Child

Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary

Mothers, in the earliest times, suckled their offspring themselves, and that from thirty to thirty-six months. The day when the child was weaned was made a festival,  Genesis 21:8;  Exodus 2:7;  Exodus 2:9;  1 Samuel 1:22-24;  2 Chronicles 31:16; 2Ma_7:27-28;  Matthew 21:16 . Nurses were employed, in case the mother died before the child was old enough to be weaned, and when from any circumstances she was unable to afford a sufficient supply of milk for its nourishment. In later ages, when matrons had become more delicate, and thought themselves too infirm to fulfil the duties which naturally devolved upon them, nurses were employed to take their place, and were reckoned among the principal members of the family. They are, accordingly, in consequence of the respectable station which they sustained, frequently mentioned in sacred history,

 Genesis 35:8;  2 Kings 11:2;  2 Chronicles 22:11 . The sons remained till the fifth year in the care of the women; they then came into the father's hands, and were taught not only the arts and duties of life, but were instructed in the Mosaic law, and in all parts of their country's religion,  Deuteronomy 6:20-25;  Deuteronomy 7:19;  Deuteronomy 11:19 . Those who wished to have them farther instructed, provided they did not deem it preferable to employ private teachers, sent them away to some priest or Levite, who sometimes had a number of other children to instruct. It appears from  1 Samuel 1:24-28 , that there was a school near the holy tabernacle, dedicated to the instruction of youth. There had been many other schools of this kind, which had fallen into decay, but were restored again by the Prophet Samuel; after whose time, the members of the seminaries in question, who were denominated by way of distinction "the sons of the prophets," acquired no little notoriety. Daughters rarely departed from the apartments appropriated to the females, except when they went out with an urn to draw water. They spent their time in learning those domestic and other arts, which are befitting a woman's situation and character, till they arrived at that period in life when they were to be sold, or, by a better fortune, given away in marriage,  Proverbs 31:13;  2 Samuel 13:7 .

2. In Scripture, disciples are often called children or sons. Solomon, in his Proverbs, says to his disciple, "Hear, my son." The descendants of a man, how remote soever, are denominated his sons or children; as "the children of Edom," "the children of Moab," "the children of Israel." Such expressions as "the children of light," "the children of darkness," "the children of the kingdom," signify those who follow truth, those who remain in error, and those who belong to the church. Persons arrived at almost the age of maturity are sometimes called "children." Thus, Joseph is termed "the child," though he was at least sixteen years old,   Genesis 37:30; and Benjamin, even when above thirty, was so denominated,  Genesis 44:20 . By the Jewish law, children were reckoned the property of their parents, who could sell them for seven years to pay their debts. Their creditors had also the power of compelling them to resort to this measure. The poor woman, whose oil Elisha increased so much as enabled her to pay her husband's debts, complained to the prophet, that, her husband being dead, the creditor was come to take away her two sons to be bondmen,  2 Kings 4:1 . "Children, or sons of God," is a name by which the angels are sometimes described: "There was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord,"  Job 1:6;  Job 2:1 . Good men, in opposition to the wicked, are also thus denominated; the children of Seth's family, in opposition to those of Cain: "The sons of God saw the daughters of men,"  Genesis 6:2 . Judges, magistrates, priests, are also termed children of God: "I have said, Ye are gods, and all of you are the children of the Most High,"  Psalms 82:8 . The Israelites are called "sons of God," in opposition to the Gentiles,  Hosea 1:10;  John 11:52 . In the New Testament, believers are commonly called "children of God" by virtue of their adoption. St. Paul, in several places, extols the advantages of being adopted sons of God,  Romans 8:14;  Galatians 3:26 .

"Children or sons of men," is a name given to Cain's family before the deluge, and, in particular, to the giants who were violent men, and had corrupted their ways. Afterward, the impious Israelites were thus called: "O ye sons of men, how long will ye love vanity?"  Psalms 4:2 . "The sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows,"  Psalms 57:4 .

Bridgeway Bible Dictionary

One of God’s purposes for human marriage is that a husband and wife produce children and build a secure and contented family. Godly people regard their children as a gift from God, and aim at bringing them up to know him and walk in his ways ( Deuteronomy 6:6-9;  Psalms 127:3;  Ephesians 6:4;  2 Timothy 3:15). (Concerning the privileges and responsibilities of children in relation to their families and parents see Family .)

