Ark of the Covenant - Bible History Online
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frontlets Summary and Overview

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frontlets in Easton's Bible Dictionary

occurs only in Ex. 13:16; Deut. 6:8, and 11:18. The meaning of the injunction to the Israelites, with regard to the statues and precepts given them, that they should "bind them for a sign upon their hand, and have them as frontlets between their eyes," was that they should keep them distinctly in view and carefully attend to them. But soon after their return from Babylon they began to interpret this injunction literally, and had accordingly portions of the law written out and worn about their person. These they called tephillin, i.e., "prayers." The passages so written out on strips of parchment were these, Ex. 12:2-10; 13:11-21; Deut. 6:4-9; 11:18-21. They were then "rolled up in a case of black calfskin, which was attached to a stiffer piece of leather, having a thong one finger broad and one cubit and a half long. Those worn on the forehead were written on four strips of parchment, and put into four little cells within a square case, which had on it the Hebrew letter called shin, the three points of which were regarded as an emblem of God." This case tied around the forehead in a particular way was called "the tephillah on the head." (See PHYLACTERY T0002947.)

frontlets in Schaff's Bible Dictionary

FRONT'LETS . See Phylacteries.

frontlets in Fausset's Bible Dictionary

Objects containing Scripture passages worn on the forehand and between the eyes, primarily at prayer times. Jews followed scriptural commands, literally, writing Exodus 13:1-10,Exodus 13:11-16; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Deuteronomy 11:13-21 on small scrolls, placing these in leather containers and placing these on their forehead and left arm. See Exodus 13:9,Exodus 13:16; Deuteronomy 6:8; Deuteronomy 11:18. By New Testament times, the frontlets were known as phylacteries (Matthew 23:5). Jewish men wore phylacteries during prayer times, except on the sabbath and feast days. Phylacteries were bound with thongs to the forehead, though some phylacteries were worn on the upper arm so that when a person crossed his arms the Scriptures contained in the phylactery would be close to the heart. Jesus condemned individuals who called attention to themselves by wearing larger than usual phylacteries (Matthew 23:5).