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Back to:
Everyday Life in History
Ancient World ⇐ ⇒ Early Church
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“…that this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ Then you shall answer them…”
Josh. 4:6
“Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging, to confirm anything: one man took off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was a confirmation in Israel.”
Ruth 4:7
“‘Do you understand what you are reading?’
And he said, ‘How can I, unless someone guides me?'”
Acts 8:30-31
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Subsections
Bible Background
Everyday Life: Whole of History & Antiquity
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Order of Contents
Friendly 10+
Growing Up 4
Books 22+
Dictionaries 3
Atlas 1
Archaeology 5
Special Topics 8+
Old Testament 5
New Testament 8+
Jerusalem 1
Rome 10
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Friendly
Short
1900’s
Henderson, Robert – Life in Bible Times (Chambers, 1974) 50 pp. ToC
Tarrant, Chris – Life in Bible Times (Abingdon Press, 1985) 45 pp. ToC
Embry, Margaret
Everyday Life in Bible Times: Work, Worship & War (Thomas Nelson, 1994) 48 pp. ToC
Work & Society: Everyday Life in Bible Times in Bible World (Lion, 1994) 50 pp. ToC
Everyday Life in Bible Times: Work & Society (Lion, 1994) 43 pp.
Dowley, Tim
The Kregel Pictorial Guide to Everyday Life in BibleAll Pages Times (Kregel, 1999) 32 pp.
Life in Bible Times (Candle Books, 2000) 30 pp. ToC
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2000’s
Senker, Cath – Everyday Life in the Bible Lands in Uncovering History (Smart Apple Media, 2005) 44 pp. ToC
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Longer
1900’s
National Geographic – Everyday Life in Bible Times ed. James B. Pritchard (1967; National Geographic, 1977) 450 pp. ToC
Wycliffe Bible Translators – Any Given Day in the Life of the Bible (Multnomah, 1992) 170 pp. no ToC
Reader’s Digest – Life in the Biblical World in Journeys into the Past (Reader’s Digest Association, 1997) 155 pp. ToC
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2000’s
How People Lived in the Bible: the Illustrated Guide (Thomas Nelson, 2002) 440 pp. ToC
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Growing Up
Friendly
Short
Embry, Margaret
Growing Up in Bible Times: Home & Families (Lion, 1995) 43 pp.
Growing Up in Bible Times: Families at Work & at Play (1995) 48 pp.
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Longer
Vamosh, Miriam Feinberg – Teach it to your Children: How Kids Lived in Bible Days (Jerusalem: Avi Ofra Media, 2012) 140 pp. ToC
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Lesson Plans
1900’s
Taylor, Florence – Child Life in Bible Times: Units of Guided Experience for Primary Children: Leader’s Manual (Bethany Press, 1939) 160 pp. ToC
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Books
1800’s
Life in Bible Lands; or, Illustrations of Scriptural Allusions & Imagery from the Manners & Customs of the East (London: T. Nelson, 1870) 64 pp. no ToC
Palmer, Henrietta – Home-Life in the Bible (Boston: Osgood, 1881) 440 pp. ToC
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1900’s
Rice, Edwin, W. – Orientalisms in Bible Lands: Giving light from customs, habits, manners, imagery, thought and life in the East for Bible students (American Sunday School Union, [c. 1910]) 350 pp. ToC
Drucker, Aaron – The Culture of Ancient Israel (Bloch Publishing, 1910) 100 pp. ToC
Neil, James – Everyday Life in the Holy Land (Cassell & Co., 1913) 340 pp. ToC
Cornill, Carl H. – The Culture of Ancient Israel (Open Court Publishing, 1914) 185 pp. ToC
Gill, Emma W. – Home Life in the Bible (Broadman Press, 1936) 185 pp. ToC
Bailey, Albert – Daily Life in Bible Times (Scribner’s Sons, 1943) 380 pp. ToC
Klinck, Arthur
Home Life in Bible Times: a Study in Biblical Antiquities (Concrodia, 1947) 150 pp. ToC
Everyday Life in Bible Times 3rd ed. (Concordia Publishing House, 1995; 2011) 170 pp.
eds. Packer, J.I., Merrill Tenney, William White
Daily Life in Bible Times (Thomas Nelson, 1982) 215 pp. ToC
Public Life in Bible Times (Thomas Nelson, 1985) 175 pp. ToC
Everyday Life in the Bible: the Old & New Testaments (Random House, 1989) 432 pp.
Thompson, J.A. – Handbook of Life in Bible Times (Inter-Varsity Press, 1986) 380 pp. ToC
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2000’s
King, Philip & Lawrence Stager – Life in Biblical Israel (Westminster John Knox Press, 2001) 460 pp.
