Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible (1898)
BEL'LOWS. The word occurs once only in the Authorized Version, Jer 6:29, but the article must have been known before Moses's day, since without them smelting ores would be impossible. It is probable that the Jews had bellows of the same general appearance as the Egyptians', which are thus described by Wilkinson: "They consisted of a leather bag secured and fitted into a frame, from which a long pipe extended for carrying the wind to the fire.
They were worked by the feet, the operator standing upon them, with one under each foot, and pressing them alternately while he pulled up each exhausted skin with a string he held in his hand." The modern Palestinian bellows are even simpler, being a mere skin bag having a pipe fastened at one Egyptian Bellows. (After Cailliard.) end; it is pressed between two boards, and thus the air expelled.