Children in Fausset's Bible Dictionary
Ben, "son;" bath, "daughter;" both from baanah, to build.
Regarded as consecrated to God, in the same covenant
relation as the parents; therefore sons on the eighth day
were circumcised (Genesis 17:12). Hence, flowed parents'
responsibility to rear children in the way of the Lord
(Genesis 18:19; Deuteronomy 6:7; Deuteronomy 11:19); also
children's responsibility to obey parents, as a preparatory
discipline for the higher relationship to God. At five years
of age, the boy passed under the father's training. At 12 he
became "son of (i.e. subject to) the law," and was advanced
to a fuller instruction in it. Smiting, or even cursing, a
parent was punishable with death (Exodus 21:15; Exodus
21:17); also contumacy (Deuteronomy 21:18-21; compare
Deuteronomy 27:16). The child might be sold to bondage until
the Jubilee year for a parent's debt (2 Kings 4:1; Nehemiah
5:5).
Children were often nursed until they were three
years old. They were carried on the mother's hip or shoulder
(Isaiah 49:22; Isaiah 66:12). Governors or tutors watched
them in nonage (Numbers 11:12; 2 Kings 10:1; 2 Kings 10:5;
Isaiah 49:23; Galatians 3:24, paidagoogos, the guardian
slave who led the child to school). The mother's example and
authority were weighty over sons and daughters alike
(Proverbs 10:1; Proverbs 15:20), even with a royal son (1
Kings 2:19). Daughters had no right of inheritance; but if a
man had no son the daughters received the inheritance, but
they must marry inside their own tribe. Metaphorically:
CHILDREN OF LIGHT (Luke 16:8; Luk 1 Thessalonians 6:5), of
obedience (1 Peter 1:14, "as children of obedience" Greek),
of this world, of Belial, of wisdom (Matthew 11:19), of
faith. (See BELIAL.)
As children resemble their parent, so those in whom
these several qualities, good or bad, predominate, are
children of them severally (2 Samuel 23:6). So Barnabas is
termed "son of consolation," expressing his predominant
grace (Acts 4:36); John and James "sons of thunder,"
characterized by fiery zeal (Mark 3:17). So "sons of might,"
"daughters of sons" (compare Isaiah 5:1, "a very fruitful
hill," Hebrew: "the horn (i.e. peak) of the son of oil,")
"children of the bridechamber" (Matthew 9:15), the heavenly
Bridgegroom's best men (friends) who go and fetch the bride,
the apostles and evangelists who seek to bring sinners to
Jesus and to heaven (Matthew 25).
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