Everyday Living: Bible Life & Times: Fascinating, Everyday Customs & Traditions from the People of the Bible (MJF Books, 2006) 475 pp. ToC
Matthews, Victor H. – Manners & Customs in the Bible: an Illustrated Guide to Daily Life in Bible Times 3rd ed. (Hendrickson, 2006) 250 pp. ToC
Silva, Moises – The Essential Companion to Life in Bible Times: Key Insights for Reading God’s Word Pre (Zondervan, 2011) 135 pp. ToC
Magness, Jodi – Stone & Dung, Oil & Spit: Jewish Daily Life in the Time of Jesus (Eerdmans, 2011) 375 pp.
Beck, John – The Baker Illustrated Guide to Everyday Life in Bible Times (Baker, 2013) 321 pp.
Ravid, Liora
Daily Life in Biblical Times (Gefen, 2013) 467 pp.
The Secret Lives of Biblical Figures: Unveiling Domestic Life in Biblical Times (2025) 476 pp.
eds. Ehrlich, Carl & Sara Horowitz – Jewish Studies on Premodern Periods Pre (De Gruyter, 2023) 335 pp. ToC
Morish, Daniel – The Daily Life of Jesus: Culture, Clothing, Language & Society in First-Century Judea (2026) 184 pp.
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Dictionaries
General
1900’s
Corswant, W. – A Dictionary of Life in Bible Times (Hodder & Stoughton, 1960) 305 pp. ToC
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2000’s
Yamauchi, Edwin & Marvin R. Wilson – Dictionary of Daily Life in Biblical & Post-Biblical Antiquity: Complete in One Volume, A-Z (Hendrickson, 2017) 2,000 pp.
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Food
2000’s
Beck, John A. – Food & Everyday Life in Bible Times: an Illustrated Mini-Dictionary: an excerpt from Zondervan Dictionary of Biblical Imagery (Zondervan Academic, 2012) 133 pp.
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Atlas
Friendly
1900’s
Due, Andrea – The Atlas of the Bible Lands: People, Daily Life & Traditions [up through the Present] (Macdonald Young Books, 1998) 55 pp. ToC
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Archaeology
Short & Friendly
1900’s
Miley, Barbara – Biblical Archaeology for Teens: Discovering Daily Life in Bible Times (Rainbow Publishers, 1988) 64 pp.
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2000’s
Gaber, Pamela – Daily Life in Bible Times: What Archaeology Tells Us (2015) 32 pp.
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Books
2000’s
Borowski, Oded – Daily Life in Biblical Times in Archaeology & Biblical Studies (Society of Biblical Literature, 2003) 148 pp. ToC
Fleming, James – The Life of the Shepherd, Farmer & Village in Biblical Times: How their Archaeological Background Helps interpret the Bible (2010) 160 pp.
Fiensy, David – The Archaeology of Daily Life: Ordinary Persons in Late Second Temple Israel Pre (Cascade, 2021) 591 pp. ToC
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Special Topics
Order of
Body Language
Shoes
Food
Arts, Music
Economics
Farming
Work
War
Earthquakes
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Body Language
Article
Gleason, Maud – ch. 2, “Mutilated Messengers: Body Language in Josephus” in ed. Simon Goldhill, Being Greek under Rome: Cultural Identity, the Second Sophistic & the Development of Empire (Cambridge Univ. Press, 2009), pp. 50-86
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Book
Hezser, Catherine – Rabbinic Body Language: Non-Verbal Communication in Palestinian Rabbinic Literature of Late Antiquity Pre (2017) 262 pp. ToC
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Shoes & Boots
Hall, J. Sparkes – The Book of the Feet: a History of Boots & Shoes: with illustrations of the fashions of the Egyptians, Hebrews, Persians, Greeks & Romans, and the prevailing style throughout Europe, during the Middle Ages down to the present period… (William H. Graham, 1847) 220 pp. ToC
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Food
2000’s
Beck, John A. – Food & Everyday Life in Bible Times: an Illustrated Mini-Dictionary: an excerpt from Zondervan Dictionary of Biblical Imagery (Zondervan Academic, 2012) 133 pp.
Shafer-Elliott, Cynthia – Food in Ancient Judah: Domestic Cooking in the Time of the Hebrew Bible Pre (Equinox Publishing, 2013) 352 pp. ToC
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Art & Music
Article
Sendrey, Alfred – chs. 6, 8, 10-11 ToC in Music in the Social & Religious Life of Antiquity (Fairleigh Dickinson University, 1974), pp. 67-73, 77-279 & 282-439
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Book
eds. Titchener & Moorton, Jr. – The Eye Expanded: Life & the Arts in Greco-Roman Antiquity (Univ. of California Press, 1999) 310 pp.
