Difference between revisions of "Closet"

<p> <b> [[Closet]] </b> <b> ( </b> ταμεῖον).—&nbsp;Matthew 6:6, &nbsp;Luke 12:3 Authorized Version. </p> <p> The older form of the Gr word was παμιεῖον (found in some NT MSS [Note: SS Manuscripts.] ), but the later language frequently shows the coalescence of two following Ι sounds.* [Note: J. H. Moulton in Expositor, 6th ser. ix. [1904] 361: ‘ταμειον, τειν and ὑγεια are overwhelmingly attested by the papyri, where there are only rare examples of a curious reversion, like that in &nbsp;Matthew 20:22’ (where WH read τιεῖν, elsewhere πεῖν κατατεῖν); cf. Liddell and Scott sub voce, WH, Notes on Orthography, n. 146–170. The Textus Receptus, according to Scrivener, has the older form in &nbsp;Matthew 6:6, but the later one in the three other places.] The etymology (cf. ταμιας, ‘distributor,’ ‘treasurer, ‘steward,’ etc., akin to ΠέΜΝΑ) shows that ‘store-chamber’ is the primitive meaning of the Gr. word ( <i> i.e. not </i> small sitting-room or bedroom). In this sense it occurs in &nbsp;Luke 12:24, and even the Revised Version NT 1881, OT 1885, following [[Vulgate]] and Luther, have been <i> compelled </i> 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:— </p> <table> <tr> <td> <p> <b> AV </b> </p> </td> <td> <p> <b> RV </b> </p> </td> <td> <p> <b> Vulgate </b> </p> </td> <td> <p> <b> Luther </b> </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p> &nbsp;Matthew 6:6 </p> </td> <td> <p> closet </p> </td> <td> <p> inner chamber </p> </td> <td> <p> cubiculum </p> </td> <td> <p> Kammerlein </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p> &nbsp;Matthew 24:26 </p> </td> <td> <p> secret chambers </p> </td> <td> <p> inner chambers </p> </td> <td> <p> penetralibus </p> </td> <td> <p> Kammer </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p> &nbsp;Luke 12:3 </p> </td> <td> <p> closets </p> </td> <td> <p> inner chambers </p> </td> <td> <p> cuhiculis </p> </td> <td> <p> Kammern </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p> &nbsp;Luke 12:24 </p> </td> <td> <p> store-house </p> </td> <td> <p> store-chamber </p> </td> <td> <p> cellarium </p> </td> <td> <p> Keller </p> </td> </tr> </table> <p> The Peshitta has ܬܰܘܰܢܳܐ (wȧnȧ) 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. </p> <p> Every [[Jewish]] house, except the very smallest buts, would have a small room opening out from the ‘living-room,’ as our workmen’s 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 ὑπερῷον (עֲלִיָה, ‘ălîyy <i> âh </i> ). Is there any ground for this? The ‘upper rooms’ mentioned in NT were usable as guest-chambers (&nbsp;Mark 14:15, etc.), large enough to accommodate thirteen persons reclining round tables, and (perhaps) even 120 persons (&nbsp;Acts 1:15). Would the individual worshipper be able to enter such an important room in a house, and ‘shut the door’ (&nbsp;Matthew 6:6) against the rest of his family? Others ( <i> e.g. </i> , Keil, <i> Biblical [[Archaeology]] </i> , § 95) think of the frail summer-house <i> on </i> the flat roof. </p> <p> According to modern European ideas, the Vulgate <i> cubiculum </i> , ‘bedroom,’ would suit the context and circumstances well in &nbsp;Matthew 6:6, perhaps in &nbsp;Matthew 24:26 and &nbsp;Luke 12:3, but not at all in &nbsp;Luke 12:24. Moreover, ( <i> a </i> ) this rendering loses the connexion with the etymology; ( <i> b </i> ) the use of separate bedrooms is not common in the East; ( <i> c </i> ) there are other Gr. and [[Syriac]] words to express the idea. </p> <p> It must be noticed that &nbsp;Matthew 6:6 is founded on &nbsp;Isaiah 26:20, εἴσελθε εἰς τὰ ταμεῖά σου, ἁπόκλεισον τὴν θύραν σου. But the motive in Isaiah is fear, in Matthew desire of loving communion. ταμεῖον occurs 40 times in LXX Septuagint. In most cases it retains the meaning ‘store-closet’ (&nbsp;Deuteronomy 28:8, &nbsp;Sirach 29:12, etc.). In other cases it is a private chamber of some sort as in &nbsp;Matthew 6:6 : <i> e.g. </i> , &nbsp;Genesis 43:30, &nbsp;Deuteronomy 32:25, &nbsp;Judges 3:24. The last case is noticeable. ταμεῖον is defined by τῷ θερινῷ, and represents חָרָר ( <i> heder </i> ), while ὑπερῷον in the context is ‘ălîyy <i> âh </i> , 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. </p> <p> We now get a group of passages which explain ταμεῖον. In &nbsp;Exodus 8:3 (7:28), &nbsp;Judges 15:1-2 (4)K 6:12, 11:2, &nbsp;2 Chronicles 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 (τὰ ταμεῖα τῶν κοιτῶν or ταμεῖον κλινῶν).† [Note: Lane, Modern Egyptians, ch. v.; Purdoe, City of the Sultan, i. 22: Kitto, Pictorial Bible on &nbsp;Proverbs 6:16 and &nbsp;2 Kings 11:2 : Hastings’ DB ii. 434a.] In such a ‘closet’ the [[Philistines]] were hiding while [[Delilah]] practised her wiles on [[Samson]] (&nbsp;Judges 16:9; &nbsp;Judges 16:12, LXX Septuagint, also &nbsp;Ecclesiastes 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 wife’s father prevented him from entering the ταμεῖον (&nbsp;Judges 15:1 LXX Septuagint, note the variant of A εἰς τὸν κοιτῶνα). 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 <i> primary </i> purpose of the apartment. The other uses were secondary ones, or adaptations. </p> <p> 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 ( <i> Fables </i> ) possibly uses ‘closet’ in the sense of a ‘store-closet,’ as ταμεῖον in &nbsp;Luke 12:24, though he <i> may </i> have meant ‘private chamber’: </p> <p> ‘He furnishes her <i> closet </i> first, and fills </p> <p> The crowded shelves with rarities of shells.’ </p> <p> Shakespeare has the other use: </p> <p> ‘The taper burneth in your closet’ ( <i> Jul. Caes. </i> ii. 1).* [Note: A late member of the Abp. of Canterbury’s ‘Assyrian Mission’ informs the writer of this article that the Peshitta word in the form ta-wȧnȧ 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-wȧnȧ 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.’] </p> <p> On the curious Latin renderings of <i> d </i> ( <i> promptalibus </i> ) <i> e </i> ( <i> promptuariis </i> ) in &nbsp;Luke 12:3, and <i> d </i> ( <i> promptuarium </i> ) in &nbsp;Luke 12:24, cf. Rönsch, <i> Itala and Vulgata </i> , pp. 32 and 48, and Plummer, ‘St. Luke,’ in <i> International Critical [[Commentary]] </i> . </p> <p> [[George]] Farmer. </p>

