$9.48 according to modern values).—Ezra 2:69; Neh. 7:70-72.

DRAGNET

A net that was dragged along the bottom of a body of water to catch fish. (Ezek. 26:5, 14; 47:10) In ancient Egypt, dragnets were made of flax cords and equipped with lead weights at the bottom and wooden floats at the top. Likely those used by the Israelites were similar.

The methods of dragnet fishing used anciently were probably much like those employed in the Middle East in more recent times. The dragnet was let down from boats in such a way as to surround a school of fish, and the long ropes attached to the opposite ends of the net were taken ashore, where several men on each rope gradually pulled the net as a semicircle to the beach. (Matt. 13:47, 48) Another method was to draw the net together in a narrowing circle. Fishermen then dived into the water and pulled a portion of the weighted edge under the rest of the net, thus forming a bottom. After this the net was drawn into a boat or boats. (Luke 5:6, 7) Sometimes the net was first dragged into shallower water before being emptied.—Compare John 21:8, 11.

In the Scriptures, the dragnet is used figuratively with reference to the heart of an immoral woman (Eccl. 7:26) as well as to schemes to ensnare others. (Mic. 7:2) Also, military conquest is likened to fishing with a dragnet.—Hab. 1:15-17.

DRAGON

From the Greek draʹkon, depicting a terrifying monster, a serpentlike devourer. It occurs thirteen times in the Bible but only in the highly symbolic book of Revelation, and represents Satan the Devil. He is the “great fiery-colored dragon, with seven heads and ten horns,” having a tail that draws “a third of the stars of heaven” after him. (Rev. 12:3, 4) Together with these demons, Satan the Dragon is cast out of heaven down to the earth. “So down the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan.” (Rev. 12:7-9) In this debased state he persecutes the remnant of God’s “woman,” those having “the work of bearing witness.”—Rev. 12:13-17.

Dragon-like Satan is also the one that gives power and great authority to the symbolic wild beast having seven heads and ten horns, and, in turn, he is worshiped by the peoples of “all the earth.” (Rev. 13:2-4) John in vision also sees that the croaking froglike “expressions inspired by demons,” which go out to “the kings of the entire inhabited earth,” come from the Dragon or Satan’s mouth as well as out of the mouths of the “wild beast” and the “false prophet.” The effect this has is to gather these rulers and their supporters “to the war of the great day of God the Almighty . . . to the place that is called in Hebrew Har–Magedon [Armageddon].” (Rev. 16:13-16) Following this greatest of all wars the “angel” that comes down from heaven will seize “the dragon, the original serpent, who is the Devil and Satan,” and will bind him and abyss him for a thousand years.—Rev. 20:1-3; see SATAN.

DREAM

The thoughts or mental images a person has while asleep. The Scriptures take note of such dreams as those from God (Num. 12:6), natural dreams (Job 20:8) and false dreams.—Jer. 29:8, 9.

DREAMS FROM GOD

Dreams from God were received by Jehovah’s servants and by persons not devoted to him. (1 Ki. 3:5; Judg. 7:13, 14) Some furnished warnings that protected His servants, and others gave them guidance. Thus, in a dream God warned Abimelech king of Gerar not to touch Sarah, with the result that she remained undefiled. (Gen. chap. 20) Complying with “divine warning in a dream,” the astrologers who visited Jesus did not return to murderous Herod. (Matt. 2:11, 12) In response to angelic instruction in dreams, Joseph took Mary as his wife and also fled with Jesus and Mary into Egypt. Later dreams from God led Joseph to return from Egypt with them and settle in Nazareth in order to fulfill the prophecy, “He will be called a Nazarene.”—Matt. 1:18-25; 2:13-15, 19-23.

Some dreams from God gave his servants assurance of divine favor or helped them to understand how Jehovah was aiding them. When God was about to conclude a covenant with Abram (Abraham), a deep sleep and great darkness fell upon the patriarch, Jehovah then apparently speaking to him in a dream. (Gen. 15:12-16) At Luz (Bethel) God caused Jacob to have a dream in which he saw a ladder reaching from earth to heaven, thus denoting communication with heaven. Angels ascended and descended on it and a representation of Jehovah was stationed above it, God then pronouncing a blessing on Jacob. (Gen. 28:10-19; compare John 1:51.) It was also by means of a dream that God, years later, showed his approval of Jacob and gave him angelic instruction to return to his homeland.—Gen. 31:11-13.

As a youth, Jacob’s son Joseph had dreams showing he had divine favor, these dreams also being prophetic. In one, he and his brothers were binding sheaves in the field. Joseph’s sheaf stood erect and those of his brothers encircled and bowed down to it. In another dream, the sun, moon and eleven stars bowed down to him. (Gen. 37:5-11) Both of these dreams were fulfilled when Jacob and his household moved to Egypt during a severe famine. To obtain food, they all became dependent upon Joseph, then Egypt’s food administrator.—Gen. 42:1-3, 5-9.

