BAG, PURSE, WALLET.Several kinds of bags, etc. may be distinguished. (a) The shepherds and travellers wallet for carrying one or more days provisions. Like most of the other OT bags, it was made of skin, generally undressed, and was slung across the shoulder. This is the scrip of Mat_10:10 and parallels (RV [Note: Revised Version.] wallet). The former is retained by our RV [Note: Revised Version.] (but Amer. RV [Note: Revised Version.] wallet) to render a unique word, which had to be explained even to Hebrew readers by the gloss the shepherds bag (1Sa_17:40). (b) A more finished article, the leather satchel which served as a purse (Luk_10:4; Luk_12:33 AV [Note: Authorized Version.] here bag). For illust. see Rich, Dict. of Antiq. 217. The purse of Mat_10:9, Mar_6:8, however, was merely the folds of the girdle (see RVm [Note: Revised Version margin.] ). (c) The merchants bag, in which he kept his stone weights (Deu_25:13), also served as a purse (Pro_1:14). (d) The favourite bag for money and valuableshence the beautiful figure 1Sa_25:29, where the hundle of life = lifes jewel-casewas one which could he tied with a string (2Ki_12:10, Pro_7:20, also Gen_42:35 EV [Note: English Version.] bundle). If required, a seal could be put on the knot (Job_14:17). (e) Another word is used both for a large bag, capable of holding a talent of silver (2Ki_5:23), and for the dainty ladys satchel (Isa_3:22 RV [Note: Revised Version.] ; AV [Note: Authorized Version.] crisping pins), (f) The bag which Judas carried (Joh_12:6; Joh_13:29) was rather a small box (RVm [Note: Revised Version margin.] ), originally used for holding the mouthpieces of wind-instruments.
A. R. S. Kennedy.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible
Edited by James Hastings, D.D. Published in 1909