KERCIIIEFS. This is the rendering in the A. V. of the Hebrew word n'Irspn, which occurs only in Ezek. xiii. 18, 21 ; LXX. Irrei36Xaza ; Sym. t'nrcoVvta ; Vulg. cervicalia ; chaa idola, imagines idololatricze, s. species velaminum (Castel], s. v. 111D) ; Syr. 1L1...,0_,L0L, tecta, open% menta. There is difference of opinion as to what these mispachoth were. Kimcht, who is followed by Schroeder (De vest. mulieb. Hebr., p. 266), and Havernick (in /oc.), says they were long loose robes such as the goddesses are represented as wearing (pep/a), and in which the women referred to by the prophet wrapped the whole person, from head to foot. With this the rendering of the LXX. and the Syr. accords. Rosenmilller Gesenius. and others, understand by the word cus'hions or mattresses on which one might recline; Henderson, whilst ing it by cushions, prefers, in his note, the meaning coverlets or quilts ; while Hitzig thinks they were the Jewish 1-140, tallith, the long white cloth with which the worshipper covered his head during prayer.
In favour of our understanding the word of some thing flowing and flexible, like a voil, loose robe, or cloth, are the etymology of the word (from nno, tofiow or spread ozd), and the statement in ver. 21 that these nzispachoth were to be torn. The affinity of the word with rirmun, which undoubtedly designates some such loose garment as that in which Oriental women wrap themselves from head to foot (Ruth iii. 15 ; Is. iii. 22), and the statement that these mispachoth were cit.!, y nyip-b, induce us to give the preference to the meaning g-iven by Kimchi. These words can hardly be translated on the head of every height,' so as to mean ` on the head of men of every height ;' they are better taken thus, ` robes of every length on the head,' e., these luxurious and licentious women made use of elegant and well-fitting robes to effect their purpose.—W. L. A.