Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 2 Kings 1:8
An hairy man - Either in allusion to his shaggy cloak of untanned skin; or, more probably, an expression descriptive of the prophet’s person, of his long flowing locks, abundant beard, and general profusion of hair. His costume was that of a thorough ascetic. Generally the Jews wore girdles of linen or cotton stuff, soft and comfortable. Under the girdle they wore one or two long linen gowns or shirts, and over these they had sometimes a large shawl. Elijah had only his leather girdle and his... read more
The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 1:8
A hairy man ; literally, a lord of hair ( בַּעַל שַׂעָר ). Some take the meaning to be that he was rough and unkempt, with his hair and beard long; and so the LXX ; who give ἀνὴρ δασύς . But the more usual explanation is that he wore a shaggy coat of untanned skin, with the hair outward. Such a garment seems certainly to have been worn by the later prophets ( Zechariah 13:4 ; Matthew 3:4 ), and to have been regarded as a sign of their profession. But there is no... read more