{"id":46579,"date":"2022-01-30T18:22:02","date_gmt":"2022-01-30T15:22:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/?p=46579"},"modified":"2025-05-21T23:53:48","modified_gmt":"2025-05-21T20:53:48","slug":"is-trousers-only-a-mans-garment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/en\/2022\/01\/30\/is-trousers-only-a-mans-garment\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Trousers Only a Man\u2019s Garment?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Where <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>Bible <\/span>does <\/span>it <\/span>say <\/span>that <\/span>trousers <\/span>are <\/span>exclusively <\/span>male <\/span>clothing? <\/span>And <\/span>what <\/span>about <\/span>the <\/span>robe (<\/span>kanzu)? <\/span>Since <\/span>robes <\/span>are <\/span>similar <\/span>to <\/span>gowns <\/span>and <\/span>worn <\/span>by <\/span>men, <\/span>why <\/span>can\u2019t <\/span>women <\/span>wear <\/span>trousers <\/span>too?<\/span><\/p>\n

Answer:<\/span><\/strong>
The <\/span>first <\/span>mention <\/span>of <\/span>trousers <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>Bible <\/span>refers <\/span>to <\/span>the <\/span>garments <\/span>worn <\/span>by <\/span>the <\/span>priests. <\/span>God <\/span>commanded <\/span>the <\/span>priests <\/span>to <\/span>wear <\/span>trousers <\/span>that <\/span>were <\/span>distinct <\/span>in <\/span>their <\/span>design. <\/span>They <\/span>were <\/span>told <\/span>to <\/span>make <\/span>short <\/span>trousers (<\/span>called \u201c<\/span>kaptula\u201d), <\/span>as <\/span>well <\/span>as <\/span>longer <\/span>ones <\/span>that <\/span>extended <\/span>down <\/span>to <\/span>cover <\/span>their <\/span>legs <\/span>fully.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Exodus <\/span>28:<\/span>41-<\/span>43 (<\/span>ESV) <\/span>states:<\/span>
“<\/span>And <\/span>you <\/span>shall <\/span>put <\/span>them <\/span>on <\/span>Aaron <\/span>your <\/span>brother, <\/span>and <\/span>his <\/span>sons <\/span>with <\/span>him, <\/span>and <\/span>shall <\/span>anoint <\/span>them <\/span>and <\/span>ordain <\/span>them <\/span>and <\/span>consecrate <\/span>them, <\/span>that <\/span>they <\/span>may <\/span>serve <\/span>me <\/span>as <\/span>priests. <\/span>And <\/span>you <\/span>shall <\/span>make <\/span>linen <\/span>undergarments <\/span>to <\/span>cover <\/span>their <\/span>naked <\/span>flesh; <\/span>they <\/span>shall <\/span>reach <\/span>from <\/span>the <\/span>hips <\/span>to <\/span>the <\/span>thighs. <\/span>And <\/span>Aaron <\/span>and <\/span>his <\/span>sons <\/span>shall <\/span>wear <\/span>them <\/span>when <\/span>they <\/span>go <\/span>into <\/span>the <\/span>tent <\/span>of <\/span>meeting <\/span>or <\/span>when <\/span>they <\/span>come <\/span>near <\/span>the <\/span>altar <\/span>to <\/span>minister <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>holy <\/span>place, <\/span>lest <\/span>they <\/span>bear <\/span>guilt <\/span>and <\/span>die. <\/span>It <\/span>shall <\/span>be <\/span>a <\/span>statute <\/span>forever <\/span>to <\/span>him <\/span>and <\/span>his <\/span>offspring <\/span>after <\/span>him.”<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In <\/span>Israel, <\/span>there <\/span>were <\/span>no <\/span>female <\/span>priests\u2014<\/span>all <\/span>priests <\/span>were <\/span>men. <\/span>Therefore, <\/span>these <\/span>trousers <\/span>were <\/span>male <\/span>garments <\/span>by <\/span>divine <\/span>design (<\/span>see <\/span>also <\/span>Exodus <\/span>39:<\/span>27 <\/span>and <\/span>Leviticus <\/span>6:<\/span>10).<\/span><\/p>\n

We <\/span>also <\/span>see <\/span>this <\/span>confirmed <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>time <\/span>of <\/span>Shadrach, <\/span>Meshach, <\/span>and <\/span>Abednego. <\/span>When <\/span>King <\/span>Nebuchadnezzar <\/span>threw <\/span>them <\/span>into <\/span>the <\/span>fiery <\/span>furnace, <\/span>the <\/span>Scriptures <\/span>say <\/span>they <\/span>were <\/span>wearing <\/span>their <\/span>trousers <\/span>along <\/span>with <\/span>their <\/span>robes <\/span>and <\/span>coats.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Daniel <\/span>3:<\/span>21-<\/span>22 (<\/span>ESV):<\/span>
“<\/span>Then <\/span>these <\/span>men <\/span>were <\/span>bound <\/span>in <\/span>their <\/span>cloaks, <\/span>their <\/span>tunics, <\/span>their <\/span>hats, <\/span>and <\/span>their <\/span>other <\/span>garments, <\/span>and <\/span>were <\/span>thrown <\/span>into <\/span>the <\/span>burning <\/span>fiery <\/span>furnace. <\/span>Because <\/span>the <\/span>king\u2019s <\/span>command <\/span>was <\/span>urgent <\/span>and <\/span>the <\/span>furnace <\/span>was <\/span>so <\/span>hot, <\/span>the <\/span>flame <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>fire <\/span>killed <\/span>those <\/span>men <\/span>who <\/span>took <\/span>up <\/span>Shadrach, <\/span>Meshach, <\/span>and <\/span>Abednego.”<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Shadrach, <\/span>Meshach, <\/span>and <\/span>Abednego <\/span>were <\/span>men <\/span>not <\/span>women <\/span>and <\/span>nowhere <\/span>in <\/span>Scripture <\/span>are <\/span>women <\/span>described <\/span>as <\/span>wearing <\/span>trousers <\/span>or <\/span>commanded <\/span>to <\/span>wear <\/span>them <\/span>like <\/span>the <\/span>priests. <\/span>This <\/span>clearly <\/span>indicates <\/span>trousers <\/span>were <\/span>male-<\/span>specific <\/span>garments.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The <\/span>Bible <\/span>further <\/span>commands:<\/span>
Deuteronomy <\/span>22:<\/span>5 (<\/span>ESV) <\/span>says:<\/span>
“<\/span>A <\/span>woman <\/span>shall <\/span>not <\/span>wear <\/span>a <\/span>man\u2019s <\/span>garment, <\/span>nor <\/span>shall <\/span>a <\/span>man <\/span>put <\/span>on <\/span>a <\/span>woman\u2019s <\/span>cloak, <\/span>for <\/span>whoever <\/span>does <\/span>these <\/span>things <\/span>is <\/span>an <\/span>abomination <\/span>to <\/span>the <\/span>Lord <\/span>your <\/span>God.”<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

