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CLOSET ( ôáìåῖïí ).—Mat_6:6, Luk_12:3 Authorized Version .
The older form of the Gr word was ðáìéåῖïí (found in some NT MSS [Note: SS Manuscripts.] ), but the later language frequently shows the coalescence of two following É sounds.* [Note: J. H. Moulton in Expositor, 6th ser. ix. [1904] 361: ‘ ôáìåéïí , ôåéí and ὑãåéá are overwhelmingly attested by the papyri, where there are only rare examples of a curious reversion, like that in Mat_20:22’ (where WH read ôéåῖí , elsewhere ðåῖí êáôáôåῖí ); cf. Liddell and Scott sub voce, WH, Notes on Orthography, n. 146–170. The Textus Receptus, according to Scrivener, has the older form in Mat_6:6, but the later one in the three other places.] The etymology (cf. ôáìéáò , ‘distributor,’ ‘treasurer, ‘steward,’ etc., akin to ÐÝÌÍÁ ) shows that ‘store-chamber’ is the primitive meaning of the Gr. word (i.e. not small sitting-room or bedroom). In this sense it occurs in Luk_12:24, and even the Revised Version NT 1881, OT 1885 , following Vulgate and Luther, have been compelled to break their rule of uniformity of rendering in this case. The four occurrences of the Gr. word are dealt with as follows in the versions:—
Every Jewish house, except the very smallest buts, would have a small room opening out from the ‘living-room,’ as our workmen’s cottages have small pantries, larders, etc., in many cases; but few houses would have a small room specially for private prayer. Yet, curiously, many writers have assumed that Jewish houses did have ‘prayer closets’; usually, they say, in the upper part of the house,* [Note: Carr, Cambridge Bible for Schools; Tholuck, Sermon on the Mount; Lange, St. Matthew; after Kuinoel, and Vitringa, de Syn. i. i. 6.] and many identify it with the ὑðåñῷïí ( òֲìִéָä , ‘ãlîyy âh). Is there any ground for this? The ‘upper rooms’ mentioned in NT were usable as guest-chambers (Mar_14:15, etc.), large enough to accommodate thirteen persons reclining round tables, and (perhaps) even 120 persons (Act_1:15). Would the individual worshipper be able to enter such an important room in a house, and ‘shut the door’ (Mat_6:6) against the rest of his family? Others (e.g., Keil, Biblical Archaeology, § 95) think of the frail summer-house on the flat roof.
According to modern European ideas, the Vulgate cubiculum, ‘bedroom,’ would suit the context and circumstances well in Mat_6:6, perhaps in Mat_24:26 and Luk_12:3, but not at all in Luk_12:24. Moreover, (a) this rendering loses the connexion with the etymology; (b) the use of separate bedrooms is not common in the East; (c) there are other Gr. and Syriac words to express the idea.
It must be noticed that Mat_6:6 is founded on Isa_26:20, åἴóåëèå åἰò ôὰ ôáìåῖÜ óïõ , ἁðüêëåéóïí ôὴí èýñáí óïõ . But the motive in Isaiah is fear, in Matthew desire of loving communion. ôáìåῖïí occurs 40 times in LXX Septuagint . In most cases it retains the meaning ‘store-closet’ (Deu_28:8, Sir_29:12, etc.). In other cases it is a private chamber of some sort as in Mat_6:6 : e.g., Gen_43:30, Deu_32:25, Jdg_3:24. The last case is noticeable. ôáìåῖïí is defined by ôῷ èåñéíῷ , and represents çָøָø (heder), while ὑðåñῷïí in the context is ‘ãlîyy âh, rather implying a distinction. The summer ‘upper room’ (Authorized and Revised Versions ‘parlour’) had a summer ‘closet’ (Authorized and Revised Versions ‘chamber’) attached to it. In the one Eglon was with his attendants till Ehud came, but they afterwards supposed that Eglon had retired into the other, and would not disturb him.
We now get a group of passages which explain ôáìåῖïí . In Exo_8:3 (7:28), Jdg_15:1-2 (4)K 6:12, 11:2, 2Ch_22:11, etc., it is the special ‘store-closet’ (leading or opening out from the larger room) in which the bedding required by night was stored during the day ( ôὰ ôáìåῖá ôῶí êïéôῶí or ôáìåῖïí êëéíῶí ).† [Note: Lane, Modern Egyptians, ch. v.; Purdoe, City of the Sultan, i. 22: Kitto, Pictorial Bible on Pro_6:16 and 2Ki_11:2 : Hastings’ DB ii. 434a.] In such a ‘closet’ the Philistines were hiding while Delilah practised her wiles on Samson (Jdg_16:9; Jdg_16:12, LXX Septuagint , also Ecc_10:20). In such a ‘closet’ for holding the bedding, the baby prince Joash was concealed when Athaliah murdered the rest of the royal family. Samson was possibly in the ‘living-room’ when his wife’s father prevented him from entering the ôáìåῖïí (Jdg_15:1 LXX Septuagint , note the variant of A åἰò ôὸí êïéôῶíá ). Such small rooms or closets could be used as more private sleeping-rooms if required, and would also be available for private conference, concealment, or any similar purpose, as well as for the normal use of storing the bedding and other things which were not immediately required. Our Lord advised their use for private prayer. Thus storage was the primary purpose of the apartment. The other uses were secondary ones, or adaptations.
The Authorized Version ‘closet’ is therefore quite as correct as the Revised Version NT 1881, OT 1885 ‘inner chamber.’ Of course we do not think of an European cupboard with shelves, in which a person could hardly stand. But Dryden (Fables) possibly uses ‘closet’ in the sense of a ‘store-closet,’ as ôáìåῖïí in Luk_12:24, though he may have meant ‘private chamber’:
‘He furnishes her closet first, and fills
The crowded shelves with rarities of shells.’
Shakespeare has the other use:
‘The taper burneth in your closet’ (Jul. Caes. ii. 1).* [Note: A late member of the Abp. of Canterbury’s ‘Assyrian Mission’ informs the writer of this article that the Peshitta word in the form ta-wȧȧ is still retained in certain parts of the mountain districts, where many old (classical) Syriac words are still in use, but it is not used colloquially in the plains. Ta-wȧȧ is always the little room leading from the large living room; it is that in which the spare bedding is stored. Its primary meaning is therefore “store-room.” Bp. Maclean (Dictionary of Vernacular Syriac) gives the meanings “closet,” “store-room,” but if he had reversed these two words, i.e. putting “store-room’ first, I think it would hale been better.’]
On the curious Latin renderings of d (promptalibus) e (promptuariis) in Luk_12:3, and d (promptuarium) in Luk_12:24, cf. Rönsch, Itala and Vulgata, pp. 32 and 48, and Plummer, ‘St. Luke,’ in International Critical Commentary.
George Farmer.