Mitre

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

Mitre With the exception of   Zechariah 3:6 where it represents the Heb. tsânîph or turban (for which see Dress, § 5 a ), and   Ezekiel 21:26 RV [Note: Revised Version.] (see below), ‘mitre’ in EV [Note: English Version.] is used exclusively of the characteristic headdress of the Jewish high priest. The ‘mitre’ (Heb. mitsnepheth , from the same root, signifying to ‘wind round,’ as tsanîph ) was an elaborate species of turban, composed of a long swathe of ‘fine linen’ (  Exodus 28:39 ), 16 cubits in length, according to the Talmud. Its precise form, however, is uncertain; the descriptions given by Josephus of the high-priestly mitre of his day, besides being obscure in themselves, agree neither with one another nor with the OT text.

On the now common assumption that the Priests’ Code originated in Babylonia, it is probable that the mitre was intended to have the conical form characteristic of the tiara of the Babylonian kings. For ornament it had ‘a plate of gold,’ on which were engraved two Hebrew words signifying ‘holiness to J″ [Note: Jahweh.] ’ ( Exodus 28:36 ,   Leviticus 8:9 : cf. Sir 45:12 ). The plate rested on the front of the mitre, and was kept in position by a blue-purple ribbon (  Exodus 28:37;   Exodus 39:31 ), which probably served as a fillet and was tied behind, perhaps with the ends hanging down, as in the case of the jewelled diadem or fillet worn by the Assyrian kings. Hence the fillet could be described as ‘the holy crown’ (  Leviticus 8:9 ), and by ben-Sira as ‘a diadem (EV [Note: English Version.] ‘crown’) of gold upon the mitre’ ( Sir 45:12 ). The royal crown of Judah, according to Ezekiel (  Ezekiel 21:26 ), consisted of the same two parts (see Heb. text in each case): ‘remove the mitre (RV [Note: Revised Version.] ), and take off the diadem (EV [Note: English Version.] ‘crown’).’ This passage is our warrant for saying that the headdress prescribed for the high priest in the Priests’ Code, consisting of mitre and diadem, is intended to signify that the high priest shall unite in his person the highest office in both Church and State.

The headdress of the high priest is always distinguished from that of his subordinates, for which see Bonnet.

A. R. S. Kennedy.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

The head-dress of the high priest. It was made of fine linen: to it was fastened by a lace of blue "the plate of the holy crown of pure gold," on which was engraved "Holiness to the Lord." This plate came across the forehead. The mitre was emblematical of the upholding of purity, righteousness and holiness by the Lord Jesus as the Minister of the sanctuary, or holy place.  Exodus 28:4,37,39;  Exodus 29:6;  Exodus 39:28,31;  Leviticus 8:9;  Leviticus 16:4 .

The word is mitsnepheth , and (translated 'diadem') occurs again in a remarkable reference to the "profane wicked prince of Israel," which, though referring to the then king, Zedekiah, seems to point to the future Antichrist in conjunction with the Roman beast, for he is represented as wearing the mitre and the crown, which shall be removed. God will overturn, overturn, "until he come whose right it is: and I will give it him."  Ezekiel 21:25-27 . With this agrees  Isaiah 28:5 : "In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a 'mitre ' of beauty, unto the residue of his people." In  Zechariah 3:1-8 , where Joshua the high priest, as a representative of the people, is delivered from the resistance of Satan, and is cleansed, a fair mitre ( tsaniph , a kindred word to the above) is set upon his head, and he is clothed with garments. The Lord Jesus as the Branch comes forth, and blessing follows.

Webster's Dictionary

(1): ( n. & v.) See Miter.

(2): ( n.) The surface forming the beveled end or edge of a piece where a miter joint is made; also, a joint formed or a junction effected by two beveled ends or edges; a miter joint.

(3): ( v. t.) To match together, as two pieces of molding or brass rule on a line bisecting the angle of junction; to bevel the ends or edges of, for the purpose of matching together at an angle.

(4): ( v. i.) To meet and match together, as two pieces of molding, on a line bisecting the angle of junction.

(5): ( v. t.) To place a miter upon; to adorn with a miter.

(6): ( n.) A covering for the head, worn on solemn occasions by church dignitaries. It has been made in many forms, the present form being a lofty cap with two points or peaks.

(7): ( n.) A sort of base money or coin.

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Mitre. The head-dress of the Jewish priest. It was of fine flax or linen, made with many folds, making in length eight yards, and wreathed round the head in the shape of an Eastern turban. It bore upon its front a gold plate, on which was inscribed: "Holiness to the Lord."  Exodus 28:4;  Exodus 28:37;  Exodus 28:39;  Exodus 29:6;  Exodus 39:28;  Exodus 39:30;  Leviticus 8:9;  Leviticus 16:4.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Mitre. (Something Rolled Around The Head). The turban or headdress of the high priest, made of fine linen cloth, eight yards long, folded around the head.

On the front, was a gold plate, on which was inscribed, Holiness to the Lord .  Exodus 28:4;  Exodus 28:28:37;  Exodus 28:28:39;  Exodus 28:39:28;  Exodus 28:39:30;  Leviticus 8:9.

