Does the Bible Forbid Women From Wearing Pants?

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Does the Bible Forbid Women From Wearing Pants?

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Deuteronomy 22:5 says: "A woman shall not wear anything that pertains to a man, nor shall a man put on a woman's garment, for all who do so are an abomination to the Lord your God."

Like many of the statutes, this law may have been needed partly because of the pagan customs in the surrounding cultures. The Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary explains:

"Disguises were assumed at certain times in pagan temples. Maimonides...mentions that a man attired in a coloured female dress, in honour of Venus, Ashtaroth, or Astarte, and a woman equipped in armour, worshipped at the shrine of the statue of Mars...

"Asiatics, when they engaged in the worship of Ashtaroth, were accustomed, according to Philocorus, quoted by Townley (in his edition of Maimonides, note 33), to exchange the male and female dresses. In fact, all idolators confounded the sexes of their deities—representing them sometimes as male, at other times as female; and hence, their worshippers, male and female, fell gradually into the custom, which became extensively prevalent, of changing their attire in adaptation to the sex of a particular divinity."

God's command to Israel forbade the people from incorporating pagan religious rites into true worship. In spite of this instruction, today's Christianity commonly mixes paganism in with the worship of Christ.

Does Deuteronomy 22:5 forbid women from wearing pants? No, it doesn't. In fact, clothing “that pertains to a man” at the time the verse was written would not have been understood to mean pants. Men in the Middle East through the history of the Old and New Testaments did not ordinarily wear pants, trousers or slacks; they wore robe-like garments. And in many cultures such as in China, women have commonly worn pants. The scripture more specifically addresses and forbids transvestism and cross-dressing.

The underlying principle certainly applies to today. Men should dress in an appropriately masculine manner and women should dress in an appropriately feminine manner. Clothing manufacturers make pants designed for men, and pants, slacks and pantsuits designed for women. The Bible emphasizes modesty, and for women, slacks are often more modest than a short skirt.

God does not intend for this scripture to be understood in an extreme or unreasonable way. For example, it’s perfectly fine for a woman to wear her husband’s old shirt when she’s painting or to put on her male friend’s jacket when she’s cold.

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Comments

  • Stealla123

    I’m 16 and a couple of years ago my mom said we are not aloud to wear pants. So for the past few years I’ve been wearing dresses and skirts. I’m not really comfortable wearing it everyday but my mom said that it’s something the most high want us to do.

  • Dak Kol

    Duet 22.5 It is not about a specific article of clothing, it is about a man or a woman turning against "Nature". A man is a man and a woman is a woman. Their sexual roles must not be mixed or crossed. It is simply Nature.
    - when a human refuses to accept their role as "Nature" has defined it, no words or instruction can repair the situation.

  • VIP

    Continues; There are some African communities like mine in which both males and females use wrapper. Who's violating that male/female injunction there? The Scottish males spot kilts/skirts from origin in possible invalidation of that notion. What happens to the blouses/top wears doesn't concern skirt compliant preachers; as long as you adorn skirt, you may leave the top open/sleeted! Some skirts slits get to the high heaven! Female unbelievers who wear skirts are easily mistaken for believers in that sect! That gospel profits nothing but breeds hypocrites!

  • nyeshagodfrey

    Thank you for your post. Do you have scripture to back up what you're stating? I ask because I'm currently going through a debate with my family in Christ, and I agree with everything you're saying. There's just not any biblical proof behind it on here, but there's many stories about " not wedding thing pertaining to a man..."

  • VIP

    I am most perplexed by women who claim the Holy Spirit instructed them against wearing of trousers. Trousers never existed before 15th century. It was a child of necessity(weather) invented by Jacob W.Davis- long before the cited scriptural passages. Asian men and women were the first to use it and the Romans referred to Pantalons as feminish. Whatever males/females were wearing before then were captured in the passages. Considering modesty/decency- slacks are far more decent on ladies than skirts. Besides, the very long skirts, any other one exposes some parts of the woman's bodies/legs. Some have capitalized on this man made tradition as doctrine to wear all sorts of skirts and dramatize in the church. I'd interviewed a lady who decided to leave her laps open but the Lord protected my eyes until she dramatically closed them. It can't happen with trousers. Skirt women mounting horses,motorbikes or on high stools would be fun for the demons of distortions of the gospel to gaze. Wearing skirts in tse-tse flies/fleas,mosquitoes infested and in winter would be another fun for the wise. Btw, the pants for men are quite different from those of women. To be continued....

  • Nnekaokoye

    I see many people linking pants with indecency and prostitution which doesn't make sense in my view. If you want to talk in the sense of indecency, did you know that prostitutes of those days were the ones who were always covered from head to toe. And i think the explanation here is quite sound and makes sense. Anyways, apart from religion, many cultures and traditions forbid women from putting on pants. Personally though, I don't see any wrong in putting on pants, it's just a piece of clothing.
    Although, if you feel you're being led not to wear pants, go ahead!

