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Manners & Customs

Robes

THE OUTER TUNIC OR ROBE In Bible times there was a looser and longer kind of tunic that was sometimes used but not by the ordinary people. Scripture indicates its use by kings (I Samuel 24:4), prophets (I Samuel 28:14), nobles (Job 1:20), and sometimes youths (I Samuel 2:19). Some Bible scholars believe it to have been a third garment, i.e., in ad...

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Honey

HONEY - GOD had promised Israel, "a land flowing with milk and honey" (Exodus 3:8; 13:5; Joshua 5:6; Jeremiah 11:5). The numerous references to honey or honeycomb in GOD's Word, are proof that Israel abounded with the product of the bees. Without doubt, the Jews took care of bees in order to produce honey.31 However, many of the Scriptural citati...

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Tables

Table. In many cases the Arab custom would seem to indicate to the Westerner that they use no table at all when serving a meal. Actually, a mat spread upon the ground serves the purpose of a table. This is especially true of the tent Arab. This was the early Semitic table of Old Testament times, for the Hebrew word "Shool-khawn," usually translated...

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Chairs

Chairs. With such an Oriental table in general use, it would follow that Occidental chairs would be largely missing. In regard to making use of chairs in ancient Bible days it has been said: "On ordinary occasions they probably sat or squatted on the floor around a low table, while at meals of more ceremony they sat on chairs or stools. The scriptu...

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Outer Darkness

WHY EXCLUSION FROM A FEAST WAS CONSIDERED TO BE SO TERRIBLE Ancient banquets were usually held at night in rooms which were brilliantly lighted, and anybody who was excluded from the feast was said to be cast out of the lighted room into the "outer darkness" of the night. In the teachings of JESUS, such exclusion is likened unto the day of judgmen...

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Hospitality to Strangers

Strangers as guests. There is an Oriental proverb that says, "Every stranger is an invited guest." The Bedouin Arab of today, like Abraham of old, will sit in the entrance way of his tent, in order to be on the watch for stranger guests (Genesis 18:1).4 The inspired apostle gave command concerning hospitality to this type of guest: "Be not forgetfu...

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Washing a Guests Feet

Washing the feet. After bowing, greeting, and kissing, the Eastern guest is offered water for washing his feet. Wearing of sandals would naturally necessitate foot washing, but it is often done when shoes have been worn. A servant will assist the guest by pouring the water upon his feet over a copper basin, rubbing the feet with his hands, and wipi...

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Renewing a Friendship

RENEWING A BROKEN COVENANT Among oriental people, when a covenant of friendship has been once broken, it may be renewed by those involved once again eating together. After His resurrection, JESUS ate at least three times with various disciples of His, and this was no doubt done in order to renew the covenant, which had been broken by their disloya...

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Mid Day Rest

THE MIDDAY SIESTA In Israel during the summer season the time of greatest heat is from noon to three o' clock in the afternoon. There is cessation of most activity during that time in many parts of the land. They rest at home or wherever they may be and can find a suitable place. A laundry or shop will often be discovered to be closed during those...

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Girdles

THE GIRDLE If the tunic was ungirded it would interfere with a person's ability to walk freely, and so a girdle was always worn when leaving home for any kind of a journey (See II Kings 4:29; Acts 12:8). There were and are today two kinds of girdles. One, a common variety, is of leather, usually six inches broad and furnished with clasps. This wa...

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