ɜo HEBREW LIFE AND CUSTOM
regarded as of little value,1 were used not only for holding
water2 or oil,3 or storing grain, meat,* &c., but also as
receptacles for such things as documents.3
Pegs were affixed to the walls of the house on which
various articles could be hung.6
Skins for containing liquids, except the skins of game,
could scarcely have been in use before the publication of
the Deuteronomic law, for the skin of a domestic animal
which had been presented at the altar would have been
sacred and unavailable for ordinary use. There is, how-
ever, mention of skins for holding Hquids in passages both
Pre-Deuteronomic ’ and late.8
While drinking vessels and the like in the houses of the
rich were not uncommonly of precious metals,9 the supply
of crockery in the poorer houses was extremely limited,
and the wash-basin10 may well have been used for many
purposes. In Nathan’s parable the lamb drinks out of the
poor man’s cup.11 Even to-day guests who partake of the
courteous Bedouin hospitality may be offered milk from
the vessel out of which he has seen the goat drinking a few
minutes before. So likewise the bowls which were used to
contain intoxicating liquor12 served other uses, and also
the somewhat flatter bowl in which Sisera was given curds
and milk.13
Besoms for sweeping were in use,1* but there is no indi-
cation of the material of which they were made.
It is remarkable that there is no mention of kindling a
fire ab initio by striking flints,15 and to avoid the necessity
of so doing a lamp was kept always burning, and was
, Lam. iv. 2.
3 2 Kings iv. 2.
5 Jer. xxxii. 14.
i Gen. xxiv. 14 ; Eccles, xii. 6.
4 I Kings xvii. 12, 14, ι6.
6 Isa. xxii. 23, 24.
7 Gen. xxi. 14, 15, 19; I Sam. xvi. 20.
8 Ps. cxix. 83 : see also Prov. xxx. 33.
9 Gen. xliv. 2 ; ɪ KLings x. 21. ” Ps. lx. 8.
” 2 Sam. xii. 3. “ Zech. xii. 2. '3 Judges v. 25, vi. 38.
4 Isa. xiv. 23. 4 Cf. 2 Масс. x. 3.
POTS, CUPS, LAMPS 31
indeed the sign of the occupation of a house.1 Such a
lamp was presumably of earthenware with a wick of flax.2
The poor man, who was compelled most carefully to hus-
band his supply of oil, could probably not afford to keep
more than one lamp burning at a time, so that the light
of seven lamps3 would be considered a very brilliant
illumination, sufficient of itself to safeguard the house from
attack by nocturnal burglars. Candelabra supporting more
than one lamp were used by the wealthy, and the hospi-
table couple of Shunem 4 provided one for Elisha’s room.
Fires specially for heating appear to have been a luxury.
We hear of a brazier in the royal palace in December,®
and Amnon’s bedroom seems to have been warmed in a
like manner.6 As late as the time of Haggai 7 the district
about Jerusalem was evidently far better wooded than at
the present day, but even so the poor could scarcely have
kept fires of wood continually burning. In general, wood
fires depended on dead branches and sticks that could be
picked up,8 and the scarcity of fuel would necessitate great
economy. Where wood was unavailable the thorns 9 and
moor plants10 in which Palestine abounds would be used,
and (probably by the poorest) dried cattle dung.11 Wood
specially hewn was doubtless expensive and was mainly
used for the altar fire.12 Hewing and carrying wood for
fuel were unskilled occupations, and hence considered de-
grading.13
Among what we should regard as the kitchen utensils
were pots, of various sizes and shapes, for boiling meat—
which seems to have been the most usual way of cooking
it in earlier times—and for heating water.14
ɪ ɪ Kings xi. 36, xv. 4 ; 2 Kings viii. 19 ; Job xviii. 6 ; Prov. xiii.
9, xxiv. 20.
, Isa. xlii. 3. 3 Zech. iv. 2.
4 2 Kings iv. ɪo.
7 Hag. i. 8.
, Eccles, vii. 6.
” Gen. xxii. 3.
4 ɪ Sam. ii. 14.
s Jer. xxxvi. 22. 6 2 Sam. xiii. 8.
8 ɪ Kings xvii. ɪo, 12 ; Jer. vii. ι8.
” Ps. cxx. 4. “ Ezek. iv. 15.
13 Joshua ix. 23, 27 ; Lam. v. 13.