Breeches

Breeches in the King James Version translates the Hebrew mikhnasayim, designating linen drawers or undergarments worn by the priests from the waist to the thighs (Ex. 28:42; Ezek. 44:17–18). These were prescribed specifically to cover nakedness when officiating at the altar, a requirement rooted in the prohibition against ascending the altar by steps in such a way as to expose oneself (Ex. 20:26). The priestly undergarments were part of the full vestments required for service at the sanctuary.

The Revised Version renders the term more accurately as “linen breeches” or “linen undergarments.” Ezekiel's vision of the restored temple specifies that the priests shall wear linen breeches and not gird themselves with anything that causes sweat (Ezek. 44:17–18), maintaining the purity and dignity of sanctuary service. The precise attention to priestly clothing in the legal texts reflects the broader principle that the service of God required not only the right attitude but the right appearance, with every element of dress regulated to express holiness and order in the divine presence.