And they answered him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.
An hairy man, х 'iysh (H376) ba`al (H1167) see`aar (H8181), a man, lord of hair; Septuagint, aneer dasus, a hairy, shaggy man (cf. Josephus, 'Antiquities,' b. 5:, ch. 2:, sec. 5)]. This was the description, not of his person, as in the case of Esau, but of his dress, which consisted either of unworked sheepskins or goatskins (Hebrews 11:37), or of camel's hair-cloth-the coarser manufacture of this material-like the rough hair-cloth we use as coverings for goods. The dervishes and Bedouins are attired in this wild, uncouth manner; while their hair flows loose on the head, their shaggy cloak is thrown over their shoulders, and tied in front on the breast, naked, except at the waist, round which is a skin girdle-a broad, rough, leather belt. The Soofees are supposed by some to derive their name from Soof (hair-cloth), for the members of this sect wear a uniform of this description (Joseph Wolff, 'Missionary Labours,' p. 75). Others, among whom is Dean Stanley (Smith's 'Dictionary,' article 'Elijah'), consider that the prophet was described as "an hairy man" because the hair of his head and beard was long, hanging down his neck and shoulders.-Similar to this was the girdle of the prophets, as in keeping with their coarse garments, and their stern, uncompromising office.