The Life of Jesus in Harmony | Index

sackcloth and ashes

SACKCLOTH (Heb. saq; Gk. sakkos, "a mesh," i.e., coarse, loose cloth).

A coarse texture of a dark color, made of goat's hair (Is 50:3; Rev 6:12) and resembling the cilicium of the Romans. It was used:

(1) for making sacks (Gen 42:25; Lev 11:32; Josh 9:4) and

(2) for making the rough garments used by mourners (Gen 37:34; Esth 4:1-4), which were in extreme cases worn next to the skin (1 Ki 21:27; 2 Ki 6:30; Job 16:15), and this even by females (Is 32:11; Joel 1:8; 2 Macc 3:19).

ASHES spoke of bitter Lamentation and mourning. When a city was deatroyed it was left in ashes.