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Trades & Economics
1900’s
Delitzsch, Franz – Jewish Artisan Life in the Time of Christ (Unit Library, 1902) 75 pp. ToC
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2000’s
Ramos, Alex – Torah, Temple & Transaction: Jewish Religious Institutions & Economic Behavior in Early Roman Galilee Pre (Bloomsbury, 2019) 250 pp. ToC
eds. Aubert & Sirks – Speculum Iuris: Roman Law as a Reflection of Social & Economic Life in Antiquity (Univ. of Michigan Press, 2002) 210 pp. ToC
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Shepherding, Farming, Villages
2000’s
Fleming, James – The Life of the Shepherd, Farmer & Village in Biblical Times: How their Archaeological Background Helps interpret the Bible (2010) 160 pp.
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Work
Short & Friendly
1900’s
Embry, Margaret
Everyday Life in Bible Times: Work, Worship & War (Thomas Nelson, 1994) 48 pp. ToC
Everyday Life in Bible Times: Work & Society (Lion, 1994) 43 pp.
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War
Short & Friendly
1900’s
Embry, Margaret – Everyday Life in Bible Times: Work, Worship & War (Thomas Nelson, 1994) 48 pp. ToC
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Books
eds. Lancu & Meo – Textiles & War in Europe & the Mediterranean from Prehistory to Late Antiquity (Archaeopress Archaeology, 2025) 225 pp. ToC
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Earthquakes
Book
eds. Compatangelo-Soussignan, Diosono & Le Blay – Living with Seismic Phenomena in the Mediterranean & Beyond between Antiquity & the Middle Ages: Proceedings of Cascia (25-26 October, 2019) & Le Mans (2-3 June, 2021) Conferences (Archaeopress Archaeology, 2022) 425 pp. ToC
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Old Testament
Books
1900’s
Radin, Max – The Life of the People in Biblical Times (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society of America, 1948) 235 pp. ToC
Heaton, E.W. – Everyday Life in Old Testament Times (Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1956) 235 pp. 240 pp. ToC
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Patriarchs
2000’s
Bar, Shaul – Daily Life of the Patriarchs: the Way it was (Peter Lang, 2015) 200 pp. ToC
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Food
Shafer-Elliott, Cynthia – Food in Ancient Judah: Domestic Cooking in the Time of the Hebrew Bible Pre (Equinox Publishing, 2013) 352 pp. ToC
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Animals
Borowski, Oded – Every Living Thing: Daily Use of Animals in Ancient Israel (Alta Mira Press, 1998) 290 pp. ToC
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New Testament
Friendly
1900’s
Gower, Ralph R. – Life in New Testament Times (Wills & Hepworth, 1968) 50 pp. no ToC
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2000’s
Vamosh, Miriam F. – Daily Life at the Time of Jesus (Concordia Publishing House, 2001) 100 pp. ToC
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Books
1800’s
Edersheim, Alfred – Sketches of Jewish Social Life in the Days of Christ (NY: Pott, 1881) 350 pp. ToC
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1900’s
Bouquet, A.C. – Everyday Life in New Testament Times (Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1954) 260 pp. ToC
Gift, Joseph – Life & Customs in Jesus’ Time (The Standard Publishing Foundation, 1957) 125 pp. ToC
Daniel-Rops, Henri – Daily Life in the Time of Jesus (Mentor-Omega, 1961) 445 pp. ToC This is the same as his Daily Life in Palestine at the Time of Christ.
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2000’s
Ermatinger, James W. – Daily Life in the New Testament (Greenwood Press, 2008) 180 pp.
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Galilee
Levine, Lee – The Galilee in Late Antiquity (Jewish Theological Seminary of America, 1992) 410 pp.
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Temple
1800’s
Edersheim, Alfred – The Temple: its Ministry & Services as they were in the Time of Jesus Christ new ed., rev. (NY: Pott, 1881) 385 pp. ToC
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City of Jerusalem
Whole History
Short & Friendly
Slavik, Diane – Daily Life in Ancient & Modern Jerusalem in Cities through Time (Runestone Press, 2001) 62 pp. ToC
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City of Rome
See ‘City of Rome’ at ‘Everyday Life in the Ancient World’.
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“Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece.”
Jn. 2:6
“For the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.”
Jn. 4:9
“(Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, ‘Come, and let us go to the seer’: for he that is now called a ‘prophet’ was beforetime called a ‘seer’.)”
1 Sam. 9:9
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Related Pages
Bible Background, Survey, Authenticity & Introduction
Old Testament Background, Survey, Authenticity & Intro
Apocrypha, Pseudepigrapha & Dead Sea Scrolls
New Testament Background, Survey, Authenticity & Intro
Bible, Church History & Religious Dictionaries & Encyclopedias
Exegetical & Theological Dictionaries & Encyclopedias on the Bible
The Life, Letters & Theology of Paul
The Life & Times of Jesus Christ
On Scripture using Accommodated Language
On Customs, the Holy Kiss, Foot Washing, Anointing with Oil, Love Feasts, etc.
Bibliographies of General History