Clout is given in Jos 9:5 as the rendering of the Heb. verb טָלָא, (tala elsewhere rendered "spotted"), which properly means to patch, and denotes that the sandals of the Gibeonites were mended, as if old and worn by a long journey. The "cast clouts" (סחָבָה, sechabah', literally a tearing in pieces) put under Jeremiah's arms to prevent the cords by which he was drawn out of the dungeon from cutting into the flesh (Jer 38:11-12) were old torn clothes or rags.
The Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature was edited by John McClintock and James Strong. It contains nearly 50,000 articles pertaining to Biblical and other religious literature, people, creeds, etc. It is a fantastic research tool for broad Christian study.
John McClintock was born October 27, 1814 in Philadelphia to Irish immigrants, John and Martha McClintock. He began as a clerk in his father's store, and then became a bookkeeper in the Methodist Book Concern in New York. Here he converted to Methodism and considered joining the ministry. McClintock entered the University of Pennsylvania in 1832 and graduated with high honors three years later. Subsequently, he was awarded a doctorate of divinity degree from the same institution in 1848.WikipediaRead More