Some dreams from God experienced by persons not worshiping him were also prophetic. In Egypt, while Joseph was imprisoned with Pharaoh’s chief of cupbearers and chief of bakers, these men had dreams that God enabled Joseph to explain as meaning that in three days the chief cupbearer would be restored to his position, whereas the chief baker would be executed. This occurred three days later, on Pharaoh’s birthday. In time these dreams served the purpose of bringing Joseph to Pharaoh’s attention as having God’s spirit.—Gen. chap. 40

Warning and the prophetic element were combined in two dreams Pharaoh of Joseph’s day had in one night. In the first, he saw seven fat-fleshed cows devoured by seven poor, thin-fleshed cows. In Pharaoh’s second dream, seven full and good ears of grain came up on one stalk, only to be swallowed up by seven shriveled, thin, wind-scorched ears of grain. Joseph, ascribing the interpretation to God, correctly explained that both dreams pointed to seven years of plenty to be followed by seven of famine. (Gen. chap. 41) It was God’s direction to save many from starvation and particularly to preserve the life of Abraham’s descendants, to fulfill his promises to Abraham.—Gen. 45:5-8.

Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar also had two prophetic dreams from God. One was of a metallic image with a gold head, breast and arms of silver, belly and thighs of copper, legs of iron and feet of iron and clay. A stone cut out without hands struck and crushed its feet and then pulverized the rest of the image. Daniel identified Nebuchadnezzar as the “head of gold,” the image indicating that a succession of human kingdoms would follow that of Babylon. Ultimately, God would set up a kingdom that would “never be brought to ruin.”—Dan. 2:29-45.

In another dream from God, Nebuchadnezzar beheld a great tree that was chopped down, its remaining rootstock being restrained with “a banding of iron and of copper” until “seven times” passed over it. In keeping with Daniel’s explanation, boasting Nebuchadnezzar (symbolized by the tree that was cut down) went mad, remaining in that state until seven times, or years, passed. Thereafter he acknowledged God’s supremacy and, his sanity having returned, he was reestablished in his kingship.—Dan. chap. 4; see APPOINTED TIMES OF THE NATIONS.

Daniel himself had a dream from Jehovah in which he beheld four huge beasts coming up out of the sea, these creatures representing human governments. (Dan. 7:1, 3, 17; see BEASTS, SYMBOLIC.) Daniel also saw the Ancient of Days, from whom “someone like a son of man” received lasting “rulership and dignity and kingdom.”—Dan. 7:13, 14.

Joel foretold the figurative dreaming of dreams under the influence of God’s spirit, evidently indicating that Jehovah’s servants would see fulfilled the dreams the prophets saw in ancient times. (Joel 2:28) One fulfillment occurred at the outpouring of the holy spirit on Pentecost of 33 C.E., when persons speaking many languages understood Jesus’ disciples who spoke to them in various tongues “about the magnificent things of God.” (Acts 2:1-18) The major fulfillment would be realized during the last days of this system of things.

When Jesus Christ stood on trial before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor’s wife sent him this message respecting Jesus: “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I suffered a lot today in a dream because of him.” (Matt. 27:19) The Bible does not state that the dream was of divine origin, but if it was from God, the report of it may have served to warn Pilate that Christ’s case was one of extreme importance.

NATURAL DREAMS

Natural dreams may be stimulated by certain thoughts or emotions, sensations or daily activities (anxiety, one’s physical condition, his occupation, and so forth). These dreams are of no great significance. (Ps. 73:20) A hungry person may dream of eating, a thirsty one of drinking, but he awakes unsatisfied. Comparable delusion was in store for all the nations “waging war against Mount Zion.”—Isa. 29:7, 8.

Concerning the pagan view of dreams, it is stated: “Babylonians had such trust in dreams that on the eve of important decisions they slept in temples, hoping for counsel. Greeks desiring health instruction slept in shrines of Aesculapius, and Romans in temples of Serapis. Egyptians prepared elaborate books for dream interpretation.” (Harper’s Bible Dictionary, 7th ed., 1961, p. 141) But such practices did not exist among faithful Hebrews and early Christians. The Scriptures warn against looking for omens, whether in natural dreams or in various incidents.—Deut. 18:10-12; see DIVINATION.

FALSE DREAMS

False dreams are Biblically condemned. According to the Law, a false dreamer who urged the committing of idolatry was to be put to death. (Deut. 13:1-5) God might sometimes speak to his true prophets by means of dreams (Num. 12:6), but he was against the “prophets of false dreams,” who led his people away from true worship. (Jer. 23:25-32; 27:9, 10) Practicers of divination were described as speaking “valueless dreams.”—Zech. 10:2.

