Hebrew word · H4021

מִגְבָּעוֹת

migba'ot

headgear

The caps or headdresses of the ordinary priests (Exod 28:40; 29:9; 39:28; Lev 8:13). The word is probably related to gaviaʿ ("cup, bowl"), which suggests a rounded shape.

Appears 4 times in 4 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

turban, head-gear

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Exodus 29:9

Range of meaning

The caps or headdresses of the ordinary priests (Exod 28:40; 29:9; 39:28; Lev 8:13). The word is probably related to gaviaʿ ("cup, bowl"), which suggests a rounded shape.

Against the English

KJV's "bonnets" today calls up a woman's or baby's tied hat. In 1611 "bonnet" meant any soft cap worn by men. "Headbands" (BSB, WEB) and "caps" (ESV, NIV) are attempts to describe something whose exact shape is uncertain.

How it drifted

English "bonnet" narrowed to women's and children's headwear after the 17th century.

Used elsewhere in the period

Josephus (Antiquities 3.157) describes the ordinary priest's headgear as a close-fitting linen cap, not pointed, encircling the head. It is clearly distinct from the high priest's mitsnefet (turban), which bore the gold plate engraved "Holy to YHWH" (Exod 28:36–38).

Where it appears

Exodus · 3

  1. Exodus 28:40 וּמִגְבָּעוֹת֙ and headdresses

    Make tunics, sashes, and headbands for Aaron’s sons, to give them glory and splendor.

  2. Exodus 29:9 מִגְבָּעֹ֔ת headdresses

    Wrap the sashes around Aaron and his sons and tie headbands on them. The priesthood shall be theirs by a permanent statute. In this way you are to ordain Aaron and his sons.

    Here: Rounded caps or headbands for the ordinary priests. They differ from the high priest's turban (mitsnefet, v. 6). The word probably comes from a root meaning a rounded, bowl-like shape.

  3. Exodus 39:28 הַמִּגְבָּעֹ֖ת the headdresses

    as well as the turban of fine linen, the ornate headbands and undergarments of finely spun linen,

Leviticus · 1

  1. Leviticus 8:13 מִגְבָּע֑וֹת headdresses

    Then Moses presented Aaron’s sons, put tunics on them, wrapped sashes around them, and tied headbands on them, just as the LORD had commanded him.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.