NAKED (na'ked), (Heb. er-vaw', nudity: Gr. -y6iivos,gootenos), 'naked' in our Bibles, does not in many places mean absolute nakedness.
(1) Nudity. It has this meaning in such pas sages as Job i :21 ; Eccles. v :15; Mic. i :8; Amos ii :16).
(2) Ragged or Poorly Clad. But in other places it means one who is ragged or poorly clad (John xxi:7; Is. lviii:7), in the same sense as -RAN& in James ii:t5; which does not indeed differ from a familiar application of the word 'naked' among ourselves.
(3) Slightly Clad. A more peculiar and Oriental sense of the word is that in which it is applied to one who has laid aside his loose outer garment, and goes about in his tunic. When, therefore, Saul is described as having lain down 'naked' (I Sam. xix :24), we are to understand that he had laid aside his flowing outer robe, by which his rank was most indicated, and was therefore a. king 'naked' or undressed.
(4) Naked and Barefoot. It was thus that Isaiah went 'naked' and barefoot (Is. xx :2; comp. John xxi :7). The point of the expression may be the better apprehended when we mention that per sons in their own houses freely lay aside their outer garment, and appear in their tunic and gir dle ; but this is undress, and they would count it improper to appear abroad. or to see company in
their own house, without the outer robe.
FiguratiVe. (1) Destitute of innocency, holi ness and righteousness, inherent or imputed, and hence exposed to shame and misery (Rev. iii:17, 18). (2) Deprived of the divine favor and pro tection, and ready to be a prey to their ene mies (Exod. xxxii :25; 2 Chron. xxviii:19). Be fore the fall there was no sinful, shameful, or hurtful nakedness; as there were no sinful dis positions, no part of the human body was im proper for view ; but sin entering, they knew they were naked, that they were become unholy and unrighteous; and they needed a covering for those parts of their body afterwards called "naked ness" (Gen. iii :7, to, ; ix :22). (3) The "nakedness" of the soul lies in being without holi ness and righteousness, but sinful before God (Rev. iii :18). (4) The "nakedness" of a land, is the poverty, weakness and ruinous condition thereof ; or its shameful wickedness (Ezek. xvi :8, 36, 37). (5) Going "naked," or almost so, was an emblem of distress and deprivation of comfort (Is. xx :3 ; Mic. i :8).