In oriental countries child birth is not an event of much
difficulty; and mothers at such a season were originally the only
assistants of their daughters, as any farther aid was deemed
unnecessary, Exod. i, 19. In cases of more than ordinary difficulty,
those matrons who had acquired some celebrity for skill and expertness
on occasions of this kind, were invited in; and in this way there
eventually rose into notice that class of women denominated midwives.
The child was no sooner born, than it was washed in a bath, rubbed with
salt, and wrapped in swaddling clothes, החתל, Ezek. xvi, 4. It was the
custom at a very ancient period, for the father, while music in the mean
while was heard to sound, to clasp the new born child to his bosom, and
by this ceremony was understood to declare it to be his own, Gen. l, 23;
Job iii, 12; Psa. xxii, 11. This practice was imitated by those wives
who adopted the children of their maids, Gen. xvi, 2; xxx, 3–5. The
birth day of a son, especially, was made a festival, and on each
successive year was celebrated with renewed demonstrations of festivity
and joy, Gen. xl, 20; Job i, 4; Matt. xiv, 6. The messenger, who brought
the news of the birth of a son, was received with joy, and rewarded with
presents, Job iii, 3; Jer. xx, 15. This is the case at the present day
in Persia.
difficulty; and mothers at such a season were originally the only
assistants of their daughters, as any farther aid was deemed
unnecessary, Exod. i, 19. In cases of more than ordinary difficulty,
those matrons who had acquired some celebrity for skill and expertness
on occasions of this kind, were invited in; and in this way there
eventually rose into notice that class of women denominated midwives.
The child was no sooner born, than it was washed in a bath, rubbed with
salt, and wrapped in swaddling clothes, החתל, Ezek. xvi, 4. It was the
custom at a very ancient period, for the father, while music in the mean
while was heard to sound, to clasp the new born child to his bosom, and
by this ceremony was understood to declare it to be his own, Gen. l, 23;
Job iii, 12; Psa. xxii, 11. This practice was imitated by those wives
who adopted the children of their maids, Gen. xvi, 2; xxx, 3–5. The
birth day of a son, especially, was made a festival, and on each
successive year was celebrated with renewed demonstrations of festivity
and joy, Gen. xl, 20; Job i, 4; Matt. xiv, 6. The messenger, who brought
the news of the birth of a son, was received with joy, and rewarded with
presents, Job iii, 3; Jer. xx, 15. This is the case at the present day
in Persia.