צָעִיף

# צָעִיף (tsaiph): A Biblical Garment The Hebrew word *tsaiph* refers to a shawl—a draped outer garment worn in ancient Israel. Based on its three occurrences in the biblical text, this term designates a specific type of covering cloth that was part of the everyday wardrobe of the period. The word appears infrequently enough to suggest it was either a specialized garment or one that biblical authors mentioned only in particular contexts. The limited frequency of this term (appearing just three times) indicates that *tsaiph* served a distinct purpose in biblical vocabulary, likely referring to a garment distinguished from other coverings by its size, style, or function as a shawl. Without access to the specific verse contexts from the data provided, the precise social status or gender associations of those who wore it cannot be determined from the lexical entry alone. What remains clear is that *tsaiph* was a recognized item of clothing in ancient Hebrew culture, warranting its own distinct term rather than being conflated with other garment categories.