Topical Encyclopedia
In biblical times, the concept of a "rug" as understood in modern terms may not have been prevalent, but similar items such as mats, carpets, or woven fabrics were used for various purposes, including sitting, sleeping, and ceremonial functions. The Bible, while not explicitly mentioning "rugs," provides insights into the use of textiles and woven materials in ancient Near Eastern culture.
Cultural ContextIn the ancient Near East, textiles were an essential part of daily life. They were used for clothing, shelter, and domestic purposes. The art of weaving was highly developed, and materials such as wool, flax, and sometimes silk were used to create various fabrics. These textiles could be dyed in vibrant colors and were often decorated with intricate patterns.
Biblical ReferencesWhile the term "rug" is not directly mentioned in the Bible, several passages refer to items that could be considered similar in function or form:
·
Mats and Carpets: In the account of the paralytic man in
Mark 2:4, the friends of the man lower him through the roof on a mat. The Greek word used here, "krabattos," can be translated as "pallet" or "mat," indicating a woven item used for lying down. "And when they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on" (
Mark 2:4).
·
Tapestries and Coverings:
Proverbs 7:16 mentions the use of coverings and tapestries, which could be akin to rugs in their decorative and functional use: "I have decked my bed with coverings, with colored linens from Egypt" (
Proverbs 7:16). This suggests the use of luxurious and decorative fabrics in domestic settings.
·
Tabernacle and Temple: The construction of the Tabernacle and later the Temple involved the use of fine woven materials.
Exodus 26 describes the curtains of the Tabernacle made of "finely twisted linen and blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, with cherubim skillfully worked into them" (
Exodus 26:1). These curtains served both a practical and symbolic purpose, similar to how rugs might be used for both utility and decoration.
Symbolism and SignificanceTextiles in the Bible often carry symbolic meanings. They can represent wealth, status, and divine craftsmanship. The use of fine materials in the Tabernacle and Temple signifies the holiness and beauty of God's dwelling place. Similarly, the mention of luxurious fabrics in Proverbs highlights themes of seduction and allure.
Practical UseIn everyday life, woven items like mats and carpets would have been used for sitting, sleeping, and as floor coverings. They provided comfort and insulation from the ground. In nomadic cultures, such as that of the Israelites during their wilderness wanderings, portable woven items would have been essential for setting up temporary living spaces.
ConclusionWhile the Bible does not explicitly mention "rugs," the use of woven textiles is evident throughout the Scriptures. These items served practical, decorative, and symbolic purposes, reflecting the culture and values of the biblical world.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) A kind of coarse, heavy frieze, formerly used for garments.
2. (n.) A piece of thick, nappy fabric, commonly made of wool, -- used for various purposes, as for covering and ornamenting part of a bare floor, for hanging in a doorway, for protecting a portion of carpet, for a wrap to protect the legs from cold, etc.
3. (n.) A rough, woolly, or shaggy dog.
4. (v. t.) To pull roughly or hastily; to plunder; to spoil; to tear.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
RUGrug: Alternative rendering of a word (semikhah) inJudges 4:18 the Revised Version (British and American), "mantle" the King James Version. The translation is doubtful; Oxford Hebrew Lexicon; see Brown, Driver, and Briggs gives "rug or thick coverlet (?)."
Strong's Hebrew
8063. semikah -- perhapsrug, thick coverlet... 8062, 8063. semikah. 8064 . perhaps
rug, thick coverlet. Transliteration:
semikah Phonetic Spelling: (sem-ee-kaw') Short Definition:
rug.
...6844. tsaphith -- arug, carpet
... 6843, 6844. tsaphith. 6845 . arug, carpet. Transliteration: tsaphith
Phonetic Spelling: (tsaw-feeth') Short Definition: cloth....
Library
The Right to what I Consider a Normal Standard of Living
... My mind goes back to a simple missionary home in China, with a cheap
rug on the painted boards of the living-room floor....
Misery
... How hast thou lost them in a crowd of cares! Thou pull'st therug [62] , and wilt
not rise,.... [61] quarrel, used actively. [62]rug, apparently, counterpane....
Those Days it was Near Twelve O'Clock by the Great Dial of History...
... "She is indeed beautiful in the yellow tunic. I should think that scarletrug had
caught fire and wrapped her in its flame," said the poet Ovid....
"He is More Honored than Jupiter These Days," the Philosopher was...
... Head, yes; the reverse, no.". "Let me try." She flung it to the oaken beams and
it fell on the greatrug beside her. "Madame, the hand is up," said Vergilius....
Christ's Birth
... visible. The Blessed Virgin knelt on herrug in an ample ungirt robe spread
out round her, her face turned towards the east. At...
The Purification of Mary
... today. The Blessed Virgin was generally alone in her room with the Child,
who lay on arug on a low ledge projecting from the wall....
Light after Darkness
... On a housetop in Memphis, a gentlewoman, in a single gauze slip and many jewels,
lounged on arug and gazed at nothing across the city....
Whom the Lady Miriam Sent
... The interior was not yet fully furnished. Arug of Memphian weave covered
the sand and a taboret was placed in the center. Presently...
If You Give a Grape to Him when Hungry...
... [3550] The ms. reads discriminare, discernere, with the latter word, however,
marked as spurious. [3551] A kind ofrug. [3552] Mitra....
How to Speak in Public
... We choose every piece of furniture,rug, picture, and drapery with a distinct purpose
in view of what the total effect will be. So with a well-furnished mind....
Thesaurus
Rug (1 Occurrence)...RUG.
rug: Alternative rendering of a word (semikhah) in Judges 4:18 the Revised
Version (British and American), "mantle" the King James Version.
...Rufus (2 Occurrences)
Rugged (7 Occurrences)
Assyria (124 Occurrences)
... Therug, of which the Persianrug is the modern representative, was a
Babylonian invention. IX. Language, Literature and Science....
Ja'el (6 Occurrences)
... to meet Sis'era, and said to him, "Turn aside, my lord, turn aside to me; have no
fear." So he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with arug...
Thyatira (4 Occurrences)
... call Geurdeuk Chai. The chief modern industry isrug-making. EJ Banks.
Multi-Version Concordance Thyatira (4 Occurrences). Acts 16...
Mantle (35 Occurrences)
... (3.) Semikah, "arug," the garment which Jael threw as a covering over Sisera
(Judges 4:18). The Hebrew word occurs nowhere else in Scripture....
Carpet (1 Occurrence)
... a floor covering made in breadths to be sewed together and nailed to the floor,
as distinguished from arug or mat; originally, also, a wrought cover for tables...
Serug (6 Occurrences)
... SERUG. se'-rug (serugh; Serouch): Son of Reu and great-grandfather of Abraham (Genesis
11:20 1 Chronicles 1:26 Luke 3:35). Multi-Version Concordance...
Sis'era (19 Occurrences)
... to meet Sis'era, and said to him, "Turn aside, my lord, turn aside to me; have no
fear." So he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with arug...
Resources
How can a Christian avoid being a doormat for other people? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does the Bible say about forgiveness? What does it mean to forgive? | GotQuestions.orgWho was Diotrephes in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgRug: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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