It is not by any means certain that the customs alluded to in this text can, at this late day, be explained.
1. The pillows sewed to the armholes, or to the “elbows,” as the margin has it, are usually supposed to mean the soft cushions which are placed on Oriental divans. Among the poorer classes the skins of sheep or of goats were formerly used for pillows, being stuffed with chaff or wool for this purpose. The pillows of the wealthy were, of course, more luxurious in style and in finish. They were stuffed with some soft substance, and covered with rich and costly materials. These, placed on the bed on the divan (see notes on 2 Kings 1:44Now therefore thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah departed. (2 Kings 1:4), #325, and on Amos 3:1212Thus saith the Lord; As the shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear; so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed, and in Damascus in a couch. (Amos 3:12), #603) made a luxurious resting-place for the arms.
Other interpretations, however, have been given of the passage. Instead of “armholes” or “elbows” some authorities have, as a more literal interpretation, “joints of the hands.” See Gesenius, Lexicon, and Fairbairn, Commentary. Others render atstsile yadai, “joints of my hands.” See Hengstenberg and Wordsworth and the authorities cited by the latter. These commentators suppose the meaning to be that, when God stretched forth his hands to punish sin, the false prophets covered them by their heterodox teaching, so that his hands would not seem to be able to grasp the rebellious offenders.
It has also been suggested by an old writer that the false prophetesses referred to in the text practiced divination, and that the pillows were amulets, which were fitted to their sleeves to aid them in their work. We have not been able, however, to find any evidence of the existence of such a custom. Verse 20 of this chapter seems to intimate that the pillows were not merely made for the arms, but fastened to the arms: “I will tear them from your arms.” We have no evidence, however, that it refers to divination.
2. Mispachoth “kerchiefs,” has been variously rendered “cushions,” “quilts,” “coverings for the head” and “long, flowing robes or mantles.”
The word is generally thought to signify large and costly coverings for the head. Some suppose these to have been designed to add to the luxury and attractiveness of the wicked prophetesses who wore them. Kitto connects the practice with the worship of Astarte, in whose figures there is always something remarkable about the headdress. Others, however, who suppose the pillows to have been cushions covering the hand of Jehovah, as already noted, place these headdresses on the heads of the ungodly people who merit Divine retribution, and regard the figure as further carrying out the idea that the wicked prophetesses endeavored to neutralize the blow of Jehovah’s judgment, not only by covering his hands, but also by covering the heads of the guilty.
Another interpretation, however, makes these mispachoth similar to the mitpachoth of Isaiah 3:2222The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins, (Isaiah 3:22), “wimples” in our version. See the note on that text (#487). Dr. Alexander, editor of Kitto’s Cyclopedia calls attention to the affinity between the two words, and also notices the fact that, in verse 21, the mispachoth are shown to be articles that can be torn. He therefore adopts the opinion of Kimchi who says that the mispachoth were long loose robes such as the goddesses are represented as wearing, and in which the women referred to in the text wrapped themselves from head to foot. For “kerchiefs upon the head of every stature,” Dr. Alexander would read, “robes of every length on the head”; that is, these luxurious women made use of elegant and well-fitting robes.