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Isaiah 22:18 Exodus 28:4 28:36-39 Leviticus 16:4 Ezekiel 24:17 Leviticus 21:10 Zechariah 3:5

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Exodus 28:4,37,39 29:6 Ezekiel 21:26 Leviticus 8:9 16:4 Zechariah 3:5Bonnet

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

is the rendering in the Auth. Vers. of the Hebrew word מַצְנֶפֶת . (Mitsne'Pheth, something Rolled around the head), spoken especially of the Turban or head-dress of the high-priest ( Exodus 28:4;  Exodus 28:37;  Exodus 28:39;  Exodus 29:6;  Exodus 39:28;  Exodus 39:31;  Leviticus 8:9;  Leviticus 16:4; for its form, see Josephus, Ant. 3:7, 3; Braun, De Vestitu Sacerd. Heb. page 624 sq.; Toppffer, De Tiaris Summi Et Ninorum Sacerdotum,, Vitemb. 1722; Funcke, De Tiara Pontif. Ebr. Gies. 1728), once of a royal crown ("diadem,"  Ezekiel 21:26); also צָנַי (tsaniph', from the same root), spoken of a Tiara or head-band, e.g. of men ( Job 29:14, "diadem"), of women ( Isaiah 3:23, "hood"), of the highpriest ( Zechariah 3:5), and once of the king ( Isaiah 62:3, "diadem," where the text has צָנוֹ or צָנוּ ). (See Bonnet); (See Crown); (See Priest). MITRE is the name given also to the head-dress worn in solemn Church services by the pope, the bishops, abbots, and certain other prelates of the Church of Rome. The name, as probably the ornament itself, is borrowed from the Orientals, although, in its present form, it is not in use in the Greek, Church, or in any other of the churches of the various E astern rites. The Western mitre is a tall, tongue-shaped cap, terminating in a twofold point, which is supposed to symbolize the "cloven tongues," in the form of which the Holy Ghost was imparted to the apostles, and is furnished with two flaps, which fall behind over the shoulders.

Opinion is much divided as to the date at which the mitre first came into use. Eusebius, Gregory of Nazianzum, Epiphanius, and others speak of an ornamented head-dress worn in the church; but there is no very early monument or pictorial representation which exhibits any head-covering at all resembling the modern mitre. A statue of St. Peter, said to have been erected in the seventh century, bears this mark of distinction in the shape of a round, high, and pyramidal mitre, such as those which the popes have since worn, and offers, perhaps, one of the earliest instances of its usage in churches. The most ancient mitres were very low: and simple, being not more than from three to six inches in elevation, and they thus continued till the end of the thirteenth century. Since the 9th century the mitre is found to have been in use quite extensively. From the time of Leo IX until Innocent IV the mitre was worn by cardinals, and instances are recorded in which the popes granted permission to certain bishops to wear the mitre; as, for example, Leo IV to Anschar, bishop of Hamburg, in the ninth century. In the fourteenth century, when the mitre-had come into general use, they gradually increased in height to a foot or more, and became more superbly enriched; their outlines also presented a degree of convexity by which they were distinguished from the older mitres..

The mitre, as an ornament, seems to have descended in the earliest times from bishop to bishop. Among the Cottonian MSS. is an order, dated July 1, 4 Henry VI, for the delivery to archbishop Chichely of the mitre which had been worn by his predecessor. It was in some cases a very costly ornament. Archbishop Pecheham's new mitre, in 1288, cost £ 173 4s. 1d. The material used in the manufacture of the mitre is very various, often consisting of the most costly stuffs, studded with gold and precious stones. The color and material differ according to the festival or the service in which the mitre is used, and there is a special prayer in the consecration service of bishops, used in investing the new bishop with his mitre.. The mitre of the pope is of peculiar form, and is generally called by the name of tiara (q.v.). There are four different mitres which are now used by the pope. These are more or less richly adorned, according to the nature of the festivals on which they are to beworn. The two horns of the mitre are generally taken to be an allusion to the cloven tongues of fire which rested on each of the apostles on the day of Pentecost.

At first the mitre was by special favor conferred on certain bishops; gradually it became the common right of every bishop to wear the mitre, and later its use was also permitted by special privilege to certain abbots, to provosts of some distinguished cathedral chapters, and to a few other dignitaries. (Compare Walcott, Archceology, p. 383 sq.; Binterim, Denkwiirdigkeiten der Kirche, 1, part. 2, page 348).

In some of the Lutheran churches (as in Sweden) the mitre is worn; but in the Church of England, since the Reformation, the mitre is no longer a part of the episcopal costume; it is simply placed over the shield of an archbishop or bishop instead of a crest. The mitre of a bishop has its lower rim surrounded with a fillet of gold; but the archbishops of Canterbury and York are in the practice of encircling theirs with a ducal coronet, a usage of late date and doubtful propriety. The bishop of Durham surrounds his mitre with an earl's coronet, in consequence of being titular count palatine of Durham and earl of Sedburgh. Before the custom was introduced of bishops impaling the insignia of their sees with their family arms, they sometimes differenced their paternal coat by the addition of a mitre.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

mı̄´tẽr In the King James Version this word renders two Hebrew words, both of which, however, come from the same stem, namely, חנף , cānaph , "to coil" or "to wrap round." In   Exodus 28 , a mitre (the Revised Version margin "turban") is enumerated among Aaron's articles of dress, which were to be made by tailors of recognized skill. On the forefront of the mitre was a "plate of pure gold" with the words "Holy to Yahweh" (i.e. consecrated to Yahweh) inscribed upon it. This gold plate was fastened to the mitre by a blue ribbon. The material of the mitre was fine linen or silk. The word for the headtire (the King James Version "bonnet") of the ordinary priest was a different word. Ezekiel uses the word in connection with Zedekiah ( Ezekiel 21:26 ); the prophet associated regal and priestly functions with the throne. It is possible, however, that the two sentences - "remove the mitre," and "take off the crown" - refer to the degradation of the priesthood and of the throne which the downfall of Jerusalem will involve. The Septuagint varies between kı́daris and mı́tra , the former word being used in Sirach 45:12.

T. Lawns