688. Several cities mentioned in the Old Testament were built above underground springs. Megiddo and Hazor were two of these cities. In Hazor a woman would walk through the streets to a deep shaft. Then she descended thirty feet on five flights of stairs to the water tunnel, along which she proceeded to the water level to fill her large water jug. She needed considerable strength to climb back out of the watershaft with a heavy water jug. Gathering water was also time for the women to socialize.
689. The hum of the handmill grinding grain would be one of the first sounds heard in the early morning of an Israelite village. For those who live in the Holy Lands, this sound is associated with home, comfort, and plenty. This task belonged to the women and began in the early morning because it would often take half the day to finish. When Jeremiah foretold judgment upon Israel for her sins, he said that God would "banish from them the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, the sound of millstones and the light of the lamp" (Jer. 25:10, emphasis added).
690. Making clothes for the family from the wool of their flocks was one of the responsibilities of Jewish women. Another task was the washing of clothing. The ancient women of Israel washed their clothes by going to nearby sources of water such as streams, pools, or watering troughs. Like Arab women, they dipped the clothes in and out of the water and then placed them on flat stones to beat them with a club. They carried the water in goatskins and had a vessel for rinsing.
691. Collecting water from a well or spring is another household task of the women. The same practice is used today in many places in the East just as it was done in Genesis: "it was toward evening, the time the women go out to draw water" (24:11). It is customary for Syrian women to carry the pitcher of water on their shoulders, although sometimes it is carried on their hip. Most Arabs of Palestine carry it on their heads. Scripture says that Rebekah carried her pitcher on her shoulder (Gen. 24:15).
692. "A man carrying a jug of water..." Carrying water was universally done by women. So when Jesus instructed two of His disciples, "Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him" (Mark 14:13), it was an easy way of identifying the man. However, when larger supplies of water were needed, men used large skins of sheep or goats for carrying it.
693. The hard leather portable bucket with a rope is brought to the well in addition to the pitcher in order to let down the bucket to the level of the water. The Samaritan woman who Jesus met at Jacob's well had brought all this with her, but Jesus did not have anything with Him. This is why she said to Him, "Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep" (John 4:11 NRSV).
Friday, September 25, 2015
Family Life: The Husband and Wife l
682. In the East, every company of travelers, every tribe, every community, every family must have "a father," who is head of the group. Jabal "was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ." Jabal was the "father of such as dwell in tents and...have cattle" (Gen. 4:20-21 KJV). Easterners would not conceive of any band or group without somebody being "the father" of it.
683. Under the patriarchal system, the father is supreme in command. The authority of the father extends to his wife, his children, his children's children, his servants, and all his household. Many of the bedouin Arabs of today are under no government other than this patriarchal rule. When Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob lived in tents in the Land of Promise, they were ruled by this same system.
684. Reverence of the children for their parents and especially the father is almost universal in the Bible lands. It is quite customary for a child to greet the father in the morning by kissing his hand and standing before him in an attitude of humility, ready to receive any order, or waiting for permission to leave. After this the child is often pulled up onto the lap of the father.
685. Women were confined to different roles than men. They never ate with the men, and the husband and brothers were served first. While walking, women followed at a respectable distance. The woman was closely confined and watched with jealousy; and when she went out she was veiled from head to foot.
686. The ancient Hebrew women did not have unrestrained freedom, but they did have power in their role and influences within the family. A woman had tremendous influence for good or ill over her husband, and in most cases he showed her great respect. Sarah was treated like a queen by Abraham, and in matters of the household, she ruled in many ways.
687. The tribute to the wife and mother in the Book of Proverbs indicates she was a person of great influence: "Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value" (31:11). "She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue" (31:26). "Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and praises her" (31:28).
683. Under the patriarchal system, the father is supreme in command. The authority of the father extends to his wife, his children, his children's children, his servants, and all his household. Many of the bedouin Arabs of today are under no government other than this patriarchal rule. When Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob lived in tents in the Land of Promise, they were ruled by this same system.
684. Reverence of the children for their parents and especially the father is almost universal in the Bible lands. It is quite customary for a child to greet the father in the morning by kissing his hand and standing before him in an attitude of humility, ready to receive any order, or waiting for permission to leave. After this the child is often pulled up onto the lap of the father.
685. Women were confined to different roles than men. They never ate with the men, and the husband and brothers were served first. While walking, women followed at a respectable distance. The woman was closely confined and watched with jealousy; and when she went out she was veiled from head to foot.
686. The ancient Hebrew women did not have unrestrained freedom, but they did have power in their role and influences within the family. A woman had tremendous influence for good or ill over her husband, and in most cases he showed her great respect. Sarah was treated like a queen by Abraham, and in matters of the household, she ruled in many ways.
