Garments were originally provided by God for Adam and Eve. Kings and priests were given special garments. God's people should neither be unduly anxious about how they dress, nor judge others by what they wear. Inner clothing is more important than outer adornment.
The origin of clothing
And the LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and He clothed them.
Various regulations regarding clothing
See also Leviticus 15:1–27; Deuteronomy 22:5, Deuteronomy 22:11–12
Special clothing for priests
Exodus 28:1–5, Exodus 29:5–6, Exodus 39:1; Leviticus 8:7–9; Ezekiel 44:17–19
Rich clothing a sign of wealth or status
Genesis 41:42; 2 Samuel 13:18; Esther 6:8–9, Esther 8:15; Psalm 45:13–14; Daniel 5:7; Luke 16:19; Acts 12:21
The Israelites' clothing did not wear out in the desert wanderings
Deuteronomy 8:4, Deuteronomy 29:5; Nehemiah 9:21
Clothing as a symbol of fragility and perishability
Isaiah 51:8 See also Isaiah 50:9
For the moth will devour them like a garment, and the worm will eat them like wool. But My righteousness will last forever, My salvation through all generations.”
Symbolic actions involving clothing
The hem or corner of a garment
Ruth 3:9 The corner of a garment spread over a person denotes protection and possession.; Zechariah 8:23; Matthew 9:20 parallel Luke 8:44; John 20:17; 1 Samuel 15:27, 1 Samuel 24:4–5; Genesis 37:29, Genesis 37:34, Genesis 44:13; Leviticus 10:62 Samuel 3:31
Then David ordered Joab and all the people with him, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner.” And King David himself walked behind the funeral bier.
Provision of rich clothing a picture of God's love
See also Ezekiel 16:10–13; Luke 15:22
Examples of unusual clothing
Joseph's richly ornamented robe
Genesis 37:3, Genesis 37:23, Genesis 37:32
The dress of Elijah and John the Baptist
2 Kings 1:8; Matthew 3:4 parallel Mark 1:6
Isaiah's lack of clothing a prophetic sign
The mock robing of Jesus Christ
Matthew 27:28 parallels Mark 15:17, John 19:2; Luke 23:11
Gambling at the cross for Jesus Christ's clothing
Matthew 27:35 parallels Mark 15:24, Luke 23:34, John 19:23–24; Psalm 22:18
Women and clothing
Women praised for making clothing
Proverbs 31:21, Proverbs 31:24; Acts 9:39
Women urged to dress modestly
1 Timothy 2:9 See also 1 Peter 3:3
Likewise, I want the women to adorn themselves with respectable apparel, with modesty, and with self-control, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes,
Believers not to be unduly anxious about clothing
Matthew 6:28–30 parallel Luke 12:27–28
Believers not to discriminate because of clothing
My brothers, as you hold out your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, do not show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you lavish attention on the man in fine clothes and say, “Here is a seat of honor,” but say to the poor man, “You must stand” or “Sit at my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
Inner clothing more important than outer adornment
1 Peter 3:3–4 See also 1 Samuel 16:7; Proverbs 31:25; Isaiah 52:1, Isaiah 61:3; Colossians 3:12; 1 Timothy 2:9–10; 1 Peter 5:5
Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair or gold jewelry or fine clothes, but from the inner disposition of your heart, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in God’s sight.
The robe of righteousness
Isaiah 61:10 See also Job 29:14; Psalm 132:9, Psalm 132:16; Zechariah 3:3–5; Matthew 22:1–14; 2 Corinthians 5:2–4; Revelation 3:17–18, Revelation 19:8
I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation and wrapped me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom wears a priestly headdress, as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
White clothing, the clothing of heaven
The transfiguration of Jesus Christ
Matthew 17:2 parallels Mark 9:3, Luke 9:29
There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
The angels at the tomb
See also Matthew 28:3 parallels Mark 16:5, Luke 24:4; John 20:12
The vision of the redeemed
Revelation 3:4–5 See also Revelation 3:18, Revelation 4:4, Revelation 6:11, Revelation 7:9
But you do have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments, and because they are worthy, they will walk with Me in white. Like them, he who overcomes will be dressed in white. And I will never blot out his name from the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father and His angels.
The vision of the exalted Christ
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.