GARDEN.) 6. An elegant phrase, borrowed from the feet occurs in Gal. ii :i4, where St. Paul says : 'When I saw that they walked not uprightly —literally, 'not with a straight foot,' or 'did not foot it straightly.' 7. Nakedness of feet expressed mourning (Ezek. xxiv :17). This must mean appearing abroad with naked feet ; for there is reason to think that the Jews never used their sandals or shoes within doors. The modern Orientals consider it disre spectful to enter a room without taking off the outer covering of their feet. It is with them equivalent to uncovering the head among Euro peans. The practice of- feet washing implies a similar usage among the Hebrews. Uncovering the feet was also a mark of adoration. Moses put off his sandals to approach the burning bush where the presence of God was manifested (Exod. :5). Among the modern Orientals it would be regarded the height of profanation to enter a place of wor ship with covered feet. The Egyptian priests of
ficiated barefoot ; and most commentators are of opinion that the Aaronite priests served with bare feet in the tabernacle, as, according to all the Jewish writers, they did it afterward in the temple, and as the frequent washings of their feet en joined try the law seem to imply. (See SANDALS.) 8. The passage, 'How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth glad tidings, that publisheth peace' (Is. lii :7), appears to signify that, although the feet of messengers and travelers are usually rendered disagreeable by the soil and dust of the way, yet the feet of these blessed messengers seemed, notwithstanding, even beautiful, on account of the glad tidings which they bore.
Respecting the 'washing of feet,' see ABLUTION and WAsnusra