Definition and Purpose:
Breeches, also referred to as linen undergarments, were a specific component of the priestly garments prescribed by God for the priests of Israel. These garments were designed to cover the nakedness of the priests as they ministered in the tabernacle and later in the temple, ensuring modesty and propriety in their sacred duties.

Biblical References:
The primary biblical references to the priestly breeches are found in the books of Exodus and Leviticus. In Exodus 28:42-43 , God commands Moses regarding the attire of Aaron and his sons: "Make linen undergarments to cover their bare flesh, extending from waist to thigh. Aaron and his sons must wear them whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting or approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place, so that they will not incur guilt and die. This is to be a permanent statute for Aaron and his descendants."

Leviticus 6:10 also mentions the linen garments, including the breeches, in the context of the priestly duties: "The priest is to put on his linen robe, with linen undergarments next to his body, and he shall remove the ashes of the burnt offering that the fire has consumed on the altar and place them beside it."

Material and Design:
The breeches were made of fine linen, a material often associated with purity and holiness in the Scriptures. The design was simple, extending from the waist to the thighs, ensuring that the priests' nakedness was covered as they performed their sacred functions. The use of linen, a breathable and lightweight fabric, was practical for the hot climate of the region and symbolically significant, representing the purity required of those who served before the Lord.

Theological Significance:
The requirement for priests to wear breeches underscores the importance of modesty and holiness in the service of God. The breeches served as a physical reminder of the need for purity and the avoidance of any form of defilement in the presence of the Holy One. This aspect of the priestly garments highlights the broader biblical theme of the separation between the sacred and the profane, emphasizing that those who approach God must do so with reverence and respect.

Cultural and Historical Context:
In the ancient Near Eastern context, clothing often held symbolic meaning, and the attire of religious functionaries was no exception. The specific instructions for the priestly garments, including the breeches, set the Israelite priesthood apart from other religious practices of the time, which might have included less modest attire. The distinctiveness of the priestly garments served to reinforce the unique identity and calling of the Israelite nation as a people set apart for God's purposes.

Application for Today:
While the specific regulations concerning priestly garments are not directly applicable to Christian practice today, the principles underlying these instructions remain relevant. The call to holiness, modesty, and reverence in worship continues to be a guiding principle for believers. The priestly breeches remind Christians of the importance of approaching God with a heart and life that reflect His holiness, recognizing that, through Christ, believers are called to be a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9).Exodus 28:42
And you shall make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even to the thighs they shall reach:
Nave's Topical Index

Exodus 39:28
And a turban of fine linen, and goodly bonnets of fine linen, and linen breeches of fine twined linen,
Nave's Topical Index

Leviticus 6:10
And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and his linen breeches shall he put on his flesh, and take up the ashes which the fire has consumed with the burnt offering on the altar, and he shall put them beside the altar.
Nave's Topical Index

Leviticus 16:4
He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches on his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen turban shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on.
Nave's Topical Index

Ezekiel 44:18
They shall have linen bonnets on their heads, and shall have linen breeches on their loins; they shall not gird themselves with any thing that causes sweat.
Nave's Topical Index

Concerning the Garments of the Priests, and of the High Priest.
... which they call Cohanoeoe [-priestly] garments, as also for the high priests, which
they ... being to be inserted into them in the nature of breeches, but above ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 7 concerning the garments.htm

Whether the Vestments of the Ministers are Fittingly Instituted in ...
... Reply to Objection 1: The priests of the Old Law were enjoined continency only ... chastity
which they had then to observe, they wore the breeches while offering ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the vestments of the.htm

The Day of Atonement
... There are other priests, for "he hath made us priests and kings unto God." Every ...
put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/the day of atonement.htm

Whether There Can be any Suitable Cause for the Sacraments of the ...
... sanctuary or altar. Of these eight vestments the lesser priests had four,
viz. the linen tunic and breeches, the belt and the tiara. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether there can be any 2.htm

A Description of the Temple.
... but he that officiated had on his sacred garments; but then those priests that were ...
When he officiated, he had on a pair of breeches that reached beneath his ...
/.../chapter 5 a description of 2.htm

The Day of Atonement
... on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his ... completed the
part of the ceremonial which belonged immediately to Aaron and the priests. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the day of atonement.htm

On the Different Functions of Modesty. ...
... The priests, also, under the old law, as we read in Exodus, wore breeches, as it
was told Moses by the Lord: "And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/chapter xviii on the different.htm

Philippians iii. 3-Jan
... from ambition, and not out of zeal for the law, as the chief priests did ... even two
and often three inner garments, and a cloak and girdle, and breeches too, but ...
/.../homily x philippians iii 3-jan.htm

The Charm
... to attend mass or to confess herself, for that the Government priests had no ... He wore
a jerkin of sheepskin, called in Spanish zamarras, with breeches of the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/borrow/letters of george borrow/the charm.htm

A Discourse of the Building, Nature, Excellency, and Government of ...
... might sacrifice; Here is an altar, and a laver too, And priests abundance, temple ...
used, the Puritan or Genevan Bible, vulgarly called the Breeches Bible, an ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a discourse of the building.htm

Breeches: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus