"a garment; the upper garment, mantle, Mt. 5:40; 9:16, 20, 21; pl. the mantle and tunic together, Mt. 26:65; pl. genr. garments, raiment, Mt. 11:8; 24:18"
Definition and meaning
a garment; the upper garment, mantle, Mt. 5:40; 9:16, 20, 21; pl. the mantle and tunic together, Mt. 26:65; pl. genr. garments, raiment, Mt. 11:8; 24:18
In the original Greek the word is written: ἱμάτιον
Historical context
Rome had controlled Judea since 63 BC. Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple into one of the most magnificent structures in the ancient world — and simultaneously murdered members of his own family. The common people paid multiple layers of taxation and were politically powerless. Into that world a carpenter from Galilee began teaching that the kingdom of God had arrived.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of himation (G2440) across the King James Bible.
And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.
No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse.
And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:
For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.
But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.
And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.
And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.
And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.
But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
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Common questions
Strong's G2440 (himation) is a Greek word that means: a garment; the upper garment, mantle, Mt. 5:40; 9:16, 20, 21; pl. the mantle and tunic together, Mt. 26:65; pl. genr. garments, raiment, Mt. 11:8; 24:18 It appears 59 times in the King James Bible.
The word himation (G2440) appears 59 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G2440 is himation, a Greek word defined as: a garment; the upper garment, mantle, Mt. 5:40; 9:16, 20, 21; pl. the mantle and tunic together, Mt. 26:65; pl. genr. garments, raiment, Mt. 11:8; 24:. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
himation is a Greek word found in the New Testament.