Closet
Closet
(, chuppah’, a covering, Joe 2:16), a bridal couch, with curtains, rendered by our translators chamber in Psa 19:5. SEE BED. The Jews still employ the same word to designate the canopy under which’ among them, the nuptial ceremony is performed. SEE MARRIAGE.
The word in the N.T. rendered closet is , signifying properly a store-house (as in Luk 12:24); hence any place of privacy and retirement (Mat 6:6; Luk 12:3). SEE PRAYER.
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Closet
as used in the New Testament, signifies properly a storehouse (Luke 12: 24), and hence a place of privacy and retirement (Matt. 6:6; Luke 12:3).
Fuente: Easton’s Bible Dictionary
Closet
CLOSET ().Mat 6:6, Luk 12:3 Authorized Version .
The older form of the Gr word was (found in some NT MSS [Note: SS Manuscripts.] ), but the later language frequently shows the coalescence of two following sounds.* [Note: J. H. Moulton in Expositor, 6th ser. ix. [1904] 361: , and are overwhelmingly attested by the papyri, where there are only rare examples of a curious reversion, like that in Mat 20:22 (where WH read , elsewhere ); cf. Liddell and Scott sub voce, WH, Notes on Orthography, n. 146170. The Textus Receptus, according to Scrivener, has the older form in Mat 6:6, but the later one in the three other places.] The etymology (cf. , distributor, treasurer, steward, etc., akin to ) shows that store-chamber is the primitive meaning of the Gr. word (i.e. not small sitting-room or bedroom). In this sense it occurs in Luk 12:24, and even the Revised Version NT 1881, OT 1885 , following Vulgate and Luther, have been compelled to break their rule of uniformity of rendering in this case. The four occurrences of the Gr. word are dealt with as follows in the versions:
AVRVVulgateLuther
Mat 6:6closetinner chambercubiculumKammerlein
Mat 24:26secret chambersinner chamberspenetralibusKammer
Luk 12:3closetsinner chamberscuhiculisKammern
Luk 12:24store-housestore-chambercellariumKeller
The Peshitta has (wn) in all four passages, and it seems a pity that store-closet or store-chamber was not used by Revised Version NT 1881, OT 1885 in the same way throughout.
Every Jewish house, except the very smallest buts, would have a small room opening out from the living-room, as our workmens cottages have small pantries, larders, etc., in many cases; but few houses would have a small room specially for private prayer. Yet, curiously, many writers have assumed that Jewish houses did have prayer closets; usually, they say, in the upper part of the house,* [Note: Carr, Cambridge Bible for Schools; Tholuck, Sermon on the Mount; Lange, St. Matthew; after Kuinoel, and Vitringa, de Syn. i. i. 6.] and many identify it with the (, lyyh). Is there any ground for this? The upper rooms mentioned in NT were usable as guest-chambers (Mar 14:15, etc.), large enough to accommodate thirteen persons reclining round tables, and (perhaps) even 120 persons (Act 1:15). Would the individual worshipper be able to enter such an important room in a house, and shut the door (Mat 6:6) against the rest of his family? Others (e.g., Keil, Biblical Archaeology, 95) think of the frail summer-house on the flat roof.
According to modern European ideas, the Vulgate cubiculum, bedroom, would suit the context and circumstances well in Mat 6:6, perhaps in Mat 24:26 and Luk 12:3, but not at all in Luk 12:24. Moreover, (a) this rendering loses the connexion with the etymology; (b) the use of separate bedrooms is not common in the East; (c) there are other Gr. and Syriac words to express the idea.
It must be noticed that Mat 6:6 is founded on Isa 26:20, , . But the motive in Isaiah is fear, in Matthew desire of loving communion. occurs 40 times in LXX Septuagint . In most cases it retains the meaning store-closet (Deu 28:8, Sir 29:12, etc.). In other cases it is a private chamber of some sort as in Mat 6:6 : e.g., Gen 43:30, Deu 32:25, Jdg 3:24. The last case is noticeable. is defined by , and represents (heder), while in the context is lyyh, rather implying a distinction. The summer upper room (Authorized and Revised Versions parlour) had a summer closet (Authorized and Revised Versions chamber) attached to it. In the one Eglon was with his attendants till Ehud came, but they afterwards supposed that Eglon had retired into the other, and would not disturb him.
