Weasel (Hastings' Dictionary)

The authority of the LXX yaXfi and Vulg. mnstela (Lv 11-'') is in favour of the EV 'weasel,' and others of the Mustelidm, as the marten and civet. The authority of tho Arab. Ihuld, the cognate of holed, wliich signifiee the spalax or mole-rat of the East, would be against the rendering 'weasel,' were it not thav cognates often have widely ditl'erent meanings. In the articles Chameleon and Mole we have given all the evidence that bears on the question.

It is perhaps best to follow the LXX and Vulg., and render ' weasel,' which must be held, however, to include other Mu.itelidce in Palestine, as the marten, Miistcla fuina, L. (Arab, nims), the ich- neumon, Herjiestes Ichneumon, Fisch. (Arab, niiiu and zcrdl), and the genet, Genctta vulgaris, C. A. Gray (Arab, nisnds and sainmUr), and others. G. E. Post. WEAVING (j-iK 'weave,' J-iy 'web' or 'shuttle.'

Besides AV occurrences, RV gives ' weave in chequer work ' for A V ' embroider ' [ysv] in Ex 28", and 'weave together' for AV 'wrap up' in Mie 7', where MT nmss;; is prob. corrupt). — Weaving is closely connected with spinning, as the materiiila for the loom were, for the most part, products of the spindle.

Weaving, like spinning, is a very ancient art, one of the first invented hy civilized man, being necessary for the preparation of hia clothing, and we find abundant eWdence of it upon tlie monuments. The early proficiency of Egyptian weavers is established by the remains of their textile fabrics, some of their linen iiro(iii<t« Iminj; like silk to the touch, and equal to ma hnosj WEAVING WEIGHTS AND MEASURES 901 cambric in texture (Wilkinson, Anc. Egyp. ii. 161, eU.

ISTsj ; atid vestures of line linen are mentioned in the story of Joseph (Gn 41^-). The ^'ooiUy Ldb. garnii-nt found at Jericho indicates the skill of the Cli!iM;ian weavers ; and tlie ' line linen,' the ' linely wrouglit garments '(Ex 31'" KV), and other articles of similar character mentioned in Ex. by P, as prepared for the tabernacle, and tlie garments of the priests, make it evident that the Hebrews had attained proliciency in the art.

Weaving was generally carried on by men in Egypt, but women eometimes enga^'ed in it (Herod, ii. 35; Wilkinson, i. 310, 317), and this seems to have been true of the Hebrews also (2 K 23', Pr 31=^). The loom was of various kind.s, upright and horizontal, and the woof was pu-hed both upwards and downwards (Wilkinson, ii. 170, 171). Tlie Hebrews after arriv- ing in Palestine would have a similar variety, but in the desert they might use simpler forms, such as are still found there.

Burckhardt (Bed. and ]\'nh. i. 67) describes a loom which consists of two short sticks driven into the ground at such distance apart as tlie widtli of the piece to be woven re- q^uirea, and upon these a cross-piece, two other sunilar stakes with cross-piece being placed at a convenient distance from the first. Upon these cross-pieces the threads of the warp are stretched, the upper and under threads being kept apart by a flat stick.

The common loom of tlie country to- day is quite simple, and has no doubt been used for centuries without much change. Two upright posts are fixed in the ground, which hold the roller to which tlie threads of the warp are fastened, and upon which the clotli is wound as it is woven. The threads of the warp are carried upward towards the ceiling at the other end of the room, and pass over rollers, and are gathered in hanks and weighted to keep them taut.

The different sets are kept apart by reeds. The weaver sits at the cloth-roller and works the shuttle, while the healds are worked by treadles. We have no mention of the loom as a whole in the Bible, but from the incidental notices of various parts we infer that it did not dider greatly from tliat now in use. Thus we have the beam, witli which a great spear or its staff is com- pared (1 S 17', 2S21'9, I Ch 11=3 20'), from which we should infer that the cloth-roller is intended.

In Jg 16" the loom itself may be meant, the word in lleb. (J'lx) being derived from the verb tu weave, while the word in the other passages ("li:?) is from quite a different root. The pin (^fl;) in the above passage seems to be that which holds the web, i.e. the cloth-roller, for Samson carried it all away ettaclied to his hair. The shuttle (iyi) '8 the emblem of the swift pa.

ssing of human life (Job 7°), and the thread work (I'-t) or thrum (Is 38'-) which fastens tlie web, furnislies, by its being cut off at tlie hands of the weaver, a striking simile for sudden death. Tliese and other notices indicate that weaving was a household word with the Hebrews, and it is quite probable that many families produced their own wearing app.arel, as did that of the virtuous woman (Pr 31).

The pro- ducts of weavin" were various : line linen, purple anl scarlet, woollen, goats'-hair cloth, tent-cloth. Back-cloth, etc., were produced in abundance. Garments of flax and wool together were forbidden (Lv •!)•», Dt 22"), but stalls ot variegated patterns worked in the loom, perhaps by gold thread, were produced as we know they were in Egypt (Wilkin- »on, ii. 100). This work may be that of the ' cun- ning workman,' and of those who 'devise cunning works '(Ex 35") [see, on the.

-'e expressions, EmhkoID- ERY (3)], and certainly it is the clothing ' inwrouglit with gold' (P8 45"'UV). The liigli priest's garments seem to have been of this character, woven in one piece (Jos. Ant. III. vii. 4), as we know Christ's coat (x'-Twv) was (Jn 19^). H. Pouter.