687. The tribute to the wife and mother in the Book of Proverbs indicates she was a person of great influence: "Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value" (31:11). "She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue" (31:26). "Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and praises her" (31:28).
Festivals and Holidays
669. Within the Hebrew calendar there are twelve months of the year, just like our modern calendar. However, the Hebrews calendar starts in Tishri (September). The other months of the year are Heshvan, Kislev, Tevet, Shevat, Adar, Nisan. Iyar, Sivan, Tammuz, Av, and Elul.
670. Rosh Hashanah is the first day of the Hebrew year and is celebrated as we celebrate New Year's Day. Numbers 29:1 and Leviticus 23:24 explain the celebration in detail; typically the holiday falls in mid-September.
671. Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement and comes on the tenth day of Tishri (Lev. 16:29; 23:27). The day falls toward the end of September.
672. Succoth, or the feast of Tabernacles or Booths, is celebrated the week of the fifteenth to the twenty-second of Tishri, concluding with a Solemn Assembly (Lev. 23:34-36).
673. Solemn Assembly comes on the twenty-second day of Tishri (Lev. 23:36) and falls in our month of October.
674. Dedication (Hanukkah) is celebrated in the month of Kislev, on the twenty-fifth day (John 10:22).
675. Purim is celebrated in the month of Adar on the fourteenth and fifteenth days. The month falls between February and March. Purim commemorates the events of the Book of Esther (Esther 9:18-22). Therefore, it is not mentioned in Leviticus.
676. Esther's triumph is celebrated in the Jewish festival of Purim, a joyous festival to commemorate the Jews' deliverance from Haman while they lived under Persian rule. Since the time of the exile, Jews have observed this feast in recognition of God's continued deliverance of His people. As the Book of Esther is being read, each time the name of Haman is read, the listeners yell out, "Let his name be blotted out!" The names of Haman's sons are all read in one breath, to emphasize the fact that they were all hanged at the same time.
677. The bitter herbs for the celebration of the Passover mentioned in Numbers 9:11 may have included chicory, wild lettuce, and several plants whose leaves were gathered for use in salads; but they were most likely dandelions. Though we find them invading lawns in many parts of the world, the dandelion's original home was in the lands bordering the Mediterranean.
678. Pesach, or Passover, is celebrated on the fourteenth day of Nisan, which falls on our Palm Sunday, and can be in March or April depending on the year. Exodus 12 and Leviticus 23 explain the commemorative reasons in more detail.
679. The Feast of Unleavened Bread comes between the fifteenth and twenty-first days of the month of Nisan. This commemorates the Israelites' time in the desert and the food they were to eat-unleavened bread (Lev. 23:6).
680. The Waving of the Sheaf of Firstfruits celebrates the firstfruits of harvest (Lev. 23:10) and falls on the seventeenth day of Nisan, somewhere between March and April of our calendar year. It is just two days past the celebration called the Passover.
681. Shavuoth, or Pentecost, is held in the month of Sivan, on the sixth day. It is also known as the Feast of Weeks (Lev. 23:15).
670. Rosh Hashanah is the first day of the Hebrew year and is celebrated as we celebrate New Year's Day. Numbers 29:1 and Leviticus 23:24 explain the celebration in detail; typically the holiday falls in mid-September.
671. Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement and comes on the tenth day of Tishri (Lev. 16:29; 23:27). The day falls toward the end of September.
672. Succoth, or the feast of Tabernacles or Booths, is celebrated the week of the fifteenth to the twenty-second of Tishri, concluding with a Solemn Assembly (Lev. 23:34-36).
673. Solemn Assembly comes on the twenty-second day of Tishri (Lev. 23:36) and falls in our month of October.
674. Dedication (Hanukkah) is celebrated in the month of Kislev, on the twenty-fifth day (John 10:22).
675. Purim is celebrated in the month of Adar on the fourteenth and fifteenth days. The month falls between February and March. Purim commemorates the events of the Book of Esther (Esther 9:18-22). Therefore, it is not mentioned in Leviticus.
676. Esther's triumph is celebrated in the Jewish festival of Purim, a joyous festival to commemorate the Jews' deliverance from Haman while they lived under Persian rule. Since the time of the exile, Jews have observed this feast in recognition of God's continued deliverance of His people. As the Book of Esther is being read, each time the name of Haman is read, the listeners yell out, "Let his name be blotted out!" The names of Haman's sons are all read in one breath, to emphasize the fact that they were all hanged at the same time.
