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Manners & Customs

Schools of the Prophets

THE SCHOOLS OF THE PROPHETS Because of the moral decline of the priesthood under Eli and his wicked sons, Samuel was led to form a school of the prophets wherein young men, mostly Levites, were trained to teach the Law of GOD, to the people. There was such a school at Ramah, over which Samuel presided, and David fled there for a time when Saul sou...

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Seasonal Journeys to the Temple

FAMILY PILGRIMAGES TO THE SANCTUARY A very important part of Hebrew family life was the pilgrimage made to the place of the sanctuary. "Thrice in the year shall all your men children appear before the Lord God, the God of Israel" (Exodus 34:23). The whole family could go, but the male members were required to go on this pilgrimage. The feasts of t...

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Ancient Dowry

THE MARRIAGE DOWRY Reason for dowry for bride's family. In the Orient, when the bride's parents give their daughter in marriage, they are actually diminishing the efficiency of their family. Often unmarried daughters would tend the flock of their father (Exodus 2:16), or they would work in the field, or render help in other ways. Thus upon her mar...

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Women

This attitude toward women can be illustrated from the Bible. Notice how Jacob's wives when traveling were given places by themselves, and not with him (Genesis 32). And nothing is said about the prodigal's mother being present at the feast which the father served his son (Luke 15:11-32). All this is in keeping with Oriental custom. [Manners And Cu...

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Newly Built Homes

DEDICATION OF A NEWLY BUILT HOUSE THAT THERE WAS a generally accepted custom among the Jews of dedicating a newly constructed dwelling is indicated from the words of the Mosaic Law: "What man is there that hath built a new house and hath not dedicated it" (Deuteronomy 20:5). No doubt the social and also the devotional elements entered into the occ...

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Ancient Sickness

JEWISH ATTITUDE TOWARD SICKNESS IN CHRIST'S TIME The Jews of that day were largely lacking in a scientific knowledge of medicine. This fact may be accounted for in their belief that sickness was caused by either the sin of the sick person, or of his relations, and that it was sent as punishment for that sin. Concerning the blind man, the disciples...

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Sandals

SANDALS The shoes as worn by the majority in New Testament times were no doubt what we would call sandals. They consisted of a sole of either wood or leather, which was fastened to the foot by leather thongs. Some people wore that which was more like an Occidental shoe. With these, either the entire foot was covered, or the toes were left bare. Su...

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Clothing of Christ

THE DRESS OF CHRIST How was JESUS CHRIST dressed? The famous artists, who have painted pictures of Him for us, have not always given an accurate view. One writer of the past century has attempted to describe His dress. It is worthy of careful study: Upon His head He must always have worn the turban, the national headgear, used alike by rich and p...

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Purification of the Mother

After childbirth, the Jewish mother passed through a period of purification of seven days for a boy and fourteen days for a girl, and then she still remained at home thirty-three days for a boy, and sixty-six days for a girl. Then she was to go up to the Temple to make her childbirth offerings. If she was rich she would bring a lamb to be offered, ...

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Education at Ancient Synagogues

THE SYNAGOGUE SCHOOLS WHEN JESUS WAS A BOY When JESUS grew up as a boy in the village of Nazareth, he no doubt attended the synagogue school. The Jewish child was sent to school in the fifth or sixth year of his life. The pupils either "stood, teacher and pupils alike, or else sat on the ground in a semicircle, facing a teacher." Until the childr...

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