Coats and coverings made of animal skins

Adam and Eve’s garments of skin

These were made after the first man and woman fell into sin. The garments symbolized their need for atonement via animal death/sacrifice.

Then Yahweh God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and He clothed them. —Genesis 3:21 LSB

Holy Tabernacle

Skins of rams and porpoises (tachash) were used as a covering for the Holy Tabernacle (Exodus 25:5; 26:14; 35:7; 36:19; Numbers 4:8-14).

What is the Holy Tabernacle? and what is its significance?

Rebekah

Rebekah used young goat skins on Jacob’ hands and neck to deceive Isaac (Genesis 27:16).

Elijah

He wore a hairy garment (likely animal skin/hair) with a leather girdle or belt (2 Kings 1:8).

Wineskins

Containers for storing wine were sometimes from animal hide. These were called wineskins, bottles or flagons.

John the Baptist

He wore a camel’s hair garment with a leather belt (Matthew 3:4; Mark 1:6).

General leather items

The Hebrews used and made many common items of leather from clean animals.

The ancient Dead Sea Scroll manuscripts are leather/parchment (mostly sheepskin), ~2000 years old and include biblical texts.

Sandals of fine leather are mentioned in the book of Ezekiel.

I [Yahweh] also clothed you with embroidered cloth and put sandals of porpoise skin on your feet; and I wrapped you with fine linen and covered you with silk. —Ezekiel 16:10

Suffering Christians

They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword. They went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, mistreated (of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in desolate places and mountains and caves and holes in the ground. —Hebrews 11:37, 38

Leather straps were cruelly used in flogging whips used on Jesus, Paul and other Christians.

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Article Version: January 20, 2026