Customs and Culture of the Bible
The Bible was written in cultures very different from our own. Explore customs, institutions, daily practices and figures of speech that help explain what biblical writers and their first readers would have understood.
188 customs found
Gleaning
Israelite law instructed landowners not to harvest every edge or retrieve every forgotten sheaf, leaving produce accessible to the poor, resident alien, widow, and orphan.
Primary Scripture: Leviticus 19:9-10
Greeting with a Kiss
A kiss could function as a greeting, family welcome, expression of affection, reconciliation, honor, or betrayal depending on context.
Primary Scripture: Luke 7:45
Guest Rooms and the Upper Room
Larger ancient houses could include an upper story or roof-level room used for lodging, meals, gatherings, storage, or other household activities.
Primary Scripture: Mark 14:12-16
Hair, Beards and Shaving
Hair and beards could communicate dignity, mourning, humiliation, religious commitment, or social identity. Cutting, shaving, pulling, or neglecting hair could therefore carry meanings beyond grooming.
Primary Scripture: 2 Samuel 10:4-5
Harvest Seasons and Agricultural Calendar
The agricultural year of biblical Israel followed seasonal rains and successive harvests of barley, wheat, grapes, olives, and other crops.
Primary Scripture: Ruth 1:22
Head Coverings and Veils
Head coverings and veils could communicate modesty, marital status, mourning, social convention, or religious propriety, but practices differed across cultures and periods.
Primary Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:2-16
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