The name is absent

HEBREW LIFE AND CUSTOM

after giving birth to a child are found only in the later
stratum of Pentateuchal law,¹ and though there is good
reason to believe that the law in this respect is in accor-
dance with ancient Palestinian custom,² it is not evident
whether such customs belonged originally to what may be
called the Mosaic as well as to the Canaanite elements of
the population.

Unless a wet nurse was employed, as was apparently
sometimes the case with the wealthier classes—e.g.
Rebekah 3 and Joash* were thus suckled—the mother
suckled her own children, who were not weaned for a
considerable period. This is stated by the mother of the
seven brothers martyred under Antiochus Epiphanes to
have been three years,⁵ and as long a period is implied by
the fact that the infant Samuel was actually given over to
the sanctuary at Shiloh as soon as his mother had weaned
him.⁶ The length of time that intervened between birth
and weaning gives point to the mention of Lo-ruhamah’s
weaning,’ which doubtless indicates the date at which her
father Hosea predicted the realization of the miseries
suggested by her name.⁸ During the time when a mother
was suckling a child, she and her husband lived apart,⁹ as
is the case at the present day among various African
tribes ;¹⁰ consequently there would normally be an interval
of from three to four years between the births of children
of the same mother. This fact explains why seven children
were commonly regarded as the maximum number that a
woman might be expected to bear.¹¹ Thus Leah had six

ɪ Lev. xii.

³ Purificatory ceremonies after childbirth survive to this day among
primitive people : see J. Roscoe, The Bangarhol, p. ιi2 ; The Bagesu,
pp. 24, 25 ; The Bakitara, p. 245.             ³ Gen. xxiv. 59.

⁴ 2 Kings xi. 2 ; cf. also Isa. xlix. 23.       ⁵ 2 Масс. vii. 27.

⁶ ɪ Sam. i. 22-4.              ⁷ Hos. i. 8.

⁸ For a similar indication of a date cf. Isa. vii. 14, viii. 3 f.

⁹ i Sam. ii. 21, compared with i. 24 and Hos. i. 4, 8.

“ J. Roscoe, The Bakitara, pp. 246, 247.

^π i Sam. ii. 5 ; Jer. xv. 9.

STAGES OF CHILDHOOD           9

sons and one daughter, and the before-mentioned mother
of the martyred brothers seven sons. Jesse indeed had
eight sons,¹ and, if the Chronicler, whose genealogies are
not above suspicion, may be trusted, two daughters,² but
it is not stated whether they were all by one wife.

The weaning of a child, at all events of an heir, was the
occasion of a feast,ɜ

It may be noted that the various stages of childhood
were designated as those of: first, sucklings (Heb. sing.
yônêk), i.e. children under three years of age ;⁴ secondly,
weaned children (Heb. sing, gamuΓ), i.e. above three, but,
according to our notions, still in infancy ;⁵ thirdly, boys and
girls (Heb. sing, yéledh, yalda) able to take care of them-
selves.⁶ Another term in use to denote a child was ’ôlâl or
'ôlêl. It is uncertain precisely what period of childhood
this covered, but it seems certain that a child so designated
would be classified by a modern Board of Education as an
infant.⁷ The Hebrew nd'ar answers generally to the Eng-
lish boy, whether very young or adolescent, and, as in
colonial usage, is also applied to servants and subordinates
of various ages.⁸

Children belonging to the wealthier classes, both below
and above the age of three had nurses both female » and
male,¹⁰ who may be compared respectively to the Indian
ayahs and bearers. Baby children were carried in the arms,¹¹
older children astride on the hip¹² or on the shoulder, ɪɜ It
is pleasant to know that children sat on the lap and were
played with.¹⁴

ɪ ɪ Sam. xvii. 12.       ’ ɪ Chron. ii. ι6.       ³ Gen. xxi. 8.

⁴ ɪ Sam. xv. 3.       ⁵ Gen. xxi. 8.         ⁶ Zech. viii. 5.

⁷ See Hos. xiii. ι6 (Heb. xiv. ɪ) ; Mic. ii. 9; Jer. vi. ɪɪ, ix. 21
(Heb. 20) ; Joel ii. 16.

⁸ See Exod. ii. 6 ; Isa. viii. 4 ; Gen. xxxvii. 2, xliii. 8 ; of servants
Judges vii. ɪo, ɪɪ ; ɪ Sam. ii. ɪɜ, 17 ; ι Kings xx. 14.

⁹ 2 Sam. iv. 4; Ruth iv. ι6.

ɪ⁰ Num. xi. 12 ; 2 Kings x. ɪ ; Isa. xlix. 23.

ɪɪ Num. xi. 12 ; Ruth iv. 16 ; Isa. xlix. 23.

^β Isa. lx. 4, lxvi. ι⅛. ɪʒ Isa. xlix. 22. ɪ⁴ Isa. Ixvi. 12.

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