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
Casting Lots
Lots were used to make selections, assign portions, or seek a decision in situations where human preference was to be excluded.
Primary Scripture: Proverbs 16:33
Childbirth and Midwifery
Childbirth normally occurred within a household setting with assistance from experienced women or midwives, and it carried substantial physical risk for mother and child.
Primary Scripture: Exodus 1:15-21
Circumcision as Covenant Sign
Circumcision marked male descendants of Abraham as members of the covenant community and became a major identity marker for Israel and later Judaism.
Primary Scripture: Genesis 17:9-14
Cisterns and Water Storage
In the dry climate of biblical lands, households and cities often collected rainwater in plastered cisterns cut into rock or built below ground.
Primary Scripture: Jeremiah 2:13
Cities of Refuge and Blood Avenger
Cities of refuge provided protected locations for a person who killed unintentionally while the case was distinguished from deliberate murder and blood vengeance.
Primary Scripture: Numbers 35:9-34
City Gates as Places of Law and Public Business
The gate of an ancient city was more than an entrance. Its open spaces could serve as places for elders, legal decisions, transactions, public announcements, and community judgment.
Primary Scripture: Ruth 4:1-12
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