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Everyday Life in Ancient Israel

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WHAT was everyday life like back in Bible times? What sort of homes did ordinary people have? What kinds of work did they do? What were their customs? Your having some knowledge of these things can aid you in visualizing Bible accounts. At times, that background information is also the key to understanding the meaning of scriptures.

Most houses, like this one in Jerusalem, had flat roofs on which people might visit, walk in the cool evening, or even sleep (Lu 17:31)

Ancient lamps, made of earthenware, in which oil was burned (Mt 25:1-4)

A household oven of the sort that was common among the Israelites (Le 26:26)

Hebrew men and women often carried loads on their shoulder (Ge 24:15; Nu 7:9)

Vessels were of many sizes and shapes, usually earthenware, sometimes made of stone (1Ki 17:12)

In Bible times, grain was reaped by hand (above), threshed with the hooves of animals or a threshing sledge to separate the grain from the chaff, and winnowed, which involved tossing the grain so that the wind would carry away the chaff

In Bible times, grain was reaped by hand, threshed with the hooves of animals or a threshing sledge to separate the grain from the chaff (above), and winnowed, which involved tossing the grain so that the wind would carry away the chaff

In Bible times, grain was reaped by hand, threshed with the hooves of animals or a threshing sledge to separate the grain from the chaff, and winnowed (above), which involved tossing the grain so that the wind would carry away the chaff