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Bible Dictionaries
Mitre
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible
or MITRE. With the exception of Zechariah 3:6 where it represents the Heb. tsânîph or turban (for which see Dress, § 5 a ), and Ezekiel 21:26 RV [Note: Revised Version.] (see below), ‘mitre’ in EV [Note: English Version.] is used exclusively of the characteristic headdress of the Jewish high priest. The ‘mitre’ (Heb. mitsnepheth , from the same root, signifying to ‘wind round,’ as tsanîph ) was an elaborate species of turban, composed of a long swathe of ‘fine linen’ ( Exodus 28:39 ), 16 cubits in length, according to the Talmud. Its precise form, however, is uncertain; the descriptions given by Josephus of the high-priestly mitre of his day, besides being obscure in themselves, agree neither with one another nor with the OT text.
On the now common assumption that the Priests’ Code originated in Babylonia, it is probable that the mitre was intended to have the conical form characteristic of the tiara of the Babylonian kings. For ornament it had ‘a plate of gold,’ on which were engraved two Hebrew words signifying ‘holiness to J″ [Note: Jahweh.] ’ (Exodus 28:36 , Leviticus 8:9 : cf. Sir 45:12 ). The plate rested on the front of the mitre, and was kept in position by a blue-purple ribbon ( Exodus 28:37; Exodus 39:31 ), which probably served as a fillet and was tied behind, perhaps with the ends hanging down, as in the case of the jewelled diadem or fillet worn by the Assyrian kings. Hence the fillet could be described as ‘the holy crown’ ( Leviticus 8:9 ), and by ben-Sira as ‘a diadem (EV [Note: English Version.] ‘crown’) of gold upon the mitre’ ( Sir 45:12 ). The royal crown of Judah, according to Ezekiel ( Ezekiel 21:26 ), consisted of the same two parts (see Heb. text in each case): ‘remove the mitre (RV [Note: Revised Version.] ), and take off the diadem (EV [Note: English Version.] ‘crown’).’ This passage is our warrant for saying that the headdress prescribed for the high priest in the Priests’ Code, consisting of mitre and diadem, is intended to signify that the high priest shall unite in his person the highest office in both Church and State.
The headdress of the high priest is always distinguished from that of his subordinates, for which see Bonnet.
A. R. S. Kennedy.
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Hastings, James. Entry for 'Mitre'. Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/hdb/m/mitre.html. 1909.
