Bible Dictionary
Breeches
Breeches were linen undergarments worn by Israel’s priests beneath their other priestly garments. They extended from the waist toward the knee or lower and provided modesty during sacred service.
Definition
Breeches were linen undergarments worn by Israel’s priests. They covered each leg separately and extended from the waist to around the knee, below it, or in some descriptions to the ankle. They were worn beneath the other priestly garments.
Biblical Usage
Priestly breeches were required for sacred service. Aaron wore them with the linen coat, girdle, and turban when entering the holy place on the Day of Atonement. Ordinary priests also wore them on sacrificial occasions.
Historical Background
The biblical term refers to a garment resembling trousers rather than an ordinary item of Israelite dress. The meaning of some similar garments mentioned in Daniel is uncertain, with ancient versions giving different interpretations.
Scripture References
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Easton's Bible Dictionary
(Ex. 28:42), rather linen drawers, reaching from the waist to a little above the knee, worn by the priests (Ezek. 44:17, 18).
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>brich'-iz, brech'-iz: A garment, extending from the waist to or just below the knee or to the ankle, and covering each leg separately. Breeches are not listed among the garments of an ordinary wardrobe, but the priests in later times (Ex 20:26) wore a garment resembling modern trousers. These priestly linen breeches, mikhnece bhadh, were worn along with the linen coat, the linen girdle and the linen turban by Aaron on the Day of Atonement, when he entered the "holy place." (The word mikhnece is derived from a root, kanac = ganaz, "to cover up," "hide.") Ordinary priests also wore them on sacrificial occasions (Ex 28:42; 39:28; Le 6:10; Eze 44:18). Apart from the breeches just referred to, the only reference to a similar garment among the Israelites is found in Da 3:21, where the carbal, the Revised Version (British and American) "hosen," is mentioned. (The King James Version translates "coats.") The rendering of the King James Version is the more likely, though the meaning of the Aramaic sarbal is obscure (compare the thorough discussion in Ges., Thesaurus). In Targum and Talmud (compare Levy, NHWB, under the word), and is so taken by the rabbinical commentators. Still, Aquila and Theodotion (sarabara), Septuagint in Da 3:27, Symmachus (anaxurides), Peshitta, express the meaning "trousers" (of a looser kind than those worn by us), a garment known (from Herodotus and other sources) to have been worn by the ancient Scythians and Persians, and to have been called by them sarabara. The word, with the same connotation, was brought into the Arabic in the form sirwal. In both these senses the word may be originally Persian: in that of mantle, meaning properly (according to Andreas) a "head-covering" (sarabara), for which in Persia the peasants often use their mantle; in that of "trousers," corresponding to the modern Persian shalwar, "under-breeches." Cook has pointed out that "mantles, long-flowing robes, and therefore extremely liable to catch the flames," are more likely to be especially mentioned in this chapter than trousers, or (Revised Version) "hosen."</p><p>The word paTish (Da 3:21), is also uncertain. The Septuagint and Theodotion render tiarai, "turbans"; Peshitta has the same word, which is variously taken by Syrian lexicographers as "tunic," "trousers," or a kind of "gaiter" (Payne Smith, Thes. Syriac., col. 3098). (For further discussion of these words, compare commentaries on Da of Jour. Phil., XXVI, 307 if.)</p><p>In general, we must remember that a thorough discussion of Israelite "dress" is impossible, because of the limitations of our sources.</p><p>H. J. Wolf</p>