a'-prun: Appears only in Genesis 3:7 and Acts 19:12 English Versions. (English na-prun, North of England nap-peon, from Low Latin, through French nape, nappe, "napkin." The "n" was dropped owing to false division of the article a from the noun; thus "a napron" became "an apron:" In Genesis 3:7 it is used to translate a Hebrew word rendered "girdles" in Revised Version margin: "And they sewed fig-leaves together and made themselves aprons." In Acts 19:12 simikinthia, stands for semicinctia, which is really a Latin word meaning "half-girdle," i.e. girdles going only half round the body and covering the front of the person: "Unto the sick were carried away from his (Paul's) body handkerchiefs (soudaria, rendered "napkins" Luke 19:20; John 11:44; 20:7) or aprons." The word denotes here, probably, a workman's apron, perhaps those of Paul himself; though it seems more natural to suppose that the people brought their own "handkerchiefs" or "aprons" to Paul to secure the miraculous effect desired. The garments, at any rate, were such as could be easily removed and carried back and forth. (See Rich, Dict. of Roman and Greek Ant, under the word, for illust.; also Pope's Lexicon, under the word).

George B. Eager

From the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Edited by James Orr, published in 1939 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

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