However, in a world spoiled by sin, not all children grow up in a secure family environment. As a result they may be greatly disadvantaged and even exploited ( Exodus 22:22-24;  Deuteronomy 26:12;  Deuteronomy 27:19;  James 1:27; see Orphan ).

Examples and illustrations

Jesus had a special concern for children and warned against ignoring or despising them. He pointed to their simple dependency on others as an illustration of the attitude that people must have if they are to enter the kingdom of God. People must realize that before God they are as helpless as children. They enter the kingdom of God not by their wisdom or achievements but solely by accepting God’s grace ( Matthew 18:1-4;  Mark 10:13-16).

When Christians realize that in God’s eyes they have no more power or status than a child, they will be specially considerate of all other children, making sure they do nothing to cause them harm ( Matthew 18:5-10). The ‘children’ referred to here are both those who are children literally and those who are children in the sense of being new believers with childlike faith (cf.  1 John 2:12-13). Sometimes the young see truths that those of traditional views fail to see ( Matthew 21:14-16).

Another way in which the Bible speaks of believers as children is as children of God. In one picture they are born into God’s family through the life-giving work of God himself ( John 1:12-13; see Regeneration ); in another they are adopted into God’s family and given the status of mature adult sons ( Romans 8:15-17;  Galatians 4:5-7; see Adoption ). As children of God, they are to develop the character of their Father ( Matthew 5:9;  Matthew 5:48;  1 Peter 1:14-16;  1 John 2:29;  1 John 3:10). In biblical language, ‘to be a child of’ sometimes means ‘to have the character of’ ( 1 Kings 21:13;  Luke 7:35;  Ephesians 2:2;  Ephesians 5:8;  1 Thessalonians 5:5) or ‘to be the subject of’ ( Ephesians 2:3;  2 Peter 2:14).

The Bible uses the picture of children in yet another way when it likens immature Christians to children who have not grown up. Like babies they still need the ‘milk’ of introductory teaching, when they should be feeding on the ‘meat’ of more advanced teaching ( 1 Corinthians 3:1-2;  Hebrews 5:12-14). Love for the spectacular is another sign of immaturity. Christians should have the innocence of children in relation to evil, but in their minds they should be mature adults ( 1 Corinthians 13:8-11;  1 Corinthians 14:18-20).

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

Child, Children, Sons

These are variously used in Scripture, to denote one and the same. All the race of Israel are called the children of Israel. And in like manner, the children of God in Christ are called, children of the kingdom. But these things are so obvious and plain, that I should not have thought it necessary, in a work of this kind, purposely contracted into the narrowest compass, to have noticed the word Child, but for the introducing a short observation on the term itself, as applied to the Lord Jesus Christ. On his account I think it important, and the reader will, I hope, forgive me.

We meet with the word Child, in relation to Jesus, several times in Scripture; but there are two places where it occurs, with a peculiar emphasis of expression, and where the word holy is prefixed, as if to give it an endearedness to the believer's heart. The passages I refer to are in the prayer of the church, on that memorable occasion when the Lord answered, by an immediate shaking of the place where they were assembled. ( Acts 4:27-30) "Of a truth, Lord, against thy holy child Jesus, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together. And now, Lord, grant that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus." I know not whether the reader enters with me into an apprehension of the very great loveliness, as well as importance, of the expression, in respect to the holy child Jesus; but I cannot but think, that the church, in this prayer, laid the whole stress, for their prayers being answered, upon the person of Jesus, in the holiness of that nature; which nature the church considered as its own. And for the complete justification of the church, the Lord Jesus took that nature in its perfect holiness. So that as the church then did, so may, and so ought, all believers now to rest the whole hope and expectation of an answer to all their prayers before the throne, upon the sole ground of the same sweet and lovely expression, sent up to God Father, "by the name of thy holy child Jesus." Nothing, among the Hebrews was a more afflictive providence, than to no children; probably with an eye to the promised seed. Hence Abraham, the great father the faithful, when the Lord promised, that he himself would be his shield, and his exceeding reward, said, Lord God, "what wilt thou give me seeing I go childless?" ( Genesis 15:1-2) And the punishment the Lord appointed to unnatural alliances, was to bear their sins in dying childless. ( Leviticus 20:20) And in the case of Coniah, the Lord said, "Write this man childless," ( Jeremiah 22:30) It were well among Christians, if this was well understood. How many consider a large family the reverse, and overlook that Scripture, which declares the man "happy, that hath his quiver full of children!" ( Psalms 127:5)

Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types

 Isaiah 9:6 (a) The word "child" refers to size and age, rather than to relationship. The word "son" refers to character and likeness. In the New Testament the Greek word for "child" is "teknon" which indicates a physical relationship between a parent and the offspring. Jesus was never called a child of Joseph, nor the child of man, nor the child of GOD. The Greek word "huios" meaning "son" or "likeness to another" is always used about Christ He is the Son of Man and the Son of GOD. He is not the child of man nor the child of God. A Christian is called a "child of God" (teknon), because of his faith and trust in Christ Jesus as in  Galatians 3:26. He is called a "son of God" (huios), only as he is like GOD more or less in his actions.

• he is a son of GOD (huios), if he is a peacemaker (  Matthew 5:9).
• he is a son of GOD if he forgives his enemies (  Matthew 5:45).
• he is a son of GOD if he lives a separated life (  2 Corinthians 6:18).

When JESUS was referred to as a child in  Luke 1:59,  Luke 2:27 and other passages, the word used is "paidion" which means "a little lad." Even here the word is not the word for relationship but refers to size.

 Jeremiah 1:6 (a) It is here used by the prophet to describe his feeling of helplessness in the face of a great work of GOD.

 Jeremiah 31:20 (a) GOD very tenderly refers to the people of Israel as being members of His own family, young, helpless, and in need of paternal care.

 Matthew 23:15 (a) Those who are led astray by false teachers are described as being related to hell and belonging there.

 Acts 13:10 (a) This man was so wicked and so hostile in his attitude toward GOD that Paul told him he belonged to the devil's family and had a devil's nature.

 Revelation 12:5 (b) This man child is the Lord JESUS brought forth from the nation of Israel to rule all nations.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Genesis 37:3 1 Kings 3:7

The descendants of a man, however remote, are called his children; as, "the children of Edom," "the children of Moab," "the children of Israel."

In the earliest times mothers did not wean their children till they were from thirty months to three years old; and the day on which they were weaned was kept as a festival day ( Genesis 21:8;  Exodus 2:7,9;  1 Samuel 1:22-24;  Matthew 21:16 ). At the age of five, children began to learn the arts and duties of life under the care of their fathers ( Deuteronomy 6:20-25;  11:19 ).

To have a numerous family was regarded as a mark of divine favour ( Genesis 11:30;  30:1;  1 Samuel 2:5;  2 Samuel 6:23;  Psalm 127:3;  128:3 ).

Figuratively the name is used for those who are ignorant or narrow-minded ( Matthew 11:16;  Luke 7:32;  1 Corinthians 13:11 ). "When I was a child, I spake as a child." "Brethren, be not children in understanding" ( 1 Corinthians 14:20 ). "That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro" ( Ephesians 4:14 ).

Children are also spoken of as representing simplicity and humility ( Matthew 19:13-15;  Mark 10:13-16;  Luke 18:15-17 ). Believers are "children of light" ( Luke 16:8;  1 Thessalonians 5:5 ) and "children of obedience" ( 1 Peter 1:14 ).

King James Dictionary

Child n.

1. A son or a daughter a male or female descendant, in the first degree the immediate progeny of parents applied to the human race, and chiefly to a person when young. The term is applied to infants from their birth but the time when they cease ordinarily to be so called, is not defined by custom. In strictness, a child is the shoot, issue or produce of the parents, and a person of any age, in respect to the parents, is a child.

An infant.

Hagar cast the child under one of the shrubs.  Genesis 21 .

It signifies also a person of more advanced years.

Jephthas daughter was his only child.  Judges 11 .

The child shall behave himself proudly.  Isaiah 3 .

A curse will be on those who corrupt the morals of their children.

The application of child to a female in opposition to a male, as in Shakspeare, is not legitimate.

2. One weak in knowledge, experience, judgment or attainments as, he is a mere child.

Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a child.  Jeremiah 1 .

3. One young in grace.  1 John 2 .

One who is unfixed in principles.  Ephesians 4 .