We now get a group of passages which explain . In Exo 8:3 (7:28), Jdg 15:1-2 (4)K 6:12, 11:2, 2Ch 22:11, etc., it is the special store-closet (leading or opening out from the larger room) in which the bedding required by night was stored during the day ( or ). [Note: Lane, Modern Egyptians, ch. v.; Purdoe, City of the Sultan, i. 22: Kitto, Pictorial Bible on Pro 6:16 and 2Ki 11:2 : Hastings DB ii. 434a.] In such a closet the Philistines were hiding while Delilah practised her wiles on Samson (Jdg 16:9; Jdg 16:12, LXX Septuagint , also Ecc 10:20). In such a closet for holding the bedding, the baby prince Joash was concealed when Athaliah murdered the rest of the royal family. Samson was possibly in the living-room when his wifes father prevented him from entering the (Jdg 15:1 LXX Septuagint , note the variant of A ). Such small rooms or closets could be used as more private sleeping-rooms if required, and would also be available for private conference, concealment, or any similar purpose, as well as for the normal use of storing the bedding and other things which were not immediately required. Our Lord advised their use for private prayer. Thus storage was the primary purpose of the apartment. The other uses were secondary ones, or adaptations.
The Authorized Version closet is therefore quite as correct as the Revised Version NT 1881, OT 1885 inner chamber. Of course we do not think of an European cupboard with shelves, in which a person could hardly stand. But Dryden (Fables) possibly uses closet in the sense of a store-closet, as in Luk 12:24, though he may have meant private chamber:
He furnishes her closet first, and fills
The crowded shelves with rarities of shells.
Shakespeare has the other use:
The taper burneth in your closet (Jul. Caes. ii. 1).* [Note: A late member of the Abp. of Canterburys Assyrian Mission informs the writer of this article that the Peshitta word in the form ta-wn is still retained in certain parts of the mountain districts, where many old (classical) Syriac words are still in use, but it is not used colloquially in the plains. Ta-wn is always the little room leading from the large living room; it is that in which the spare bedding is stored. Its primary meaning is therefore store-room. Bp. Maclean (Dictionary of Vernacular Syriac) gives the meanings closet, store-room, but if he had reversed these two words, i.e. putting store-room first, I think it would hale been better.]
On the curious Latin renderings of d (promptalibus) e (promptuariis) in Luk 12:3, and d (promptuarium) in Luk 12:24, cf. Rnsch, Itala and Vulgata, pp. 32 and 48, and Plummer, St. Luke, in International Critical Commentary.
George Farmer.
Fuente: A Dictionary Of Christ And The Gospels
Closet
CLOSET.The Gr. word so rendered in NT properly denotes a store-chamber as Luk 12:24 RV [Note: Revised Version.] , then any inner or more private room as opposed to the living-room; so Mat 6:6, Luk 12:3 RV [Note: Revised Version.] inner-chamber. Cf. 1Ki 20:30; 1Ki 22:25, lit. a chamber within a chamber, and House, 2. For Joe 2:16 see Driver, Joel and Amos, in loc.
A. R. S. Kennedy.
Fuente: Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible
Closet
klozet: Is the rendering in the King James Version of (1) , huppah, and (2) , tameon, also tamieion. Huppah, derived from haphah, to cover, was probably originally the name of the tent specially set apart for the bride, and later (Joe 2:16) used for the bride’s chamber. The word tameion, originally storeroom (compare Luk 12:24, the King James Version storehouse; the Revised Version (British and American) storexamber), but since for safety it was the inner rooms of the Hebrew house which were used for storage purposes, the word came to mean inner room, as in Mat 6:6; Luk 12:3, in both the King James Version closet (compare Mat 24:26, the King James Version secret chamber). In all cases the Revised Version (British and American) uses inner chamber. See also HOUSE.
Fuente: International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Closet
Used as a place for prayer
Mat 6:6
Fuente: Nave’s Topical Bible
CLOSET
Joe 2:16; Mat 6:6; Luk 12:3
Fuente: Thompson Chain-Reference Bible
Closet
* For CLOSET see CHAMBER
Fuente: Vine’s Dictionary of New Testament Words
Closet
Mat 6:6 (b) This is any quiet place where one may retire from the busy world to be alone with the Lord.
Luk 12:3 (b) Here is a figure to describe that the secret things of life shall become public property in the sight of the Lord.