### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **kᵉçûwth**, represented by `{{H3682}}`, is derived from the root `{{H3680}}` and fundamentally means a **cover** or **garment**. It appears 8 times across 8 unique verses. While it often refers to literal clothing, it is also used figuratively to denote a veiling, an act of vindication, or a divine judgment.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its biblical usage, `{{H3682}}` often highlights a basic human need. It is described as a person's only **covering** for their skin, essential for sleep, and the subject of laws protecting the poor [[Exodus 22:27]]. Job speaks of the destitute who have no **covering** in the cold [[Job 24:7]] and the poor who perish without it [[Job 31:19]]. The term also appears in legal contexts, such as the provision of **raiment** `{{H3682}}` for a wife [[Exodus 21:10]] and as the **vesture** upon which fringes must be made [[Deuteronomy 22:12]]. Figuratively, it is used to describe a payment as a "**covering** of the eyes" to signify vindication [[Genesis 20:16]] and as a metaphor for divine action, such as when God makes sackcloth the **covering** for the heavens [[Isaiah 50:3]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help illuminate the meaning of **kᵉçûwth**:
* `{{H3680}}` **kâçâh**: As the primitive root, this verb means **to cover**, conceal, or clothe. It is used for covering nakedness [[Isaiah 58:7]], sins [[Psalms 32:1]], and even the earth with darkness [[Isaiah 60:2]], providing the direct action behind the noun `{{H3682}}`.
* `{{H8071}}` **simlâh**: This word for **raiment** or a dress is used in direct parallel with `{{H3682}}` in [[Exodus 22:27]], where a man's garment is called both his **covering** and his **raiment**, emphasizing its essential nature.
* `{{H6174}}` **ʻârôwm**: Meaning **naked**, this term describes the state that a **covering** `{{H3682}}` is meant to remedy. The word appears in passages lamenting the condition of the poor who lack a **covering** [[Job 24:7]] and in the description of Hell being **naked** before God [[Job 26:6]].
* `{{H3830}}` **lᵉbûwsh**: A general term for **garment** or clothing, it is used in a similar context to `{{H3682}}` when describing the lack of **clothing** for the naked in [[Job 24:7]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H3682}}` is evident in its legal and metaphorical applications.
* **Divine Justice and Provision:** The law in [[Exodus 22:27]] concerning a poor man's **covering** is directly tied to God's character, as He declares, "I am **gracious** `{{H2587}}`" and will **hear** `{{H8085}}` the cry of the afflicted. This establishes a covering as a God-given right for the vulnerable. Similarly, a wife's right to **raiment** `{{H3682}}` is protected by law [[Exodus 21:10]].
* **Omniscience and Judgment:** The term is used to express God's absolute knowledge and power. In [[Job 26:6]], Hell `{{H7585}}` and destruction `{{H11}}` have no **covering** `{{H3682}}` before God, signifying that nothing can be hidden from Him. Conversely, God can use a **covering** as an instrument of judgment, as when He clothes the heavens with **blackness** `{{H6940}}` [[Isaiah 50:3]].
* **Social and Moral Covering:** In [[Genesis 20:16]], the word moves beyond a physical garment to represent a "covering of the eyes," a public means of restoring honor and proving innocence.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H3682}}` is a word that encompasses both the physical and the metaphorical aspects of a covering. It represents a basic necessity for human life, a right protected by divine law, and a symbol of God's power. From the simple **raiment** of a poor man to the **sackcloth** covering the heavens in judgment, **kᵉçûwth** illustrates how a tangible object can convey profound theological truths about justice, omniscience, and divine action.
TRV