Topic
Hem
8 passages cited, from 2 classic reference works.
These works date from 1897–1915 and are in the public domain. They reflect the Protestant scholarship of their time: their history, archaeology and dates can be out of date, and where they interpret, other traditions read the text differently. The verses are shown in the King James Version, the wording these works were written against.
The verses
The passages the works cite, those cited by more of them first.
- Matthew 23:5Easton · ISBE
But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
- Numbers 15:37ISBE
¶ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
- Numbers 15:38Easton
Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue:
- Numbers 15:39Easton
And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:
- Deuteronomy 22:12ISBE
¶ Thou shalt make thee fringes upon the four quarters of thy vesture, wherewith thou coverest thyself.
- Matthew 9:20ISBE
¶ And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:
- Matthew 14:36ISBE
And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.
- Luke 8:44Easton
Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.
In the reference works
Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897) · 6 references
Of a garment, the fringe of a garment. The Jews attached much importance to these, because of the regulations in Num. 15:38, 39. These borders or fringes were in process of time enlarged so as to attract special notice (Matt. 23:5). The hem of Christ’s garment touched (9:20; 14:36; Luke 8:44).
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915) · 5 references
(kraspedon): The classic instance of the use of "hem" in the New Testament is Mt 9:20 the King James Version (compare Mt 14:36), where the woman "touched the hem of his (Christ's) garment." The reference is to the fringe or tassel with its traditional blue thread which the faithful Israelite was directed to wear on the corners of the outer garment (Nu 15:37 ff; De 22:12). Great importance came to be attached to it, the ostentatious Pharisees making it very broad or large (Mt 23:5). Here the woman clearly thought there might be peculiar virtue in touching the tassel or fringe of Jesus' garment. Elsewhere the word is rendered BORDER (which see).
George B. Eager
Texts: Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897); International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915), from the CrossWire SWORD modules (public domain). Verse references were parsed from the works' own markup and checked against the KJV verse list.