The Bible speaks of dreams in a figurative sense in describing the ungodly defilers of the flesh who slipped into the Christian congregation. Jude warned fellow believers against such men “indulging in dreams,” these persons apparently dreaming (imagining) that they could with impunity violate God’s Word and defile flesh in the congregation. This was a mistake, for they would inescapably receive adverse judgment from the Supreme Judge, Jehovah.—Jude 8; 1 Cor. 6:9, 10, 18-20.

DREGS

In the Scriptures the term occurs five times, always in the plural (Heb., sh^ema·rimʹ). It is generally rendered “lees” by Bible translators, and has reference to suspended particles that precipitate and settle to the bottom when wine is allowed to stand undisturbed. Keeping a good wine “on the dregs” for a long time to age fully gives it clarity, strength and mellowness. (Isa. 25:6) On the other hand, when a wine that is bad to start with due to a poor quality of grape is left to congeal on the dregs, it does not improve in taste or smell, facts to which the prophets refer in illustrations. (Jer. 48:11; Zeph. 1:12) Also, in a figure of speech the psalmist says that “all the wicked ones of the earth” will be compelled to drain the cup of Jehovah’s anger, drinking the dregs and all, down to the last bitter drop.—Ps. 75:8; compare Ezekiel 23:32-34; see WINE AND STRONG DRINK.

DRESS

Apart from mention, with some description, of various articles of clothing in the Bible, there is little historical information as to the dress worn by the Hebrews—far less than that of the Egyptians and Assyrians. The reason is that the nation of Israel did not erect monuments or make inscriptions lauding their military victors, with figures of themselves from which we could get an idea as to their style of dress. Numerous Egyptian and Assyrian bas-reliefs, and those of other nations, illustrate the dress of their own peoples, and several show captives of different nationalities. Some of those depicted are believed to be Hebrews, but this cannot be proved. It seems reasonable, however, that some of the clothing worn today by people in many parts of the Bible lands may be roughly similar to what was worn centuries ago, since the same purposes are served, and since some customs have remained unchanged for centuries. On the other hand, archaeological evidence seems to show that the Hebrews used color in their dress to a greater extent than the modern Arab bedouins. Additionally, the dress worn by modern-day Jews and by other people in those lands has often been greatly influenced by religion and by Greek, Roman and Western customs, so that we can at best get only a general idea by comparison.

MATERIALS

The very earliest clothing material was the fig leaf, Adam and Eve sewing fig leaves together to make loin coverings. (Gen. 3:7) Later, Jehovah made them long garments of skin. (Gen. 3:21) A “hair garment” was used by Elijah and by Elisha as the “official garment” of the prophetic ministry. Elijah also wore a belt of leather. John the Baptist dressed similarly. (2 Ki. 1:8; 2:13; Heb. 11:37; Matt. 3:4) Sackcloth, usually made of hair (Rev. 6:12), was worn by mourners. (Esther 4:1; Ps. 69:10, 11; Rev. 11:3) Linen and wool were the principal fabrics. (Lev. 13:47-59; Prov. 31:13) The coarser fabrics of the poor were made of goat’s hair and camel’s hair, although they also used wool. Linen was a more expensive material. Cotton may also have been used. In only one place in the Bible is it certain that silk is mentioned, it being listed as an article of Babylon the Great’s commerce. (Rev. 18:12) Garments were of various colors, variegated and striped, and some were embroidered. (Judg. 5:30) Varieties of weave existed. The high priest’s white linen robe was woven “in checker work.” (Ex. 28:39) The Israelites might wear a garment of linen and another of wool, but were forbidden by God’s law to wear a garment of two sorts of thread, mixed.—Lev. 19:19; Deut. 22:11; see CLOTH; DYES, DYEING.

GARMENTS

The general term for garment most often used in the Hebrew Scriptures is beʹghedh. Other terms were used, sometimes in a general way, but they also appear in places as applying to specific articles of clothing.

Inner garments

There seems to have been an innermost garment in the form of a loincloth, or perhaps drawers, worn next to the skin, for the exposure of absolute nakedness was shameful. The priests were required to wear linen drawers (Heb., mikh·n^esaʹyim) to prevent indecent exposure when they served at the altar. Pagan priests sometimes served naked, a thing disgusting to Jehovah.—Ex. 28:42, 43.

The sa·dhinʹ (Heb.) was an “undergarment” worn by both men and women. (Isa. 3:23) Some think that one form of this inner article of clothing was in the nature of a wraparound garment. It would be worn