הַ/מְּעִ֥יל
𐤄/𐤌𐤏𐤉𐤋
mᵉʻîyl
of the robe
A large, outer garment—typically sleeveless—worn over other clothing, most often associated with individuals of high social status, priestly office, or royal function. In the Hebrew Bible, the מְעִיל is usually a distinct upper garment used for ceremonial, official, or honorific purposes—such as the priestly robe of the high priest, the royal mantle of Saul or Samuel, or the cloak of prophets. Its function is generally to serve as an outer layer, visually marking someone’s position or role, or as part of ritual dress. The term can also be used more broadly to refer to a substantial outer covering or garment in non-official contexts.
1 Samuel 24:5 · Word #28
Lexicon H4598
| Lemma | מְעִיל |
| Lemma (Paleo) | 𐤌𐤏𐤉𐤋 |
| Transliteration | mᵉʻîyl |
| Strong's | H4598 |
| Definition | A large, outer garment—typically sleeveless—worn over other clothing, most often associated with individuals of high social status, priestly office, or royal function. In the Hebrew Bible, the מְעִיל is usually a distinct upper garment used for ceremonial, official, or honorific purposes—such as the priestly robe of the high priest, the royal mantle of Saul or Samuel, or the cloak of prophets. Its function is generally to serve as an outer layer, visually marking someone’s position or role, or as part of ritual dress. The term can also be used more broadly to refer to a substantial outer covering or garment in non-official contexts. |
Morphology HTd/Ncmsa
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | N — Noun — A person, place, thing, or idea |
| Subtype | c — Common — Common noun |
| Gender | m — Masculine — Masculine |
| Number | s — Singular — Singular |
| State | a — Absolute — The noun stands independently |
Common Translation
| Phrase | of the robe |
SIBI-P1 Translation H4598-02
the outer robe
| Morphological Notes | Noun, masculine singular absolute with definite article (הַ). |
| Rendering Rationale | The noun מְעִיל denotes a substantial outer garment associated with over-covering, reflecting the root idea of covering. The definite article and masculine singular absolute form are preserved by rendering it as "the outer robe." |
View full lexicon entry for H4598 →
SILEX v2
SIBI-P2 (Context-Aware)
the outer robe
| Same as P1 | Yes |
| Rationale | P1 is contextually correct for garment of royalty/priestly significance. |