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Bible Terms and Customs: Cloth

Cloth. Cloth was woven, dyed, and dressed with soap by the Hebrews, and made from flax, silk, and wool.

Coal. There is no coal in Palestine, though lignite is found. A "fire of coals" was probably a charcoal fire.

Coat. A coat was a square garment of fine lamb's wool worn by every male Israelite. There was a hole in the centre for the head to go through, and it hung down before and behind At each corner were fringes signifying the enactments of the law, and a hem of blue representing the holiness of God's people. It was a coat by day, a covering by night, a shroud in the grave. If seized by a creditor it had to be returned at sunset, This was the seamless coat of Jesus, whose hem the woman with the issue touched.

Couch. In the houses of the rich there was a framework called a couch, on which mattresses were spread to form divans for use by day. Daysman. One who fixes " a day" for hearing and arbitrating a dispute. Elders. A body of men selected for wisdom and experience to administer justice in different localities.

Gall was given to persons undergoing crucifixion to deaden pain. Gate. The gate of a city was the place of public assembly for business, judgment, and legislation. It was the Exchange, Court House, and Council Chamber of the time.

Hell. This word is from a root meaning "to hide," so that the original meaning is "the hidden or unseen place." It serves as the translation of two words: Sheol (Heb), the abode of departed spirits, and Gehenna (Heb.), the valley of Hinnom, in which persons convicted of aggravated wilful murder were burnt to death, hence it was a place of torment and "hell-fire." Hospitality was incumbent on every Hebrew.

Houses. They were generally of one story, but the houses of the rich in towns were three stories, the ground floor being the day rooms, the first floor the bedrooms, and the upper story the devotional room.

Kin. The distinction of kindred were not accurately defined. All collateral relations were called "brothers" or "sisters," those of further degree were cousins, and descendants in direct line, however remote, were "sons" or "daughters." " Linen-cloth. This was the cere-cloth imbued with unguents and spices in which a dead body was wrapped as a partial embalment, where the poverty of the relatives precluded them from undertaking the complete process Marriage. This ceremony was performed in the "upper chamber" of private houses. The bethrothed pair stood under a canopy, the bride being veiled, both wearing crowns, which were several times exchanged during the ceremony. The minister was not a priest, nor necessarily a rabbi, but an elder. It was always followed by a feast, and rice was showered on the pair. Mill. This was not a building, but a pair of mill-stones of granit or basalt; the one stationary, the other loose.

Obeisance was the salutation to a superior. The head was bowed and the body inclined forward, the hands extended palms downwards. It varied to complete prostration of the forehead in the dust according to the rank of the person saluted.

Oracles were the responses gained by divination.

Pillows were wooden stands supporting a crescent-shaped frame thickly padded, which fitted into the arm-pits sustaining the body.

Pins were made principally of wood, often the spikes of the nubk thorn, 2 inches long. The rich used ivory pins.