Lap
Lap
( 2. Kings 4:39, a garment, as elsewhere; , Pro 16:33, the bosom, as elsewhere; Neh 5:13, the armful, as in Isa 49:22), the fold of the raiment in which Orientals are accustomed to carry articles in lieu of pockets. Instead of the fibula or clasp that was used by the Romans, the Arabs join together with thread, or with a wooden bodkin, the two top corners of their upper garment; and, after having placed them first over one of their shoulders, they then fold the rest of it about their bodies. The outer fold serves them frequently instead of an apron, in which they carry hlerbs, loaves, corn, and other articles, and may illustrate several allusions made to it in Scripture: thus one of the sons of the prophets went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered thereof wild gourds his lap full (2Ki 4:39). The Psalmist offers up his prayers that Jehovah would “render unto his neighbors sevenfold into their bosom their reproach” (Psa 19:12). The same allusion occurs in our Lord’s direction, “Give, and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom” (Luk 6:38). SEE BOSOM; SEE DRESS.
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Lap
The word is the translation of three different Hebrew expressions: , hek (Pro 16:33), , beghedh (2Ki 4:39), and , hocen (Neh 5:13, besides , hecen, Psa 129:7). In all these passages the meaning is that of a part of oriental clothing, probably the folds of the garment covering the bosom or lap of a person. The flowing garments of Orientals invite the use of the same, on the part of speakers, in driving home certain truths enunciated by impressive gesticulation. Every reader of Roman history recalls the impressive incident of Quintus Fabius Maximus (Cunctator), who, in 219 BC, was ambassador of Rome to Carthage, and who, before the city council, holding the folds of his toga in the shape of a closed pouch, declared that he held enclosed in the same both peace and war, whichever the Carthaginians should desire to choose. When the Carthaginians clamored for war, he opened the folds of his garment and said: Then you shall have war! Very much like it, Nehemiah, when pleading for united efforts for the improvement of social order, addressed the priests of Jerusalem to get a pledge of their cooperation: Also I shook out my lap (hocen), and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, that performeth not this promise; even thus be he shaken out, and emptied (Neh 5:13).
In English Versions of the Bible the verb to lap is found, which has no etymological connection with the above-mentioned nouns. It is in Hebrew , lakak and refers to the loud licking up of water by dogs (1Ki 21:19; 1Ki 22:38 the King James Version), and in the story of Gideon’s battle against the Midianites, of his 300 warriors (Jdg 7:5 ff).