VEIL, SHAWL, COVERING

SPECIAL TOPIC: VEIL, SHAWL, COVERING

In the OT
1. A piece of woman's expected clothing (BDB 858, KB 1041)
  1. Gen. 24:65 ‒ Rebekah meets Isaac
    1. sign of respect
    2. sign of betrothal
  2. Gen. 38:14 ‒ Tamar's trick (see full note online)
    1. sign of prostitute
    2. could be "shawl", not "veil"
  3. Song of Songs
    1. veil ‒ BDB 855, S of S 4:1,3; 6:7 (for face)
    2. mantle ‒ BDB 921, Isa. 25:3; S of S 5:7 (for whole body)
2. Veil of Moses
  1. to protect the people ‒ BDB 691, Exod. 34:29-35; 2 Cor. 3:7
  2. to hide the glory leaving ‒ 2 Cor. 3:13
3. Dividing curtains in the tabernacle, BDB 827
  1. Lev. 4:16; 24:3
    1. boundary curtain/screen around the whole tabernacle area ‒ Exod. 27:16; 38:18; Num. 3:26
    2. a curtain/veil at the opening of the holy place (always open) ‒ Exod. 26:36-37; 35:15; Num 3:26
    3. a curtain/veil before the holy of holies (always closed) ‒ Exod. 26:31-35; 35:12; 40:21; Lev. 24:3
  2. 2 Chron. 3:14 (also found in later temple of Solomon)
4. Expected face covering, BDB 974
  1. leprosy ‒ Lev. 13:45
  2. clothing as sign of grieving
    1. inappropriate ‒ Ezek. 24:17,22
    2. appropriate ‒ Micah 3:7
In the NT
1. Inner veil of the temple ‒ Matt. 27:50-51 (torn from top to bottom showing God in Christ has opened up access to Himself)
2. A piece of expected woman's clothing ‒ 1 Corinthians 11
  1. to show unmarried woman
  2. sign of humility for married women (whether the color or design was different from "A" is uncertain)
3. Imagery for truth being veiled ‒ Isa. 25:7; 2 Cor. 3:12-18; 4:1-6