450
CLOPAS
CLOUD
the robe that Jonathan gave to David (1 S 18^), Saul's cut robe (1 S 24*), Samuel's robe (1 S 28'*), the 'best robe' of tlie parable (Lk 15--). The cloke of 2 Ti 4" (^cXAktjs) may have been a light mantle like a cashmere dust-cloak, in which the books and parchments were wrapped. The use of cloke in 1 Th 2° (T/)i0affis), 1 P 2'" (fViKdXu/i/ia) is general for covering, excuse. See Dress, under me'il.
G. M. Mackie. CLOPAS (AV Cleophas) is named only in Jn J9-' Mapid/ti 7) ToD KXwTra. As to his identity see Alpha;us and Brethren of the Lord.
CLOSE in the sense of secret occurs Lk 9" ' they kept it c, and told no man' {iaiyriaat', RV 'they held their peace'). Cf. Pref. to 1611, ' How shall they understand that which is kept close in an unknown tongue?' The 'close places' of 2 S 22** = Ps 18" are castles or holds, places shut in with high walls, and so deemed safe. Cf. More (1529), ' aJ close religious houses.' J. HASTINGS.
CLOSET (from Lat. claudere, through Fr. closet, dim. of clos, ' an enclosed space '). — Any private apartment, as Shaks. Jul. Cses. III. ii. 134^
* But here's a parchment with the seal of Cffisar ; I found it in his closet, 'tis his will ;*
Hamlet, u. i. 77—
' As I was sewing: in my closet The king's private secretary was called 'clerk of the closet.' Closet occurs Jl 2'° (nsn fr. .irn 'to cover,' prob. of the bridal tent, used also of the bride- groom's c, Ps 19»); Mt 6«, Lk 123 (^y 'inner chamber.' Gr. rane'iov, properly 'a storeroom,' as in Lk 12**: 'store-chambers,' says Plummer in loc., 'are commonly inner-chambers, secret looms, esp. In the East, where outer walls are so °asily dug through'). See House. J.Hastings.
CLOTH, CLOTHING.— See Dress.
CLOTHED UPON in 2 Co 5= * has been chosen to express the force of the {iri in iwcvbiofiai (only here in NT), to put on something in addition to what is already on. In Jn 21' Peter ' girt his coat (iirtvovTqi) about him,' without which he was •naked,' that is, had on only the light under- garment, perhaps only the loin cloth. See Dress.
J. Hastings.
CLOUD (iji; 'dnAn ; v((poi). — Much of the precious and beautiful thought of the Bible is written on the clouds, and in the sky of Syria this writing of religious symbolism and moral teaching is as read- able to-day as the inscriptions engraved on Assyrian brick or Egyptian granite. Though the Hebrews had various names for clouds, it is probable that their knowledge of the weather, like that of the modern Syrians, was confined to such general ami obvious 1 ointB as the <lirection of the wind and the deeper flame of the evening sky. This indillerence is partly due to the uniformity of the climate, with its recognized season of rainfall from Oct. to April, and of sunshine from Maj' to Sept. Forecasting the changes of the weather would also be ditiicult on account of their suddenness in that narrow land of mountains and valleys, with a desert on one side and the sea on the other. Except to the fishermen of Galilee, and the husbandmen at the time of sowing, the interpretation of the signs of the skv was a matter of small importance. Further, the Moslems, who generally i)reserve most of the ancient piety of the land, disapprove of criticising the weather, as savouring of irreverence. Any pointed reference to the weather or inquiry about It usually finds a Syrian surprised and unprejiared for comment, as it is a matter out of the usual Toond of his salutations.
Sucli attention to the clouds is in fact not held in high repute : as the Arab proverb says, ' The man who will not work becomes an astrologer.'
I. Clouds as an Indication of Kain.— 1. 'A cloud rising in the West' (Lk 1'2'*). — The rainy quarters are W. and S.W. Hence Gehazi was told (1 K 18") to look toward the sea for the first sign of rain. He saw wli.it is still often seen at the end of Sept., when the dry summer season is about to end in the early rain, namely, a small cloud of cool ashy-grey colour rising over the glittering horizon. It is the first token that a strong steady S.W. wind has set in, and will carry everything before it. In a few hours the sky becomes a course of swiftly moving black clouds, which congregate in dense masses on the mount- ains, and before long the storm breaks with a grand prelude of thunder peals .and incessant flashes of lightning. 2. ' Clouds of the latter rain ' (Pr 16"). — Such is the king's favour. This refers to the light showers in March and AprU. These do not atiect the deep roots of the fruit trees, which depend on the more continuous winter rains, but they re- fresh the ripening fields of barley and wheat, delay- ing the harvest, and causing the ears to mature into a heavier crop in May and June. 3< ' Clouds of dew in the heat of harvest' (Is 18''). — The season is here the autumn harvest of fruits, when unusual moisture in the sky, or a wandering shower, is an unwelcome phenomenon, causing withering heat in the vineyards and feverish symptoms among the people (see, however, Del. ad loc). 4. 'Heat by the shadow of a cloud' (Is 25'). — This is most likely an allusion to the prostrating wind from the Syrian desert, S. and S.E., which covers the sky with hot sand-clouds (Sirocco, from Arab, shirk, East). It is this that gives the 'sky of brass' (Dt 28^), and the 'cloud without water' (Jude v.'-).