaph refers to the four loose corners of a garment. David cut off one of these corners of Saul's robe to show he meant Saul no harm (1Samuel 24:4, 1 Samuel 24:11 ). “To reveal a skirt” (literal reading of Deuteronomy 22:30; Deuteronomy 27:20 ) is a euphemism for sexual relationships, since placing the skirt over a woman of marriageable age was the same as claiming her for marriage (Ruth 3:7-14 ). 2 . Peh , meaning “mouth,” is translated “skirts” in Psalm 130:2 (“collar” NIV, NRSV; “edge” NAS). 3. Shul refers to the part of a garment that hangs the closest to the ground. In some passages it refers to the loose garment of a woman. Several references to Jerusalem use this word figuratively to show her sin ( Jeremiah 13:22 ,Jeremiah 13:22,13:26; Lamentations 1:9; Nahum 3:5 ). The lifting of the skirt brought shame because the nakedness of a person was seen (Isaiah 47:1-3; Nahum 3:5 ). See Cloth, Clothing .