The Social Life of the Hebrews (Routledge Revivals) by Edward Day

Author:Edward Day [Day, Edward]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780415681803
Barnesnoble:
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Published: 2012-09-30T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER V

VILLAGE AND CITY LIFE

SOLITARY farmsteads were not to be found among the Hebrews Like other peoples of the East, they lived in towns, in clans, septs and families, partly because such life was more convenient and more social as well as safer, and partly because it grew naturally out of their nomadic life Among nomads the individual never thinks to set up for himself independently, but prefers, as he must, for such things are settled for him, to lose himself in his family, his sept, and his clan. Hebrew life in Canaan was, therefore, village and city life.1 The necessity of studying the people from this point of view grows out of the nature of this life and out of the fact that these two types of life were essentially distinct, and that both had much to do in determining the character of the people.

With villages may be included, as they probably were in the thought of the Hebrews, the smaller unwalled towns, a few of which may have attained considerable size; while with cities we must include the small walled towns. The necessities of the times rendered walls the only means of defence apart from armed resistance where an enemy came upon a people. They were imperatively necessary. But the circumstances of the smaller communities were usually such as to forbid their rearing walls that would afford any real defence in case of war. From wild beasts and from petty enemies, as, for example, thievish neighbours, their homes, constructed usually of stone, furnished undoubtedly considerable protection. Situated then as they were, it devolved upon the inhabitants of the villages to be watchful so that if the land was invaded by a foreign foe they might escape to the nearest walled city, to the people of whom they were closely allied, usually as fellow-clansmen. The keenly apprehensive character of these village communities frequently manifested itself. Real danger was not necessary to produce such a state of feeling; a mere rumour was enough, so insecure were they. In the days of Deborah these villages were deserted by their inhabitants, such was the activity and hostility of the northern Canaanites, who later, under Sisera, tried to bring the Hebrew clans into subjection in a campaign in which they went down ingloriously. In times of warfare, despite the precautions ordinarily taken by them, the people residing in these villages sometimes suffered severely, while those of the neighbouring city might escape. The enemy might come upon them suddenly and unexpectedly. They and their belongings might be taken possession of, and, the adult males and all sick and otherwise infirm or useless members being slain, they might be carried into captivity, the only redeeming feature of which might be that the enemy would very likely be a people somewhat akin to their own in race and manner of life. The extent to which life was thus in those times unsettled, ought not to be overlooked by the student of it.

The names for such local

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