What are mantles in The Bible?

Answer 1

The following information is from Insight on the Scriptures, volume 1, DRESS, subheading Outer Garments: ---- The sim·lah´ (Heb.), "mantle," was the outermost garment worn by the majority. It was also the largest and heaviest, made of wool, linen, or goat hair, and perhaps, in some cases, of sheepskin or goatskin. The mantle was often the garment that was ripped to express grief. (Ge 37:34; 44:13; Jos 7:6) It seems to have been a large rectangular piece of material, usually placed on the left shoulder, brought up under the right arm from behind, drawn across the chest and thrown back over the left shoulder again, leaving the right arm free. In bad weather it was drawn around the body more closely, over both arms, and even covering the head. It was occasionally in the form of a large square piece of material with slits for the arms. The mantle, comparable in some respects to our shawl, could be used as a covering (Ge 9:23), as bed clothing (Ex 22:27; De 22:17), and to bind or wrap up articles.-Ex 12:34; Jg 8:25; 1Sa 21:9. The sim·lah´ was worn by both men and women, the woman's being distinguishable from the man's, perhaps in size, color, and decoration such as embroidery. God commanded that a woman should not wear a man's garment, nor a man a woman's mantle; this command doubtless being given in order to prevent sex abuses.-De 22:5. A poor man might have only one mantle, but the well-to-do had several changes. (Ex 22:27; De 10:18; Ge 45:22) Because it was the poor person's covering during the chilly nights, it was forbidden to take a widow's garment as a pledge or to keep the garment of a poor man overnight, the mantle here being referred to primarily.-De 24:13, 17.