Matthew 10:9

9 "Provide no gold, nor even silver nor copper to carry in your pockets;

Matthew 10:9 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 10:9

Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass
That is, not any sort of "money", as both Mark and Luke express it: for money was then coined, as now, of these three sorts of metals, and which include all kind of money; so that they were not to provide, get, prepare, or take along with them for their journey, as not gold, nor silver, or any parcel of this sort of money, which might be of considerable importance, and lasting consequence to them; so neither brass money, as, halfpence, and farthings, the least, and most inconsiderable: they were forbidden to carry any of either sort

in your purses:
or, as it may be rendered, "in", or "within your girdles"; in which travellers, among the Jews, used to carry their money; and who, in their travelling dress, might not go into the temple, and are thus described F8;

``a man may not go into the mountain of the house with his staff, or with his shoes on, nor (wtdnwpb) , "with his girdle".''

The (adnwp) "phunda", Maimonides says F9, is an inner garment, wore to keep off sweat from other garments, to which were sewed hollow things like purses, in which a man put what he pleased; though other
FOOTNOTES:

F11 interpreters say it is (twem wb Nyntwnv lwlx rwza) , "a hollow girdle, in which they put their money": and so the Romans F12 had used to do; and so do the Turks F13 to this day; to which practice the allusion is here.


F8 Misn. Beracot, c. 9. sect. 5.
F9 In ib. & Celim. c. 29. 1. & Sabbat, c. 10. 3.
F11 Bartenora & Yom Tob in ib. Gloss in T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 62. 2. & in Sabbat. fol. 92. 1. & 113. 1. & 120. 1. & Nedarim, fol. 55. 2.
F12 Gracchus apud A. Gell. Noct. Attic. 1. 15. c. 12. Sueton. in Vita Vitellii, c. 16.
F13 Bobovius de Peregr. Meccan. p. 14.

Matthew 10:9 In-Context

7 And as you go, preach and say, `The Kingdom of the Heavens is close at hand.'
8 Cure the sick, raise the dead to life, cleanse lepers, drive out demons: you have received without payment, give without payment.
9 "Provide no gold, nor even silver nor copper to carry in your pockets;
10 no bag for your journey, nor change of linen, nor shoes, nor stick; for the labourer deserves his food.
11 "Whatever town or village you enter, inquire for some good man; and make his house your home till you leave the place.
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