  • jlm1632

    I usually stay away from biblical discussions that can lead to debate but God put it on my heart to say something in regards to this scripture. My view on this comes from the way I came to God and what my lifestyle was like before I became a christian. I was 31 when I became a christian. I came from a lifestyle that was very wordly. I didn't always dress modestly. Sometimes what I wore created unwanted male attention. That mean even when I wore jeans men would stare lustfully. In 1 Timothy 2:9-10 it says: I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness. My point is what I wore in the world drew improper attention from the males. As a Christian female I needed to alter the way I dressed. It took a long time to get where I am today. I've been wearing skirts full time for the last five years. I came under conviction of the holy spirit to wear skirts. My body is a temple of the holy spirit we need to represent God in a holy manner. I agree with Hollis Salahuddin on Deut 22:5. God means what he says.

  • Lena VanAusdle

    Jacquelyn,
    I applaud you and your desire to honor God in your dress. We should all strive to live modest and honorable lives. Several things I'd like to comment on, though. Yes, God means what He says, always. And we are not to dress in clothes in order to impersonate the opposite gender. This admonition doesn't necessarily address the idea of modesty. It is not saying that it is immodest to wear jeans or any other kinds of pants that are designed for women.

    Anyone can be immodest wearing almost any article of clothing; it comes down to intent. The attitude behind the clothes you wear is the most important thing. Am I wearing a long dress, but it's tight, because my goal is to attract the attention of the males in the room?

    What if I do work that requires me to climb ladders or crawl on the floor with small children? Would it be more or less modest to wear a skirt that someone could see up, or a pair of jeans that cover everything?

    We should try and honor God in all we do, and wear clothes that are appropriate for our gender (whether pants or skirt) and for the activities that we will be participating in.

  • Skip Miller

    Hello Jacquelyn, You are correct that a woman should dress like a Christian woman. Perhaps I could offer one suggestion (other than to read again the article "Does the Bible Forbid Women Wearing Pants?) If you were to attend Worship Services with one of our congregations, they would show you a fairly reasonable contemporary standard to follow.

  • CordeliaJohnson

    Deuteronomy 22:5 makes it clear that there is no case a man and a woman should wear a particular cloth.. for example if trousers is for ladies, men shouldn’t wear it and if it’s for men ladies should also not wear it. With God there’s nothing like unisex. Men do not wear ladies skirt, kaba and slit, and anything that pertains to a woman because when he does that people will laugh at him. Let’s look at the case of trousers. The zipper in front of it is design for men to easily urinate when the need arises. Ladies cannot stand and open the zipper and start easing theirselves. It was designed to suit men. The 5 Books of Moses been the Pentateuch is referred to as prophetic books... Now looking at the prophetic nature of this Deuteronomy 22:5. God knows with time ladies will be wearing what pertains to a man and make it to fit their bodies to drag men into sin. The way the ladies wear the trousers alone tells us is not for them.2 Thessalonians 2:11 says And for this reason God will send them strong delusion that they should believe the lie. This what is happening now. Because you are not willing to stop so they always look for ways to defend it. Nowadays see how our ladies dress.

  • Lena VanAusdle

    Hi John,
    There is a lot of confusion in the world today; just look at the news each night and you can see that. However, the Bible rarely states specifically what a person should wear (except for the priests of course). Different styles of clothes are designed specifically for men and for women in different cultures. The admonition is obvious that people shouldn't wear clothes of the opposite gender so as to portray themselves of that gender.

    All of that being said, no one "drags" another into sin. We are called to control our thoughts and actions (Philippians 4:8-9; Mark 7:20-22; Colossians 3:5, etc). Women have a duty to be modest because they love God (1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Proverbs 31:30, etc.). None of this has anything to do with whether a woman wears pants or not.

  • Skip Miller

    Hello John Ernie Smith, Yes we have become very confused because we have given up reading God's Word. Although different cultures have different styles of clothing when I was in the Caribbean and when I was in Africa it always amazed me that the women (usually) wore appropriate dress (foreigners not so much so.) Men and women were easy to tell apart. In the United States we are becoming more confused. Read and follow God's Word always.

  • KingL2005

    This is common sense and submission to the Lord, our God. Throughout the bible (old testament) britches (pants) are commanded worn by men (Exodus 28:42-43/Exodus 39:28/Leviticus 6:10/Leviticus 16:4) all followed by the Law/Commandment (Deuteronomy 22:5 - God's dress code), so God SAID it matters. The New Testament is a reflection of the OLD,
    therefore one MUST read and consume the OLD to understand what the NEW is referring to.
    Any confusion is settled by looking at a bathroom sign (before it became okay the crossdress, which is a direct offense to the Laws and Commandments of the Most High). Repent, stop embracing your pride and gain admittance to the Salvation offered by knowing and keeping the same Laws and Commandments Yahawashi kept as He walked this Earth (Matthew 19:17/ Luke 18:16-20/Mark 10:18-19). By obeying these Laws/Commandments ("Google" the 633 Laws/Commandments of God that Moses spoke unto the Children of God), our Savior the Christ may say about us on THAT day, "Blessed are they that DO His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, AND may enter in through the gates of the city." Ego or the "pride of Life" is NOT worth our Salvation.