677. The bitter herbs for the celebration of the Passover mentioned in Numbers 9:11 may have included chicory, wild lettuce, and several plants whose leaves were gathered for use in salads; but they were most likely dandelions. Though we find them invading lawns in many parts of the world, the dandelion's original home was in the lands bordering the Mediterranean.
678. Pesach, or Passover, is celebrated on the fourteenth day of Nisan, which falls on our Palm Sunday, and can be in March or April depending on the year. Exodus 12 and Leviticus 23 explain the commemorative reasons in more detail.
679. The Feast of Unleavened Bread comes between the fifteenth and twenty-first days of the month of Nisan. This commemorates the Israelites' time in the desert and the food they were to eat-unleavened bread (Lev. 23:6).
680. The Waving of the Sheaf of Firstfruits celebrates the firstfruits of harvest (Lev. 23:10) and falls on the seventeenth day of Nisan, somewhere between March and April of our calendar year. It is just two days past the celebration called the Passover.
681. Shavuoth, or Pentecost, is held in the month of Sivan, on the sixth day. It is also known as the Feast of Weeks (Lev. 23:15).
Bible Times and Trivia: The Bible Times V
663. Ophir very well may have been located in India or Ceylon, because the Bible states that the round-trip voyage took three years and that the ships brought back "gold, and silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks" (1 Kings 10:22 KJV).
664. The ancient cities of the Near East were usually walled, and at night the gates were closed for protection against invaders. In case any of the citizens were unable to return before nightfall, one small opening was left in the gate, an opening known as "the needle's eye." It was so low and so narrow that a camel laden with riches could never fit through. Only when the owner unloaded the camel and left the load outside the gate could the camel, with its head bent low, squeeze through.
665. Jesus' teaching in Matthew 19 seized on the analogy of the camel making its way through "the needle's eye" and compared it to a rich man trying to leave the earth with riches to get into Heaven. A rich man can enter the Kingdom of Heaven-but only if he first casts off his worldly goods and, like the camel squeezing through the needle's eye, bows his head in humility.
666. The civilization of the Egyptians was already an ancient one by the time Joseph arrived there some 3,650 years ago. The first pyramid was built about five thousand years ago. It is known as the Step Pyramid because it rises in a series of steps or terraces to a height of 250 feet, much like the ziggurats of Babylon.
667. The Great Pyramid of Cheops at Giza, built only a few hundred years after the Step Pyramid, was the tallest structure ever erected until the nineteenth century. It rises to a height of 481 feet, and its base is 756 blocks of stone, many blocks weighing as much as five thousand pounds. This pyramid was built with no other mechanical equipment than the lever and the roller, because at that time the Egyptians had not learned the use of the wheel.
668. More than thirty major pyramids were built during the thousand years before Joseph. Each one guarded the body of a pharaoh entombed in a chamber deep inside the pile of stone blocks. However, no pyramids are mentioned in the Bible. Despite the fact that these structures would have certainly been the talk of the ancient world, the authors of the Bible didn't consider them worthy of note. They did not play a part in the unfolding of the Biblical narrative.
664. The ancient cities of the Near East were usually walled, and at night the gates were closed for protection against invaders. In case any of the citizens were unable to return before nightfall, one small opening was left in the gate, an opening known as "the needle's eye." It was so low and so narrow that a camel laden with riches could never fit through. Only when the owner unloaded the camel and left the load outside the gate could the camel, with its head bent low, squeeze through.
665. Jesus' teaching in Matthew 19 seized on the analogy of the camel making its way through "the needle's eye" and compared it to a rich man trying to leave the earth with riches to get into Heaven. A rich man can enter the Kingdom of Heaven-but only if he first casts off his worldly goods and, like the camel squeezing through the needle's eye, bows his head in humility.
666. The civilization of the Egyptians was already an ancient one by the time Joseph arrived there some 3,650 years ago. The first pyramid was built about five thousand years ago. It is known as the Step Pyramid because it rises in a series of steps or terraces to a height of 250 feet, much like the ziggurats of Babylon.
667. The Great Pyramid of Cheops at Giza, built only a few hundred years after the Step Pyramid, was the tallest structure ever erected until the nineteenth century. It rises to a height of 481 feet, and its base is 756 blocks of stone, many blocks weighing as much as five thousand pounds. This pyramid was built with no other mechanical equipment than the lever and the roller, because at that time the Egyptians had not learned the use of the wheel.
668. More than thirty major pyramids were built during the thousand years before Joseph. Each one guarded the body of a pharaoh entombed in a chamber deep inside the pile of stone blocks. However, no pyramids are mentioned in the Bible. Despite the fact that these structures would have certainly been the talk of the ancient world, the authors of the Bible didn't consider them worthy of note. They did not play a part in the unfolding of the Biblical narrative.
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