Cover

COVER, COVERING. The term is used of clothing (Prov 31:22) and of bedspreads (7:16). The covering of the head seems to have been normal among Jews in OT times (Ezek 24:17). Women were enjoined by the Mishnaic law to cover their heads, and bareheaded married women might be divorced. Paul insists that men should pray with heads uncovered, but women should have their heads covered in public worship (1 Cor 11:4-11). Prostitutes are said to have had their heads uncovered, and Paul was making it clear that Christian women must show their loyalty to their husbands.

The Heb. כָּפַר, H4105, with the root meaning “to cover” is tr. “atonement.” It is basic in the observance of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. The blood sprinkled on the Mercy Seat in the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle (or, later, Temple), symbolized the covering of sin, so that the holy God of Israel could not look on the sins of His people. In this sense, sins were atoned—hidden from the eyes of God.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915)

kuv’-er, kuv’-er-ing: The translation of several Hebrew words. The covering of the ark (mikhceh, Ge 8:13) was possibly the lid of a hatchway (compare Mitchell, World before Abraham, 215).

To the sons of Kohath was assigned the task of caring for the furniture of the Tabernacle whenever the camp was moved, a suitable covering (kacah) of sealskin being designated for each of the specially sacred objects, the temple curtains also being used (Nu 4:8,9,11,12 ff).

Nu 19:15 (tsamidh) may refer to anything used as a lid or covering; Job 24:7; 31:19 (kecuth) refer to clothing or bed-covering.

Figurative: "Abaddon hath no covering"; (kecuth) from God (Job 26:6); "He will destroy .... the face of the covering (ha-loT) that covereth all peoples" (Isa 25:7). The removal of the veil, often worn as a token of mourning (compare 2Sa 19:4), signified the destruction of death.