  • Brandi F

    I know this thread was a while ago and I’m not sure anybody would even see this, but I’ve struggled with this topic. I’m a former apostolic pentecostal, now I’m a free will baptist. I see some convincing arguments saying that pants for women aren’t sinful and some convincing arguments saying that they are sinful. Let me just tell you all that even if the Bible doesn’t condemn certain things, listen to God and DO WHAT HE TELLS YOU. The Bible doesn’t specifically tell you who you’re supposed to help and when, but that’s why you pray and listen. Our God is very much alive and the Bible isn’t the only thing you gotta take into account. Pray, listen, do as he tells you. The Bible may not condemn women or wearing pants but if God tells you not to wear pants, you better listen to him! Thank you all for taking the time to read this.

  • DiscipleofYHWH

    Part 2;
    like the women of today do. Instead they were clothed in meekness and modesty, and were looked favorably upon, not by men, but by the Lord. This is the modest apparrel that is being talked about in(1 Tim 2:9-12, 1 Peter 3:3-6, 1 tim 3:11, Titus 2:1-6). Just as the old testament said women are not to wear that which pertaineth to a man (Deut 22:5) the new testament likewise says women are to only wear that which becometh a woman (1 Timothy 2:10) not that which becometh a man. So now you know women should not wear pants or that which pertaineth to or becometh a man(Deut 22:5, 1 Timothy 2:10), but put on clothes that are womanly and modest that do not bring men to fall into sin through lust(Romans 14:13, Matt 5:28).

  • DiscipleofYHWH

    We know from scripture that a woman must not wear that which pertaineth to a man nor a man that which pertaineth to a woman(Deut 22:5). Now during the time which that was written both men and women wore robes(2 Sam 13:18, Ex 28:4), but the robes they wore were different: the fabrics, the designs, and the length. Women's robes usually went down to their feet, but did not come above the ankles. Only men's robes(which were usually shorter to begin with) were allowed to be pulled up or Girded about(Job 38:3, Jer 1:17) but they still had to cover the thigh. Only men and more specifically priests were allowed to wear shorts(Breeches) but they had to cover the thigh or come to or past the knee(Ex 28:42, Lev 16:4, Ez 44:18). To uncover the thigh was to uncover ones nakedness(Isaiah 47:2-3,ex 28:42). Even as far back as Daniel's day men were wearing a form of pants called Hosen(Dan 3:21), but the women of the Lord were not. Women have always had seperate clothing that was more modest than a man's clothing. During the time the new testament was written women wore many layers of clothing to cover themselves, clothes not showing shapely curves that might drive men to lust after them;part 1

  • Omuyosh @gmail.com

    I need to study this keenly before I give my views,

  • Niky212

    I don't know why people break their heads so much over this Deuteronomy 22: 5 as that's the law God gave. In the Bible from Exodus to Leviticus there are not less than 2000 laws how many are we keeping and the Bible recorded that if you offend in one you are quilty of all. For instance in the Deuteronomy 24: 5 read about the newly married. It says if a man marries newly he should be indoors without business cheering his wife for a year. How many have been obeying that.
    The issue of trousers or pants are the products of technology and development because when God gave the law there was no trousers or pants God was referring to the married not to use each other's things because of discharge from men and menstrual flow form women that it will make them unclean which is abomination before Him.
    Let us not overstretched this issue and focus in building our inner man that's the most important.
    Finally dressing is meant to cover nakedness therefore dress modestly
    Remember custom is dynamic and differ in different place. We are not meant to bound by law but by grace.
    Lastly Aaron and some other Levite, kings and prophets wore skirts and gowns which are opposite of trousers.
    Thank you

  • Aenne1952

    Question regarding the following: "Does Deuteronomy 22:5 forbid women from wearing pants? No, it doesn’t. In fact, clothing “that pertains to a man” at the time the verse was written would not have been understood to mean pants. " Meaning what? The passage says that women shouldn't wear men's clothes, period. It doesn't spell it out. So WHAT if pants didn't exist then? They do NOW and have for some 300 years in one form or another - and until WW2, were a MAN'S garment. Given justice issues embraced by the UCC, women wearing men's clothes actually REINFORCES the notion that men are superior! Why? because men who wear women' clothing are looked at mockingly by men, whereas women who wear men's clothes are not. By wearing men's clothing, women somehow ELEVATE themselves! Women should be faithful to Scripture, wear traditional women's clothing that isn't borrowed from men, and make THAT clothing objects of power and equality, instead of aping those who "have the power".

  • Trolleymike

    We have a huge problem because of the ignorance of this passage.We are told by society that kids should determine themselves if they think they re boys or girls. God says not obeying these verses is an abomination, so we had better get it right. Others say that these scriptures do not apply to us.God loves all and does not want confusion or demon driven habits to lay hold of us. Men wearing womens clothing can become a form of addiction that affects many aspects of their lives, I assume the same may be true about some women wearing men's clothing.
    I'm sure that it is God's will that men be men and women be women and not be tempted to cross dress in either direction.

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