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Bible Encyclopedias
Clothing
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
or (garment, לְבוּשׁ, lebush', ἔνδυμα ). Immediately after the Fall, our first parents clothed themselves with the leaves of the fig-tree; afterwards with the skins of animals, Subsequently some method, we may suppose, was discovered for matting together the hair of animals and making a sort of felt-cloth. Later still the art of weaving was introduced, and a web was formed combining .the hair of animals with threads drawn from wool, cotton, or flax. The art of manufacturing cloths by spinning and weaving is of very great antiquity (Genesis 14:23; Genesis 41:42; Job 7:6). The Egyptians were celebrated for such manufactures The Hebrews, while dwelling among them, learned the art, and even excelled their teachers (1 Chronicles 4:21). (See WEAVING).
While wandering in the Arabian wilderness, they prepared the materials for covering the tabernacle, and wrought some of them with embroidery. Cotton (?) cloth was esteemed most valuable, next to that woolen and linen. That which was manufactured from the hair of animals was considered of least value. Silk is not mentioned at a very early period, unless it be so in Ezekiel 16:10; Ezekiel 16:13. This, however, is clear, that Alexander found silks in Persia, and it is more than probable that the Median dress adopted by the Persians under Cyrus was silk. It was not introduced among the nations of Europe until a late period. (See these various materials in their alphabetical order.) Garments woven or dyed of various colors were much esteemed in the East. They were generally made by women, and were occasionally tastefully embroidered (Genesis 27:3; Exodus 28:4-8; Exodus 39:3; Judges 5:30; Proverbs 31:21-24). The Asiatic modes of dress are nearly the same from age to ace, and hence much light is thrown by modern observation on the subject of the clothing of the Hebrews. (See COSTUME).
The principal articles of dress, with men, were the "cloak," "robe," or "mantle," constituting the ordinary outer garment; the "shirt," or tunic, forming the inner dress; the "turban" for the head; the "girdle" for confining the garments at the waist; and the "sandals" for the feet. To these were added, in the case of females, the "veil" for concealing the face, and, as a matter of ornament, the showy "head-dress," the ‘ necklaces," "bracelets," and "anklets," the jewelled rings for the ears and nose, with other occasional articles of effeminacy, as in Isaiah in. (See each of these words in its place.) (See ATTIRE).
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McClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Clothing'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tce/c/clothing.html. Harper & Brothers. New York. 1870.