A <\/span>woman <\/span>wearing <\/span>trousers <\/span>would <\/span>be <\/span>going <\/span>against <\/span>God\u2019s <\/span>design <\/span>and <\/span>command. <\/span>Trousers <\/span>are <\/span>not <\/span>intended <\/span>to <\/span>cover <\/span>or <\/span>modestly <\/span>clothe <\/span>a <\/span>woman. <\/span>Instead, <\/span>a <\/span>woman <\/span>wearing <\/span>trousers <\/span>would <\/span>not <\/span>appear <\/span>modest <\/span>but <\/span>rather <\/span>dishonored <\/span>or <\/span>exposed. <\/span>The <\/span>Bible <\/span>calls <\/span>women <\/span>to <\/span>dress <\/span>modestly <\/span>and <\/span>with <\/span>propriety.<\/span><\/p>\n

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1 <\/span>Timothy <\/span>2:<\/span>9 (<\/span>ESV) <\/span>teaches:<\/span>
“<\/span>Likewise <\/span>also <\/span>that <\/span>women <\/span>should <\/span>adorn <\/span>themselves <\/span>in <\/span>respectable <\/span>apparel, <\/span>with <\/span>modesty <\/span>and <\/span>self-<\/span>control, <\/span>not <\/span>with <\/span>braided <\/span>hair <\/span>and <\/span>gold <\/span>or <\/span>pearls <\/span>or <\/span>costly <\/span>attire.”<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Thus, <\/span>women <\/span>should <\/span>avoid <\/span>trousers <\/span>or <\/span>any <\/span>tight <\/span>or <\/span>body-<\/span>revealing <\/span>clothing.<\/span><\/p>\n

What <\/span>about <\/span>the <\/span>robe (<\/span>kanzu)?<\/span><\/strong>
The <\/span>robe <\/span>was <\/span>not <\/span>a <\/span>female <\/span>garment. <\/span>It <\/span>was <\/span>a <\/span>type <\/span>of <\/span>outerwear <\/span>worn <\/span>by <\/span>men, <\/span>somewhat <\/span>like <\/span>a <\/span>coat. <\/span>This <\/span>is <\/span>why <\/span>Shadrach, <\/span>Meshach, <\/span>and <\/span>Abednego <\/span>wore <\/span>robes <\/span>over <\/span>their <\/span>trousers <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>furnace. <\/span>A <\/span>robe <\/span>is <\/span>different <\/span>from <\/span>a <\/span>gown, <\/span>which <\/span>is <\/span>specifically <\/span>designed <\/span>for <\/span>women <\/span>according <\/span>to <\/span>their <\/span>natural <\/span>form. <\/span>Christian <\/span>women <\/span>are <\/span>biblically <\/span>encouraged <\/span>to <\/span>wear <\/span>gowns <\/span>or <\/span>long <\/span>skirts <\/span>that <\/span>reflect <\/span>modesty <\/span>and <\/span>femininity.<\/span><\/p>\n

In <\/span>conclusion:<\/span><\/strong>
You <\/span>may <\/span>not <\/span>have <\/span>known <\/span>before <\/span>that <\/span>trousers <\/span>are <\/span>a <\/span>male <\/span>garment, <\/span>but <\/span>now <\/span>you <\/span>do. <\/span>If <\/span>you <\/span>have <\/span>trousers <\/span>in <\/span>your <\/span>wardrobe, <\/span>I <\/span>encourage <\/span>you <\/span>not <\/span>to <\/span>wear <\/span>them <\/span>if <\/span>you <\/span>are <\/span>a <\/span>woman. <\/span>Instead, <\/span>discard <\/span>them <\/span>and <\/span>seek <\/span>modest <\/span>skirts <\/span>or <\/span>gowns. <\/span>Don\u2019t <\/span>fear <\/span>appearing <\/span>old-<\/span>fashioned <\/span>or <\/span>unfashionable <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>eyes <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>world. <\/span>It <\/span>is <\/span>better <\/span>to <\/span>be <\/span>seen <\/span>as <\/span>plain <\/span>and <\/span>modest <\/span>while <\/span>walking <\/span>in <\/span>obedience <\/span>to <\/span>God <\/span>than <\/span>to <\/span>be \u201c<\/span>fashionable\u201d <\/span>but <\/span>out <\/span>of <\/span>God\u2019s <\/span>will.<\/span><\/p>\n

May <\/span>the <\/span>Lord <\/span>bless <\/span>you.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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