The Hebrew verb atah means to wrap oneself, to cover, to clothe, or to envelop. Appearing about 17 times in the Old Testament, it describes the physical act of wrapping in a garment or cloak, and carries symbolic resonances of protection, identity, and divine covering.
Atah appears in contexts of mourning (wrapping the head), protection (being covered by God), and the investiture of divine authority. Psalm 104:2 describes God Himself as one who 'wraps himself in light as with a garment' — a powerful image of God's inherent glory as His clothing. In Isaiah 59:17, God puts on righteousness as a breastplate and wraps Himself in zeal as a cloak — the divine warrior preparing for judgment and redemption. The prophet Elijah wrapped his face in his cloak when the still small voice came (1 Kings 19:13). Psalm 109:29 prays that accusers will be 'clothed in shame' — the negative counterpart to being clothed in God's righteousness. The broader theology of divine covering — from the garments God made for Adam and Eve to the righteousness of Christ covering believers — runs through Scripture.