4. One who is born again, spiritually renewed and adopted as a child of God. 5. One who is the product of another or whose principles and morals are the product of another.

Thou child of the devil.  Acts 13 .

That which is the product or effect of something else.

This noble passion, child of integrity.

6. In the plural, the descendants of a man however remote as the children of Israel the children of Edom. 7. The inhabitants of a country as the children of Seir.  2 Chronicles 25 .

To be with child, to be pregnant.  Genesis 16:11 ,  Genesis 29:36 .

CHILD, To bring children.

Webster's Dictionary

(1): (n.) One who, by character of practice, shows signs of relationship to, or of the influence of, another; one closely connected with a place, occupation, character, etc.; as, a child of God; a child of the devil; a child of disobedience; a child of toil; a child of the people.

(2): (n.) A descendant, however remote; - used esp. in the plural; as, the children of Israel; the children of Edom.

(3): (n.) A son or a daughter; a male or female descendant, in the first degree; the immediate progeny of human parents; - in law, legitimate offspring. Used also of animals and plants.

(4): (n.) A young person of either sex. esp. one between infancy and youth; hence, one who exhibits the characteristics of a very young person, as innocence, obedience, trustfulness, limited understanding, etc.

(5): (n.) A female infant.

(6): (n.) A noble youth. See Childe.

(7): (v. i.) To give birth; to produce young.

Holman Bible Dictionary

Family

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(properly יֶלֶר , Ye ´ Led, Τέκνον  ; but represented by several other Hebrew and Greek words; comp. CHILDREN). Mothers, in the earliest times, suckled their offspring themselves until they were from thirty months to three years of age. The day on which a child was weaned was a festival ( Genesis 21:8;  Exodus 2:7;  Exodus 2:9;  1 Samuel 1:22-24;  2 Chronicles 31:16;  Matthew 21:16). Nurses were employed, in case the mother died before the child was old enough to be weaned, and when, from any circumstances, she was unable to afford a sufficient supply of milk for its nourishment. In later ages, when matrons had become more delicate, and thought themselves too infirm to fulfill the duties which naturally devolved upon them, nurses were employed to take their place, and were reckoned among the principal members of the family. They are, accordingly, in consequence of the respectable station which they sustained, frequently mentioned in sacred history ( Genesis 35:8;  2 Kings 11:2;  2 Chronicles 22:11).

The sons remained till the fifth year in the care of the women; they then came into the father's hands, and were taught not only the arts and duties of life, but were instructed in the Mosaic law, and in all parts of the religion of their country ( Deuteronomy 6:20-25;  Deuteronomy 11:19). Those who wished to have them further instructed either employed private teachers, or sent them to some priest or Levite, who sometimes had a number of other children under his care. It appears from  1 Samuel 1:24-28, that there was a school near the holy tabernacle dedicated to the instruction of youth. There had been formerly many other schools of this kind, which had fallen into discredit, but were restored by the prophet Samuel, after whose time the members of the seminaries in question, who were denominated by way of distinction the sons of the prophets, acquired much celebrity. The daughters rarely departed from the apartments appropriated to the females, except when they went out with an urn to draw water, or occasionally joined in the labors of the field-as keeping sheep, which was the practice with those who belonged to those humbler stations in life in which the more ancient simplicity of manners was still retained ( Genesis 24:16;  Genesis 29:9;  Exodus 2:16;  1 Samuel 9:11;  Ruth 2:2;  John 4:7). They spent their time in learning those domestic and other arts, which are befitting a woman's situation and character, until they arrived at that period in life when they were to be sold, or, by a better fortune, given away in marriage ( Proverbs 31:13;  2 Samuel 13:7). The daughters of such as possessed rank and wealth spent the greater part of their time within the walls of their palaces, and, in imitation of their mothers, amused themselves with dressing, singing, and dancing. Sometimes their apartments were the scenes of vice ( Ezekiel 23:18). They went abroad very rarely, but they received with cordiality female visitants. The sports of children were doubtless such as have always prevailed among youth, especially in the East. Hackett (Illustrations Of Script. p. 120) mentions having seen Oriental boys even amusing themselves with flying a kite, and playing at leap-frog and ball.