<p> <strong> CLOSET </strong> . The Gr. word so rendered in NT properly denotes ‘a store-chamber’ as &nbsp; Luke 12:24 RV [Note: Revised Version.] , then any inner or more private room as opposed to the living-room; so &nbsp; Matthew 6:6 , &nbsp; Luke 12:3 RV [Note: Revised Version.] ‘inner-chamber.’ Cf. &nbsp; 1 Kings 20:30; &nbsp; 1 Kings 22:25 , lit. ‘a chamber within a chamber,’ and House, § <strong> 2 </strong> . For &nbsp; Joel 2:16 see Driver, <em> Joel and Amos, in loc </em> . </p> <p> A. R. S. Kennedy. </p>

<p> CLOSET, n. s as z. </p> 1. A small room or apartment for retirement any room for privacy. <p> When thou prayest, inter into thy closet. &nbsp;Matthew 6 . </p> 2. An apartment for curiosities or valuable things. 3. A small close apartment or recess in the side of a room for repositing utensils and furniture. <p> CLOSET, s as z. To shut up in a closet to conceal to take into a private apartment for consultation. </p>

<p> '''(1):''' (n.) A small apartment, or recess in the side of a room, for household utensils, clothing, etc. </p> <p> '''(2):''' (v. t.) To make into a closet for a secret interview. </p> <p> '''(3):''' (v. t.) To shut up in, or as in, a closet; to conceal. </p> <p> '''(4):''' (n.) A small room or apartment for retirement; a room for privacy. </p>

<p> ''''' kloz´et ''''' : Is the rendering in the King James Version of (1) חפה , <i> ''''' ḥuppāh ''''' </i> , and (2) ταμεῖον , <i> ''''' tameı́on ''''' </i> , also <i> ''''' tamieion ''''' </i> ̌ . <i> ''''' Ḥuppāh ''''' </i> , derived from <i> ''''' ḥāphāh ''''' </i> , "to cover," was probably originally the name of the tent specially set apart for the bride, and later (&nbsp;Joel 2:16 ) used for the bride's chamber. The word <i> ''''' tameion ''''' </i> , originally storeroom (compare &nbsp;Luke 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 &nbsp;Matthew 6:6; &nbsp;Luke 12:3 , in both the King James Version "closet" (compare &nbsp;Matthew 24:26 , the King James Version "secret chamber"). In all cases the Revised Version (British and American) uses "inner chamber." See also [[House]] . </p>

<p> ( '''''חֻפָּה''''' , ''Chuppah', A Covering,'' &nbsp;Joel 2:16), a bridal couch, with curtains, rendered by our translators "chamber" in &nbsp;Psalms 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]]). </p> <p> The word in the N.T. rendered "closet" is '''''Ταμεῖον''''' '','' signifying properly a ''Store-House'' (as in &nbsp;Luke 12:24); hence any place of privacy and retirement (&nbsp;Matthew 6:6; &nbsp;Luke 12:3). (See [[Prayer]]). </p>