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Head coverings, or veils?
- Thread starter FollowingHim
- Start date
I heard that Sarah had to conform to a custom of married women, and wear a headcovering that covered up her eyes 20:16. I also heard that the covering up the eyes and face was a sign of prostitution - Tamar and her father in law. Those r the arguments for and against the burqa.
I don't think this is referring to a literal eye covering, but is figurative. However, it is very interesting to consider in light of 1 Corinthians 11, and I hadn't noticed it before.
I think Abimelech is saying that Abraham should be a figurative cover on Sarah's eyes, so she does not look at or go to another man. She should keep her eyes only looking at him, to keep her from looking at "all that are with thee", ie all other men in Abraham's tribe, and "with all other", ie external men such as Abimelech himself.Genesis 20:16 said:
However this does also directly parallel 1 Corinthians 11, where the literal covering is a representation of the husband's headship.
Genesis 38:15 does say he thought she was a prostitute "because she covered her face", but I think that means "he thought she was a prostitute because of where she was sitting and what she was wearing - and because she had covered her face, he didn't see she was actually his daughter-in-law". There is no direct indication in the text that only prostitutes wore veils.
On the contrary, Genesis 24:65 shows Rebecca veiling herself, and she certainly wasn't a prostitute.
It also makes you wonder if there wasn’t another reason besides darkness why Jacob didn’t recognize Leah. Maybe she was veiled also til the morning
Perhaps she was an identical twin?
Perhaps he saw what he expected on his long awaited wedding night?
Maybe in the morning he bumped into Rachel elsewhere?
The power of suggestion over perception is impressive.
My dad did an on the ground crash with a motorized hang glider. What shook him up the most was the reality that he never left the ground. He was used to flying at lower elevations and in his mind he was in the air in 80 feet. But the tire marks went all the way to the tree he hit.
Maybe he'd never seen either of them unveiled, only their eyes. Although he'd recognise the difference in the eyes alone, once he saw more he may not have noticed the eyes were for the wrong woman.
That's what I always assumed...
And it was dark; not much lighting once your under the covers with the new bride.
I’m trepidatious at the resurrection of this thread. I seem to remember it getting a wee bit contentious.
This is the only example in scripture of the wedding feast beginning before consummation. I have always assumed that was to get Jacob drunk enough to not notice the exchange of women. But it may take more than alcohol alone to fully succeed in such an extreme deception, it's a big undertaking!
Yeah, Laban's a tricky guy. I'm sure he pulled out all the stops. Hell, it was his sister's idea to dress Jacob up like Esau and have him wear goat's fur over his arms.
I'm sure that when Rachel and Laban were kids they were huge cosplay enthusiasts or something...
I'm sure that when Rachel and Laban were kids they were huge cosplay enthusiasts or something...
Never joined those dots before, seriously laughing aloud here, that's hilarious!
there are so many religions that cover their heads and even more styles. As a woman who wraps, it is a deeply personal choice I made a long time ago. There has been many scriptures sited so there isnt a need to post more. I believe that if you have a personal relationship with Yahweh, you know the scriptures He will tell you what He wants you to do. It really can't be based on what anyone person's thinks. Just listen and obey what HE is telling YOU. If He isnt directing you to cover maybe there is something else He is working on in you. For me it has to do with Headship. I will leave it there because that is between Him and I.
Anyway, I hope this helps someone out there.
Oops sorry for all the duplicate photos I don't know how that happened
The covering of the face below the eyes is a common contemporary depiction of how mid-east prostitutes denoted themselves; but I'm not sure how accurate that is or in what time periods/cultures it was the practice.
Sarah and Abraham were from the Mesopotamian culture; later Mesopotamian law (dated some time after) stipulated that wives wear a head covering in public and punished any harlots/handmaids who did so (or something along those lines). I'm sure the cultural practice well predated the law but how far back who knows.
@Patricia C, this actually isn't that relevant to the topic of women, but all your pictures just made me remember this handy wee reference, which could save someone's life... 
I remember reading in the book Man and Woman in Biblical Law that the author's interpretation of Paul's comments on head coverings in 1 Cor 11 was actually to set up a logical catch 22 situation to explain why women should not be teaching in the assembly. Basically, if a woman covers and teaches she dishonors God, if she uncovers to teach she dishonors her husband, so the only choice left is just to not teach. Basically 1 Cor 11 helps the reader come to the conclusion that 1 Cor 14 later makes explicit.
"For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints, the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church."
1 Corinthians 14:33-35 ESV
"For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints, the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church."
1 Corinthians 14:33-35 ESV
There are so many world religions that wrap or have some type of head covering. Including men. There are Jewish me who wear a head covering very simular to some that Islamists wear. We need to be careful how we judge someone based solely on the style of their head covering.@Patricia C, this actually isn't that relevant to the topic of women, but all your pictures just made me remember this handy wee reference, which could save someone's life...
View attachment 1574
Of course. That little infographic was posted mostly for amusement - Muslim 5 isn't even wearing a turban.
However, although it is amusing, Sikhs do have a real problem of being mistaken for Muslims by Westerners. I remember speaking to a government committee over here years ago, the only sensible member of the committee was a Sikh, and I was so impressed with him I've been careful not to mix them up ever since.
But you're right, just because someone has a round turban they're not necessarily a head-chopper, that image is deliberately an extreme caricature. Also, just because someone is a Sikh doesn't necessarily mean they're perfectly peaceful either. Humour uses stereotypes.
However, although it is amusing, Sikhs do have a real problem of being mistaken for Muslims by Westerners. I remember speaking to a government committee over here years ago, the only sensible member of the committee was a Sikh, and I was so impressed with him I've been careful not to mix them up ever since.
But you're right, just because someone has a round turban they're not necessarily a head-chopper, that image is deliberately an extreme caricature. Also, just because someone is a Sikh doesn't necessarily mean they're perfectly peaceful either. Humour uses stereotypes.