The more children — especially of male children person had among the Hebrews, the more was he honored, it being considered a mark of divine favor, while sterile people were, on the contrary, held in contempt (comp.  Genesis 11:30;  Genesis 30:1;  1 Samuel 2:5;  2 Samuel 6:23;  Psalms 127:3 sq.;  Psalms 128:3;  Luke 1:7;  Luke 2:5). That children were often taken as bondsmen Ly a creditor for debts contracted by the father, is evident from  2 Kings 4:1;  Isaiah 1:1;  Nehemiah 5:5. Among the Hebrews a father had almost unlimited power over his children, nor do we find any law in the Pentateuch restricting that power to a certain age; it was, indeed, the parents who even selected wives for their sons ( Genesis 21:21;  Exodus 21:9-11;  Judges 14:2;  Judges 14:5). It might of course be expected, while they lived in their father's house, and were in a manner pensioners on his bounty, that he would exercise his authority over the children of his sons, as well as over the sons themselves. In this case the power of the father had no narrow limits, and whenever he found it necessary to resort to measures of severity, he was at liberty to inflict the extremity of punishment ( Genesis 38:24).

This power was so restricted by Moses that the father, if he judged the son worthy of death, was bound to bring the cause before a judge. But he enacted, at the same time, that the judge should pronounce sentence of death upon the son if, on inquiry, it could be proved that he had maltreated his father or mother, or that he was a spendthrift, or contumacious, and could not be reformed ( Exodus 21:15;  Exodus 21:17;  Leviticus 20:9;  Deuteronomy 21:18;  Deuteronomy 21:21). It would appear, however, that a father's power over his daughters was still greater than that over his sons, since he might even annul a sacred vow made by a daughter, but not one made by a son ( Numbers 30:4;  Numbers 30:16). Children cursing or assaulting their parents were punished by the Mosaical law'with death ( Exodus 21:15;  Exodus 21:17;  Leviticus 20:9), a remarkable instance of which is quoted by Christ ( Matthew 15:4;  Matthew 15:6;  Mark 7:9;  Mark 7:13). The authority of the parents, and the service and love due to them, are recognised in the most prominent of the moral laws of the Jewish polity, the Ten Commandments ( Exodus 20:12); but the Pharisees devised a mode of evasion which our Lord strongly reprobates ( Matthew 15:5-6;  Mark 7:11-13). The prophetic curse or blessing of the father also possessed no little efficacy ( Genesis 49:2;  Genesis 49:28). (On punishing children for their parents' faults, Ezekiel 18, see Musaeus, De Jure Puniendi Liberos propter pecc. parent. Lips. 1714.) Children who were slaves by birth are mentioned in the Scriptures as those born in the house, the children of maid-servants, the sons or children of the house ( Genesis 14:14;  Genesis 15:3;  Genesis 17:23;  Psalms 86:16;  Psalms 116:16). Few things appear more shocking to humanity than the custom, of which frequent mention is made in Scripture, of making children pass through fire in honor of Moloch, a custom the antiquity of which is proved by its having been repeatedly forbidden by Moses ( Leviticus 18:21;  Leviticus 20:1;  Leviticus 20:5;  2 Kings 16:3). (See Moloch).

There are some allusions in Scripture to the modes in which children were carried. These appear to be adequately represented by the existing usages, as shown in the following cut, in which fig. 1 represents a Nestorian woman bearing her child bundled at her back, and fig. 2, an Egyptian female bearing her child on her shoulder. The former mode appears to be alluded to in several places, and the latter in  Isaiah 49:22. (See Hackett's Illustrations Of Script. p. 57.)

In Scripture the word "child," or "children," has considerable latitude; disciples are often called children or sons. Solomon, in his Proverbs, says to his disciple, "Hear, my son;" so also our Savior ( John 21:5). The descendants of a man, how remote soever, are denominated his sons or children, as " the children of Edom," "the children of Moab," "the children of Israel." Such expressions as "the children of light," "the children of darkness," "the children of the kingdom," signify those who follow truth, those who remain in error, and those who belong to the Church. Persons arrived almost at the age of maturity are sometimes called children. Thus Joseph is termed "the child," though he was at least sixteen years old ( Genesis 37:30), and Benjamin, even when above thirty, was so denominated ( Genesis 44:20). Solomon called himself a little child when he came to the kingdom of his father (1 Kings in, 7). (See Adoption); (See Birth); (See Son); (See Inheritance); (See Education), etc.; and (See Offspring).